They eat, drink, poo, scratch the ground and walk about with a twinkle in their eye. In other words, they appear very healthy chooks. Despite this, I keep spotting (or imagining?) things like excessive preening, droopy tail feathers, pale faces, odd poos and scruffy knickers. Just to be on the safe side the chooks are still being fed all the possible tonics mixed with their food and water, and given warm oat porridge in the afternoons to keep them warm at night. They've been sprayed against lice, mites and every other sort of creepy crawlie known to man (and chickens) and I'm still in doubt. Should I be doing something else for them? To cover all bases, the king of the wormers, Flubenvet, is on the way.
I think the best thing to do is to stop reading the Chicken Clinic!
We've been toying with the idea of getting chickens but I'm wary of this type of thing, I think I'd just be worrying all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think it's just first-time hen keepers nerves and will pass eventually! :)
ReplyDeleteIf you can get your hands on a second hand eglu or cube, you'll be laughing. Although expensive, they're very easy to keep clean, I absolutely love mine.
Go for it Damo! :D
No need to worry about them. They are hardier that you think!
ReplyDelete(he says, adding extra bedding to keep them warm)!!
Definitely get some Damo!
C x
Una, I'm not a poultry fan myself, but the prospect of having eggs from your own hens DOES sound attractive -- and will be more so next year when the asparagus starts to come up... When can you expect your hens to start laying?
ReplyDeleteChristian - Thanks, I panic a bit less every day! :)
ReplyDeleteMark - They are point of lay hens, so any day now... Bella's face is quite red (a good sign), but she hasn't got much of a comb yet. While I'm waiting for the eggs, I get loads of manure. My compost will ROCK come spring! :) Can't wait for some asparagus, it's been torture not being able to take any this year.
Thanks for your comments everyone, much appreciated!