Welcome to my page dedicated to our chickens and ducks:- Chickens:- Jim and Mrs Jim the Giant Jerseys; Edna and Edith two friendly Brahma chickens; Legbar 1 and Legbar 2 (can't tell these apart either except currently one has a purple foot). Bantams:- Pekin bantams known as the Heisenberg twins because we can't tell them apart; Lacy the ladder climber, black-laced Wyandotte; Ducks:- Marmite and Crackers our two Khaki Campbell ducks.
25th May 2014 - We have 8 new baby chicks.
Well the waiting is over and I am delighted to announce that we have how hatched 8 tiny bundles of loveliness, the last one hatching in the incubator this morning. Yesterday we had two eggs that were chirping, under Edna our broody hen. This morning they were both on the side and felt a little cold. We rushed them both into the incubator and sadly one of them had clearly been exposed to the cold more, due to the advancement of the hatch, but the second with a slightly smaller hole recovered once it had sat in the incubator for a while and after a couple of hours hatched out.
It is still unclear if the little lady/chap will survive, but we have put a lot of effort into keeping this little darling alive, I do hope we don't lose it in the middle of the night.
Here is a picture of the first 4 that hatched - the little black one was the first born sometime on Wednesday just before I got home.
We currently have 2 Pekin bantams, to 3 Brahmas, and 3 Legbars. They are very sweet and complete time wasters because you can watch them for hours.
As you can see below, Alana (left) and Lilly (right) loved the little babies, and Alana was a great help today when we had to put them back into their house.
3rd May 2014- Edna the Eagle has gone broody.
We have only had our chickens for around 4 weeks and already Edna the flying Eagle (rightly named because she loves to fly up to the highest vantage point she can find) has gone broody.
Its only a week, so we have another 14 days before we will hear the pitter patter of tiny feet, but it is very exciting.
One of the big problems is that the first housing unit we purchased, was much smaller than it looked in advertisement photograph, and has now become the preferred nesting box for all the birds. Edna's current maternal state has not deterred any of the other girls squeezing in with her to lay their eggs.
While all this is wonderful to know they are all getting on so well, sadly Edna is claiming all these eggs for herself and our egg supply has come to a stop.
Drastic measure were called for, so I have had to section off the house so the others can't get in and force them to use the other 6 available nesting boxes, much to the annoyance of a stroppy Pekin bantam.
Yesterday I received 6 fertile Cream Legbar eggs through the post - they produce a wonderful blue egg and its always thrilling to collect these. Edna has already been sitting for around 5 days when I placed them under her, so as a back-up, I have ordered an automatic turning incubator just incase she doesn't stay on the nest for another 5 days - so watch this space.
Today is shed cleaning day - so best get going while the sun is shining.
3rd April 2014 - I would like to introduce you to the Production Line - The Girls & Jim.
25th May 2014 - We have 8 new baby chicks.
Well the waiting is over and I am delighted to announce that we have how hatched 8 tiny bundles of loveliness, the last one hatching in the incubator this morning. Yesterday we had two eggs that were chirping, under Edna our broody hen. This morning they were both on the side and felt a little cold. We rushed them both into the incubator and sadly one of them had clearly been exposed to the cold more, due to the advancement of the hatch, but the second with a slightly smaller hole recovered once it had sat in the incubator for a while and after a couple of hours hatched out.
It is still unclear if the little lady/chap will survive, but we have put a lot of effort into keeping this little darling alive, I do hope we don't lose it in the middle of the night.
Here is a picture of the first 4 that hatched - the little black one was the first born sometime on Wednesday just before I got home.
We currently have 2 Pekin bantams, to 3 Brahmas, and 3 Legbars. They are very sweet and complete time wasters because you can watch them for hours.
As you can see below, Alana (left) and Lilly (right) loved the little babies, and Alana was a great help today when we had to put them back into their house.
If you want to hear these little ones click here.
3rd May 2014- Edna the Eagle has gone broody.
We have only had our chickens for around 4 weeks and already Edna the flying Eagle (rightly named because she loves to fly up to the highest vantage point she can find) has gone broody.
Its only a week, so we have another 14 days before we will hear the pitter patter of tiny feet, but it is very exciting.
One of the big problems is that the first housing unit we purchased, was much smaller than it looked in advertisement photograph, and has now become the preferred nesting box for all the birds. Edna's current maternal state has not deterred any of the other girls squeezing in with her to lay their eggs.
While all this is wonderful to know they are all getting on so well, sadly Edna is claiming all these eggs for herself and our egg supply has come to a stop.
Drastic measure were called for, so I have had to section off the house so the others can't get in and force them to use the other 6 available nesting boxes, much to the annoyance of a stroppy Pekin bantam.
Yesterday I received 6 fertile Cream Legbar eggs through the post - they produce a wonderful blue egg and its always thrilling to collect these. Edna has already been sitting for around 5 days when I placed them under her, so as a back-up, I have ordered an automatic turning incubator just incase she doesn't stay on the nest for another 5 days - so watch this space.
Today is shed cleaning day - so best get going while the sun is shining.
3rd April 2014 - I would like to introduce you to the Production Line - The Girls & Jim.
These are the latest addition to our family - 8 hens and one Cockerel called Jim2 in honour of my darling Mike's parent's cockerel who was called Jim.
I am really pleased with the gang, they each have their own characters and are giving me a lot of enjoyment, together with some wonderful coloured eggs - check out my blue eggs.
In addition to the new recruits I have been tending my plants in the greenhouse. Today my strawberry plants arrived and I have been busy planting them in my containers in the greenhouse so roll on strawberry picking in June.
Well that is all my news - until next time, I'll catch you later....................
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