Wyandotte Chicks update and Run Cleaning

Is it me or can hens get really grumpy?  Do they wake up one morning and get out the wrong side of the nest?  Or is it that I somehow upset them?  I am male after all!  Men have a unique ability in this area.

I checked on Treacle and chicks this morning.  All doing well.  They are now 9 days old but still look tiny!

They managed to knock the feeder over so I opened up the door to the run and tried to move the food.  Treacle attacked like a crazed Tasmanian devil.....................well not quite, but she gave me a really good peck on the hand and drew blood.

Anyway I will live.


I think it is time for Custard and Pudding to take the lime light for 5 minutes. 


I have taken the opportunity whilst there has been a break in the weather to clean my main coop run.

I mentioned in previous posts the process I go through once or twice a year.  However I thought I would take a couple of photos.

I have to keep my hens in a fixed area due to my garden and having 3 young boys (They do get to run around the garden when cleaning out and more so in winter).  So to ensure any worms, smells and bacteria is kept to a minimum I clean the run and disinfect with Stalosan F.  I then top up with sand, this time I used play sand and then added a layer of woodchip, not bark.

Below are the before and after photos.


Before





If you are keeping chickens in your garden I would highly recommend Stalosan F.  Its a disinfectant and great at reducing smells.  It also can kill of any worms living in the soil.

I promise to risk life and limb and get a couple more photos of the chicks for the next entry! ;-)

Thank you for reading.



Wyandotte Chicks update day 4

The chicks are doing well.

I need to start thinking of names.  I have no idea if they are hens or cockerels, so 2 names of each should work. 

Last time I ask Jake my eldest for name suggestions, he decided on Spiderman for the Rhode Island Red Chick.  Rhys suggested Ben 10!!  Not really what I'm looking for.  For now Pinky and Perky will do.

Anyway, as mentioned in my last blog, I moved the broody coop and run on Sunday.

It is a compact coop and run.  It does not have a door to shut on the nest area but is well protected.  This however presented me with my first challenge.  Every time I moved towards the coop Treacle, Pinky and Perky walked into the run.  So I could not move it without risking an injury to them.

I checked most of the morning on Sunday and they seem to have camped permanently in the run.
Around 3 pm I had a little luck.  They were in the nest, but yet again they ran out to see what was happening.
I decided to pick the whole coop up.  BAD idea!

Treacle Pinky and Perky ran out and sat under the nearest bush!
Interesting!

I moved the run to the fresh grass and then tried to encourage Treacle into the run hoping that Pinky and Perky would follow.



Photo from Photobucket.com

 I forget how agile hens can be, especially when there are chicks involved.  Treacle raised the feathers on the back of her neck, opened here wings and had a look in her eye that said "do you feel lucky? Well do ya punk?".

Dirty Harry would have been proud.

As it happened I did not feel lucky, so I backed off.
She lowered her guard and turned her back to me.  So I took my opportunity and grabbed hold of her.  She was not impressed so I made a dash to the coop and put her safely in.

Then it was time for Pinky and Perky.  Easy?  Hmmm.  More slippery than a jellied eel.  But I did catch them.
They were so light and soft.  I did not hold them long as I did not want to upset Treacle.

So, what was intended to be a simple job turned into a mini adventure really.
Here they are nice a safe in their coop.
Please excuse the noise, Rhys and Ewan, my youngest, decided it was noisy time.

Thanks for reading.

Wyandotte Chicks Hatching

I was very pleased to see that one egg had hatched, so much so I actually bounced into work which has not happened for a long time.  

I could not get a photo yesterday morning.  The camera on my phone is not great, so when I returned in the afternoon, I took Rhys (my three and a half year old son) to see the chick as he was very excited.

With a little help we managed to get a photograph of the chick.  See right.

A very cute Wyandotte Black Lace Bantam.

Whilst out with the hens, I decided to watch Treacle for a while.  I noticed that one of the eggs had rolled out from underneath her and there was a crack in the egg. 

I managed to move the egg to the front of Treacle hoping she would pull it under her again for warmth, but she seemed to just watch it.

To my surprise I heard chirping and the egg started moving.  The chick was actually hatching.

I had my phone with me so I took a chance with the video.  See below.
Before you view it, a word of warning it is quite short.  As the chick started breaking through, Treacle pecked at it.  So I decided it would be best for me to tuck it under her.  She accepted it.  I have not edited the video.

 

So that is two out of six Wyandotte eggs that have hatched.  I have checked regularly and at about noon on Saturday 20th October, Treacle left the nest for the first time in approximately two days.  This is normally a pretty good sign that all hatching has finished.

I candled the eggs with an LED torch I have.  Two of the four un-hatched eggs appeared to have died very early on in the first couple of days.  One I believe was not fertile and the last I think died as day 15-17.  It's a shame but these things happen.

Chart from Avianweb.com
Image 7 shows the air sack according to number of days

For now I have disinfected the run with Stalosan F and will move it on Sunday to fresh grass.  I don't want coccidiosis which is a nasty parasite infection that can kill chicks in a few days.  Symptoms are chicks hunched up and blood in their droppings.
The photo below is of the two Black Lace Wyandotte chicks with Treacle.
They are tiny little things even compared to the Rhode Island Red chick I hatched earlier in the year.

I am becoming a little obsessed with hatching chicks and keeping chickens in general so watch this space! ;-)

Soon I will be posting my thoughts on the various old wives tales for breaking a broody hen and posting pictures of the new clean run for my other hens, Custard and Pudding.

Thanks again for reading.

Broody Speckledy Day 23!

My day has not started brilliantly.  4.30am wake up call by little Rhys!

My Mr Grumpy face was well and truly firing on all 4 cylinders this morning. 
I visited Treacle at 8.30ish to top up food and water.

8:31am = Mr Happy!


Yes!!!!!!!
Treacle's first egg has hatched, and the sound of chirping can be heard from the nest box.

I lifted treacle slightly risking a good old fashioned peck, and caught a glimpse of a dark black little chick!  Just one, but who knows if any of the other five Wyandottes will hatch.

More of an update later.
Thanks for reading

Broody Speckledy Day 22!

Well day 22 and still no action in the broody run! :-(

Treacle seems to be preparing for the Wyandotte chicks arrival but sadly they are not hatching.
I am slowly coming round to the idea that the eggs are not going to hatch.
Perhaps it's the time of year, maybe the eggs were not fertile or could it have been the roller coaster ride provided by Royal Mail?
It's a shame because I was really hoping to end up with a trio (male and two hens) to either keep or sell on as a breeding trio.  It's difficult to get hold of this breed in South Wales, so I will be having a go at hatching some more in the spring, but will again have to rely on royal mail to obtain the eggs.

There is a Poultry Show at Stoneleigh park Warwickshire on 17th and 18th November.  National Poultry Show .  Depending on commitments I may try and visit on either of the days.  It would be the first time I have attended a show!

Who knows what will happen.

Thanks for reading.
I will update the blog in a few days.

Broody Speckledy Final 24 Hours

It is the eve of hatching in the Homer household.  For me its almost as exciting as Christmas! ;-) 24 hours and counting!



Photo from incubatorwarehouse.com

There are no signs of piping yet.  (This is where the chick has broken through the sack inside the egg to reach the air sack and started breaking the outer shell of the egg). Treacle has however become very defensive over her eggs.



Two days ago she happily allowed me to pick her off the nest and place her next to the food and water.  Now it's like playing chicken on the Silverstone race track with a Ferrari F1 racing car.  She pecks at anything that moves especially my hands and fingers.  She is so quick it is impossible to dodge.
I may have to start wearing gloves.  :-(

I have read that hens can hear the chicks chirping inside the eggs the day before hatching.  To encourage the chicks to hatch they call back to them.  I think I heard Treacle doing this today as I filled the food and water containers.  Fingers crossed these little Wyandotte chicks will hatch soon.

I will post another update tomorrow, hopefully with good news!
Thanks for reading.

Broody Speckledy Hen Update Day 19

Rhode Island Red chick

Its 2 days and counting until we hope to hear the sound of chirping from the broody coop. 
It could of course be sooner.  The Rhode Island Red (left) that Treacle hatched 3 to 4 months ago arrived a day early.  Fortunately I had already bought a small pack of chick crumbs just in case.

The chicks apparently survive on the last of the undigested yolk in the stomach for 24 to 48 hours so in theory you could buy the food after the chicks have hatched, but I am concerned that the chick will try and eat the layers pellets in the run that Treacle has been eating.  The high calcium content in the layers can apparently kill the chick.  So I will be off to the local shop in the next day or two and will start feeding Treacle on the chick crumbs.  It will help her get back into condition quicker as it is higher in protein.

Treacle with quite a pale comb

I have also noticed that she is getting a little smelly.  I know chickens honk at the best of times, but she seems to have really let herself go this time in order to look after the eggs.

Broody hens can look quite ill and anaemic, so anything I can do to help her get back in to shape I will start as soon as I can.  I expect I will be buying poultry spice and poultry tonic as well as the chick crumbs.

No, before you say anything poultry spice is not the chicken version of old spice!  Its a mixture of spices like ginger that is in powder form that you add to the food.  Gives them a bit of a helping hand if feeling low and is worth giving in the winter time.

day 19 - photo from backgardenchickens.com

I tried candling the eggs the other day, but as the eggs are quite pale I could not see a lot.  That said I think at least one of the eggs seems to be progressing well.

Fingers crossed in the next 3 days I will be reporting hatchings with photos if possible.

Good luck Treacle!

Thanks for reading.

Mud Mud Mud in the Chicken Run Run Run

Mud Mud Mud in the Chicken Run Run Run!

What rotten weather.  I know we have had horrible weather most of the summer, in fact most of 2012, but it is usually this time of year I look at my chicken run and think, that needs a good clean and top up.

It took me ages to work out the best floor covering for my area.  It turns out that my street name, which is in Welsh, means boggy fields!  Well that is certainly true.

Sometimes I look at the chicken run and think it is more suitable for ducks with the puddles that gather.

I have to keep my chickens contained to a section of garden as I would not want my young boys treading in chicken poop.  In fact I would not put it past the youngest to go further than just treading.  He likes experimenting shall we say and has a very good throw for his age.

Anyway I clean the run regularly, which to be honest is quite a smelly job.  At least once a year, usually twice, I clean the run, cover with Stalosan F disinfectant (brilliant product – can be used for hens, pigs etc) and then top up where the chickens have been digging and the rest of the run with sand.  Usually a soft sand, but I never use sharp sand as I think this could cause issues with the chickens feet and eventually start an infection.

After the sand I top up with woodchip.  Not bark as this rots down and can go mouldy.  That’s the last thing you want.

It seems to work, and you can then keep on top of the run by raking over each week the surface covering with disinfectant.

To be honest, I would much rather have them properly free ranging on grass but for the time being this is a good alternative and they do get a run on the grass when I am cleaning out or in the middle of winter when I know the boys are not playing outside.

What lucky chickens!

Thanks for reading

Cluck Cluck

8 days to hatch

Treacle

It's Tuesday and the 13 day that treacle has been sat on the 6 Wynedotte eggs.
There is not a great deal happening apart for a daily stretch of legs, "movement" and food and drink.

So really there is not a great deal to talk about.  I have not candled the eggs yet to see if they are all developing.  I should have done this at day 7 really. 

Candeling is just shining a bright light, like a torch on the egg to check if the chick is developing. 

This is something I will do in the next few days.

In my view 21 days is not really a long time for new life to enter the world, and I started thinking what else can you do in 21 days?

Well one activity I enjoy is brewing beer, and using one of the beer kits you can buy relatively cheaply these days, you can turn the wort into drinkable beer in 21 days! :-)  You can't complain about that can you!

Anyway back to the eggs, I bought the eggs in the spur of the moment from eBay, something I said I would never do.  I can't see how the eggs can be that happy being tossed around by Royal Mail however well packed they are.

I got a very good deal in the end, even including postage I think I paid less that I would have done visiting my local poultry breeder for 6 standard hen eggs.

I suppose that is why I took the chance.  I could not source the Black Lace Wynedotte Bantam locally.  So it was either via post or no eggs.  It seems such a waste to not pop a few eggs under a broody, especially when she had already been sat for 2-3 weeks and was not getting the hint I was giver her by picking her out the nest box twice a day!

If these hatch, and some are hens rather than cockerels, maybe I can breed from them and supply locally, because they are such nice looking birds.

Thanks for reading and Cheers.........

Smallholders Course at Humble by Nature

Slight detour from hens and eggs today.  Promise I will be back on track next entry.

Kune Kune Pigs (Photo from Wikipedia)

Saturday morning saw me travelling into Monmouthshire to The Humble by Nature farm owned by Kate Humble and Ludo Graham.
Its a fantastic place and very accessible.
They run a variety of courses that cover working with animals, rural skills and food and cookery.  I went to check out the Smallholding course "oink, cluck and baa".
I was not disappointed and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in these areas.  At the same time as learning a great deal and relaxing for the first time in a long time I met up with some brilliant like minded people who owned smallholdings, others that were interested in buying smallholdings and others like me who have chickens and fancy expanding.

Tamworth Pigs (Photo from Wikipedia)

Liz Shankland was running the course and it was a great introduction to smallholding, some of the animals you can keep and some of the regulations and issues to consider before you take the  plunge.

They didn't put me off mind you, however it made me consider some key points, the main one being, if I take on animals do I have a back up plan.  What if I am unable to tend to them due to illness for a period or what if I want to go on holiday?
I can't see a simple answer to this one.
It would be unfair or rely on friends and family constantly.



Cavapoos - Roco & Max

I am aware of a service local to me similar to an animal sitter.  They look after a variety of animals in their own surroundings for people who go on holiday and also provide walking services for dogs.

They will look after hens in your garden and have even offered to look after hens on my allotment in Morganstown
Would they even visit pigs to feed and water?
Even if they would, would it be viable financially?

I suppose if you have a dog you accept that you put them in kennels or take them with you?  Rachel would not want to share our holiday with hens however much I enjoy keeping them or pigs for that matter so I guess, unless you have a friendly farmer or smallholder neighbour, there is very little option but to pay someone.  If you are running a business I guess it's a running cost to factor in when pricing your product.  If they are a hobby or pets then its just like owning a dog!!

If anyone has any other ideas let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Broody Speckledy Hen

As I type my Speckledy Hen has been sat on her eggs in her new Broody Coop for the last 7 days.  Only 14 days to go - fingers crossed!!!

My first broody coop

I bought my first broody coop recently on the basis that I would put my broody hen in there to stop her from upsetting the other 2 hens.  The egg laying was all over the place including in the run.
I should really introduce my hens.

Treacle - Speckledy Hybrid
Pudding - Bluebelle Hybrid
Custard - Light White Sussex Hybrid (one of my originals) AKA "Big Bird"

Treacle is broody and has been for 2/3 weeks now.

Here she is with Rhode Island Red chick that she hatched earlier in the year.

The farm I bought the eggs from agreed that if they were cockerels they would have them back.  Guess what?........Yes it was a cockerel.  Beautiful looking bird and when it started cock-a-doodle-doing I knew it was time for him to go.  My neighbours would not thank me, mind you neither would my wife and 3 boys.

After moving Treacle into here new home, I found myself searching eBay for fertile hen eggs for sale.  This was not the intention, but I could not help myself.

I saw a lovely looking bantam hen in the October 2012 issue of the Country Smallholding Poultry Magazine.    It was a Bantam Gold Laced Wynedotte.
As luck would have it there were 6 eggs on eBay.  I bid for them and WON!!!


So, lucky Treacle has now been sat on the 6 eggs for the last 7 days doing a great job.  She does need reminding to get of the nest and have a drink and food every now and then, but a small hand full of corn tends to encourage her out.  Saves me being pecked as I try and pick her up.

I'm hoping they will hatch, not the best time of year I know, but I would love to be able to breed from them as they are very pretty birds.


I will keep the site updated with progress, and if by some miracle the all hatch, I will need to be finding homes for some!!

Thanks again for reading.



Red Mite

I have suffered a great deal with this horrible little critter!  Although technically its the chickens that suffer but you know what I mean.

I have used loads of products.  I would suggest you need a variety of products and cleaning methods to keep it under control.

First of all if you are not sure what it is, here is a picture.  Skin crawling time!

Red Mite

They are tiny little things, really difficult to see. They're white until they suck blood at which point they turn red.
Yes, that is right they suck the blood of the chickens.
They live in the cracks can crevices of the hen house walls, roof, perches and nest boxes and venture out at night, feed on the hens and then return to their hiding place to lay more eggs.

Red mite has a 7 day breeding cycle so you need to treat the house at least every 6 days if you have a really bad infestation to try and beat it.

Signs to look out for:

• Grey to red coloured mites up to 0.7mm in size – looking almost like dust
• Reduced egg production
• The comb looking less red
• Spots of blood on eggs
• Your hen's not wanting to go in the coop at night

There are masses of forums you can visit and web sites you can get advice from but this is how I controlled it.

Jet washer

I have a pressure washer.  If you can take your house apart, do this and jet wash everything for a good 10 mins.  Leave for 15 mins and then return to the house - you thought you had blasted all the little critters away?  Nope, there will be loads more now "crawling out of the woodwork".  Best you jet wash everything again.
I did this in May/June time in 2012 but you may find if you have a bad infestation you have to do it twice.

Poultry Shield

This is a cleaner but it also dissolves the waxy coating on the outside of the mites causing them to dehydrate and die.
After jet washing first time I spray this in all the joints and cracks.  I then re apply during the week if I feel necessary and use it you clean the perches and droppings board/floor of the hen house.

Diatomaceous Earth

This is a great produce.  It is the fossilized remains of deceased diatoms, a type of ancient algae. It is effective at killing red mite, because it absorbs lipids from their waxy outer layer causing them to dehydrate and die. You can also add it to the feed as a wormer.
Best to note, it is no good when wet.  The coop must be dry otherwise it is not effective.
I dust this in the house.  On the perches, ends of perches, nest box, floor of the house, cracks............absolutely everywhere!  Its not instant but you will find over a day or two there are dead mites.  I would recommend you keep using this all throughout the year as a preventative.

Between April and September I have been dusting the hen box daily with Diatomaceous Earth (after cleaning it out) and weekly cleaning all bedding out and using minimal wood shavings and absolutely no hay or straw as the mites love it!!  It has worked to keep numbers down and now in October I have no active red mites, although you would not expect them to hang around this time of year.

I hope this helps.  Send me a mail if you want to discuss anything, always happy to help.

Andrew :o)

The beginning............

So, my first ever blog entry.........

I enjoy keeping chickens.  Hens to be precise.  I have been keeping them for about 3 years.  I live just north of Cardiff in South Wales.

It all started when our pet dog move on to doggy heaven just before Christmas.  For a month I moped around and then saw an article on hens.  I started researching what to do, where to buy equipment and hens.

I settled for a cheap option from eBay to test the water.

Our first Hen House!  It was a flat pack and quite easy to put together.

I decided that I liked the look of a family run business in Malvern (www.newlandgrange.com) that sold hybrid chickens.  I arrange to visit one cold Sunday afternoon in January (after stopping with my in laws).

And that was that.  3 Hybrid chickens in the car back to sunny Wales.

Rhubarb, Crumble and Custard

My wife thought I had gone slightly mad, but when the hen's started laying those fantastic eggs, she changed her mind.

Naming the hen's was great fun, and our boys had some great suggestions!

Now, things were going very well.  A constant supply of eggs a bit of cleaning, feeding and clean water.  This was "easy"!!!

BANG! 

All of a sudden after 12-15 months the hens stopped laying, I was struggling to find out the problem, I bought poultry tonic for the water and spice for the food.  Nothing seemed to help.  Then I discovered the dreaded Red mite!

I had no idea what it was, an hour or two later on the Internet it was panic stations.

I pulled the hen souse apart and discovered this.

Red Mite!

It was a bad infestation.  The mite were living under the roof covering. 

I have battled with red mite ever since, with several people including my local vet telling me to burn the hen house and buy another!

I have worked hard and now have it under control (I hope).

I think I will be posting separately on the red mite subject.  I think I have the beating of it and I'm happy to share experience. 

To cut a long story short (few you all say), 2 of the 3 original hens have passed away.  One left, the white one that I have nicknamed "Big Bird).  She is huge and lays massive eggs!

I currently have a total of 3 hens again having picked up 2 locally and successfully integrated them with big bird!

I have also managed to hatch a chick with a hen that went broody!  I will post separately on this!

Hope this first instalment was vaguely interesting!!!

Many thanks for reading.
Andrew