chickens

The nasty death of a naughty chicken

July 4, 2011
Thumbnail image for The nasty death of a naughty chicken

If you ever thought keeping chickens was an idyllic life of waking to their gently clucking and collecting fresh eggs for breakfast – and nothing more – then think again. Chickens are well-known cannibals. If any other bird in the flock has a prolapse and you don’t get to it quick enough they’ll peck at [...]

Read the full article →

Curing the pecking hens

May 2, 2011
Thumbnail image for Curing the pecking hens

The chickens have had a tough few months. They’ve taken to pecking each other – not in the friendly, gentle way they do when they’re mutually grooming, but in a quite vicious manner. Some of them have lost a serious number of feathers and are starting to get sunburned. There’s a ringleader – one of [...]

Read the full article →

We return from holiday to find Hitler Hen has died

February 27, 2011

We return from a week away to discover that one of our favourite chickens has died and another has a prolapse. It’s been a tough few months for our flock.

Read the full article →

Another chicken pops out… from behind

January 8, 2011

No sooner had we cured one chicken of its prolapsed bum and felt rather proud of ourselves for reintroducing her to the flock than another one succumbed to the same fate. This one wasn’t so easy to deal with.

Read the full article →

2010 with the chickens

January 1, 2011
Thumbnail image for 2010 with the chickens

A prolapsed chicken, a dead chicken, almost 1500 eggs… 2010 has been an interesting year to keep hens, and a rewarding one, too. Here’s to chicken success in 2011.

Read the full article →

One chicken, one prolapse, one tube of Germoloids… ugh.

December 24, 2010
Thumbnail image for One chicken, one prolapse, one tube of Germoloids… ugh.

One of our chickens has had a prolapse after becoming egg-bound. We’ve had to push her insides back in the vent and apply Germoloids. Fingers crossed.

Read the full article →

End of the season

November 23, 2010

As winter approaches, we’ve been tidying up the plot and the greenhouse, and were surprised to find some new tomatoes growing on our vines.

Read the full article →

The new feeder and drinker are saving both waste and time

November 2, 2010
Thumbnail image for The new feeder and drinker are saving both waste and time

Since putting the new feeder and drinker into the chicken compound we have cut down on waste and the amount of time we have to spend looking after them.

Read the full article →

Our chickens are moulting heavily

October 31, 2010
Thumbnail image for Our chickens are moulting heavily

Two of our chickens are losing their feathers as they moult, while the other chickens help by plucking them out and eating them. The poor things are really feeling the cold.

Read the full article →

Our chickens are such messy eaters

October 25, 2010
Thumbnail image for Our chickens are such messy eaters

Our chickens are such messy eaters – they throw more of their food on the floor than they swallow. With so much going to waste, we’ve decided to do something about it.

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries