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Post by Hezz on Nov 1, 2015 0:03:53 GMT
From Shirls: I had my first egg today from Lola! Bless her. Three of them are at point of lay now and Lola was the first. It weight 46g. She was absolutely frantic dashing about the garden, trying to get into the coop and and the shed. I showed her the lay box by putting her in, but she came out a minute later. Anyway, she obviously decided in the end that was the place to go and she went in there for a while, came out, did 'the squat' like when they poo and an egg popped out on the concrete!! It is cracked one end, so I think she is all confused at the moment, hormonal!!!I can imagine the scene.  Maybe next time she will get the hang of using the box. They certainly are not all going to be able to fit into the basket any more! |
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Post by Shirls on Nov 1, 2015 7:22:41 GMT
Oh things have changed now Hezz, we have two nest 'boxes'. If anyone is interested there is a brilliant website called Beckies Homestead. She is a wonderful lady that has set up (and made) her own house and has various animals as well as chickens. On there is a video on making a nest box out of a 'tote' box. It's brilliant and so cheap to make. So we have two of those now, they are both in the run and will be well sufficient for my girlies. I understand that if their favourite nesting place is occupied they will queue up nicely waiting for the laying hen to come out! Lola was frantic yesterday even getting up on top of the coop - which has a sloping roof, to try and get into where they sleep to lay her egg. |
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Post by Shirls on Nov 1, 2015 7:35:00 GMT
Marianne Marlow said 'I do hope that Bea will be okay xx' I know this thread is about Lola, but I will add dear Bea and no doubt the others in time as Hezz has asked. Two days ago I gave Bea some yoghurt with pro-biotic (Gro2Max) in it, she wasn't keen, but she had a little. Today I have added the Gro2Max to the water and they all will have it. This is something you do every 2 or three days. I shall only do it today as I have had a really informative reply on the Black Yard Chicken forum and good advice from another chicken keeper. The BYC forum is lovely, they are a very friendly and helpful bunch of guys, like you lot on here. It is so nice. So for all you chicken keepers on this forum if you haven't found it already The Backyard Chicken forum is the place to go, as well of course as The Chicken Chic! So I will be out later shopping for a high protein feed for Bea, which will be good for the others too. Btw - so much fun watching them eat yoghurt!! They shake their heads which makes it spray on the other chooks, then they eat it off the others heads, body etc.!!!
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Post by OP on Nov 1, 2015 7:56:24 GMT
They seem to behave like overgrown budgies at times. I find it interesting reading about them. |
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Post by samwiseg on Nov 1, 2015 8:36:53 GMT
It is interesting understanding about chickens behaviour and also what they eat is't it?! LOL! Spaghetti? Now yoghurt?!!  Would love to see a video of that, do they use a spoon?  Love and cuddles to Bea xx |
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Post by Hezz on Nov 1, 2015 9:21:35 GMT
I do hope dear Bea "gets good quick".  She is the last of your original four, if I am right?  I saw a funny (sweet) thing on Sat morning while walking the dog ...... a house that seems to have a bit of a permaculture garden going, with a few chooks, and standing right in the middle of the driveway was a little fellow about two-three years old, still in his pj's, with a chook in his arms giving it the biggest cuddle you can imagine, down to the little swing around, like you might do with a favourite cuddly toy. I walked on with a big smile on my face.  |
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 1, 2015 9:57:23 GMT
Thanks for the update on Bea. I do hope that the yoghurt and high protein food helps her.
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Post by Shirls on Nov 1, 2015 17:15:35 GMT
Today was a good day, I cut down on the treats and got some high protein chic feed, organic, so a bit more expensive. They had probiotic in the water today too and I am sure they ate more of their normal food. They also seemed to like the chic crumb too. Lola is still very confused! When I came back from shopping for the chic food, there was a broken egg shell in the middle of the patio, no contents! So I was very disappointed and told the girlies off. Told them I wasn't very pleased as they had eaten the egg. This is something they really mustn't get a taste for, as you can imagine. I have to apologise to them now as I found the squashed yolk on a path later on, and then even later I found the white somewhere else - so they didn't eat it after all! I think they must have been playing with the shell!! |
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 2, 2015 8:27:23 GMT
Fab that it was a good day Oh dear, poor chickens getting told off for something they didn't do.. a bit like the A-Team.."sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit" |
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Post by samwiseg on Nov 2, 2015 8:28:14 GMT
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Post by OP on Nov 2, 2015 9:17:20 GMT
Well I'm just glad of the mistake Shirls. If they had eaten the yolk, which is full of protein, they may remember where it came from. I think you know what I mean.
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Post by Shirls on Nov 2, 2015 15:44:42 GMT
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Post by Shirls on Nov 2, 2015 15:48:53 GMT
So we got another egg from hormonal, egg brained Lola today. She sat in the 'nest' egg box for ages, then came out into the run and dropped the egg! Fortunately the run door was closed so she couldn't come out and drop the egg on any paving slabs! It seems she gets all warm and cosy in the nest, gets bored and then when she comes out oops the egg is well on the way! I suppose she will get the hang of it. 1st egg was 46g second egg was smased, third egg was 48g.
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Post by OP on Nov 2, 2015 17:11:50 GMT
Have you set up a stall at the front gate yet? |
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Post by Shirls on Nov 2, 2015 20:16:20 GMT
Hehe OP, early days, early days!!! |
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Maybe next time she will get the hang of using the box. They certainly are not all going to be able to fit into the basket any more! 
She is the last of your original four, if I am right?
