9 easter eggs awaitin…

April 9, 2009 · Filed under 1

After Bailey was relocated to his new nine wives, Stripe crowed and he was sent away too  –

So I was left with some very miserable girls, missing the male action.

The boredom soon past as Spring came on and the recent good weather and sun had them all over the garden investigating all the new creepy crawlies.

On Monday I went to a great breeder in Co. Laois and got a few more girls. I called one Tori already, because of her fiery orange head and the fact she was the first to take food from my hand and let me pick her up, give her a pet.

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The new girls were introduced in the right way and I will upload the video I took of when Izzie freaked out when she walked over to the coop and saw the new girls. She freaked! Video coming soon!


A reader in last months edition of Practical Poultry suggested spritzing a small amount of perfume on both the old and new birds, to hide the scent and to help them interact better. I did so and I have to say it worked in the beginning but they copped on to the fact that there were new hens in the coop, sight said it all. After a few days of pecking and re-establishing the pecking order all are getting on great. When my favourite Blondie pecks one of the new girls and Im sitting on my hunkers I gently pecked her in the same spot with my finger, thus establishing myself in their pecking order.

This morning, Hannah was racing up and down inside the coop so I let her and the rest out a little earlier than usual. Hannah raced over at full speed to a mound about 5ft high we have of hay, straw and wood, similarly shaped to a bonfire. Off she disappeared into the middle of the ‘bonfire’ and I creeped over to investigate.

There she was – sitting on 9 eggs. I was absolutely amazed. When we got Hannah first she was the weakling of the group and never interacted with the other hens due to being ‘the weak one’. I thought she was a goner at one stage but after Christmas her breast filled out and all the colours came back into her plumage.

So Hananh, is the first to go broody and that comes just in time for the arrival of my new incubator.

Eric and I have decided to hatch chicks but wanted to wait until one bird at least went broody. I gave Bailey the Welsummer away for free on condition that I could have a decent batch of fertilised eggs for hatching. Babies in the air this summer!

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Back Door Visits..

February 9, 2009 · Filed under 1

My girls have got into a very weird habit! Once they are let out in the mornings

They wander about for new food and then all accumulate at my back door, clucking

away. The sight of several hens waiting through the glass door is hilarious.

 

Treat of the week is bread crumbs, but the most tastiest morsel is a tiny slice of ham

Which would coax any hen into your arms. Toss it one side and whoever is the luckiest

To have it in their beak runs laps as the others chase suit. Its hilarious.

 

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She’s a ‘He’!

January 2, 2009 · Filed under 1

Just about the funniest way end to 2008. I was sitting down having a cup of tea on Tuesday morning and pulled the curtains to see the hens. I opened the window to throw some corn out and Bailey came running as usual. Bailey appeared to be choking, gasping for air up at the window to me and I began to panick. I was shocked when ’she’ spread her legs wide and let out a roaring “cock a doodle doo”!!!

I rang Eric – we have a problem, I said. While I was on the phone Bailey crowed twice more, then proceeded to jump Blondie and announce he had become a teenager and intended on giving all the hens a good seeing to.  I had intended only on keeping hens and not cockerals, so I set out finding Bailey a good home. Within a day, we found Bailey a home with 9 single young ladies who need protection from a fox living at the end of the field, just a few doors away.

When I let Bailey into the ladies coop, he immediately grabbed one hen and mounted her. He then flew to the top of the coop and crowed three times, then took another young hen into the coop and had his way with her.

The new owner is looking forward to the possible chicks in the Spring and I have my name on a few of Baileys babies. Sorry to see my favourite bird go, but could not have gotton him  a better home.

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Day day chuck chuck

November 26, 2008 · Filed under The Chickens · Tagged , ,

So myself and Eric took Meredith for the ‘walk’ up the lane.  I had to put her down on Sunday because the eye had become infected again but it was just a lump of oozing puss now. Dont like culling the chicks but have to if its for the best. So, sad to see her go because she was chuckling away full of life, but just the mycoplasma hadn’t left her system in time and returned full blast. She was wobbling and off balance Saturday so I seperared her. Unlike the last time, she put up a huge fight. I got her in the cat box and when I took her out she screamed as if I was hurting her somehow, whereas the last time she was sick she was just limp when I held her. Her poor sister was out looking for her Sunday evening when it was pitch black, she was pacing up and down the coop.

They all got new feeders at the weekend, the eggs are still a comin… will be giving them LOADS of garlic this weekend to keep their immune systems up.

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Roo

November 10, 2008 · Filed under 1 · Tagged , , , , , , ,

I put Meredith, the one eyed chicken – back into the main coop inside today. She stuck around in a corner on her own for about an hour but then slowly, began to re-introduce herself and strut her stuff, all over again! She pecked Hanah & Bailey hard in the ass, which wish I caught it on video. They definitely all have little personalities. Stripe is officially a *woman* (Hen) now.

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One-Eyed Chicken

November 8, 2008 · Filed under The Chickens · Tagged , , , , , ,

Yesterday I was bitterly disapointed to find that Meredith could open her eye, but that the infection had completely blinded her. I dont know whether or not to let her back in with the rest today because she is now blind in one eye.  It was a little uncomfortable to watch her, she could hear me but had to turn the head to see me.

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But on a more positive note, I suspect two hens are laying now. We would normally get two eggs a day but Meredith was laying one of those eggs and with her removed, it was just one egg every couple of days. Yesterday, there was two eggs and today there was three. I am absolutely thrilled. Its good to see eggs after all this time!

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I think Stripe is laying because of her roaring red comb and its a toss up between Izzie & Bailey.

A one eyed chicken… this song sprang to mind.

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A Sick Chick

October 31, 2008 · Filed under The Chickens · Tagged , , ,

This sounds bizarre as I type this but, I’m proud of what I’ve done.

Three days ago, Meredith didnt come out of her box for food with the others. This happened the following morning so I brough her some warm egg and honey. On closer inspection she had a runny nose and a bubbly eye (the eye is so close to the nose, the sinus infection infects the eye). I seperated her yesterday as she couldnt walk, brought her indoors in the cat box and sat her in front of the heater for the day.

This morning there was no improvement, so I brought her to the vet. She got eye drops and an antibiotic, I got enough for the whole group.

I was very sad yesterday she might die and I hope she pulls through. She was absoulutely amazing in the vets, stayed in my arms the entire time. When I got back home, I sat on the couch with her and she fell asleep. I gave her the antibiotic, and she took it brilliantly.

She sure aint well though…

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Fed better than the other half…

October 25, 2008 · Filed under The Chickens · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Eric was starving today lying on the couch with his badly sprained ankle, waiting for me to make some lunch like I had promised. He was not impressed to see that the 5 potatoes I had cooked in the microwave were for the hens! This prompted me to post what I feed the girls, which after reading I realised they may be a little spoiled!

The weather has turned pretty bad here in the last few days, gale winds and long blustery days have left the hens soaking wet (they look so cute when they’ve been out in the rain) and also their defences a little down. Thats why I’m giving the girl’s apple cider vinegar, to boost their systems.

Every morning, they girls start the day off with a trough full of warm weetabix and oats. Instead of milk, I pour hot water over everything enough to soak the oats and wet the weetabix. Its been pretty cold in the mornings lately and they come running out of the coop when they hear me coming in the mornings for their porridge. The heat helps keep them warm, sometimes because they are so sick of being ‘cooped up’ without fresh air and sunlight, they stay out even when its lashing rain. They get soaked to the bone so at least I know they had a warm breakfast. Also, I can hardly run out and dry them with a towel! :o )

As well as the above, I give the hens a mandatory helping of layers pellets. This provides all the nutrients they need for laying and something to peck at when all the goodies are gone.

As well as the warm breakfast, I’ve been treating them occasionally to a warm supper. This is nothing special! Don’t start thinking I’m crazy, but its important to look after hens in Winter. They start to molt and it can be a very stressful time for them.

A quick and easy treat I would give is beans and bread.

Another wee recipe I cooked up is as follows:-

Potatoes, oil, boiled eggs and herbs.

Heres all the ingredients I used.

Heres all the ingredients I used.

End ups looking like this:-

 

When I brought it out to the hens they went nutty natz for it!

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Coddle for anyone?

October 20, 2008 · Filed under Cooking · Tagged , , , , , , ,

My two favourite dishes in the world to cook, are Coddle and Irish Stew. I thought I would post my version of Coddle which I absoulutely adore! If you are not Irish and have never tasted this very Irish dish, please try it at home. I love it because of its simplicity yet the taste is so extravagant!

Different makers of coddle will tell you different ways it should or not should not be made, so give it a google and have a read of other peoples recipes.  It originated in the times of the Irish Famine  of 1765 to 1767. The Irish who were lucky enough to have a pig, could grow good potatoes and onions using its fertiliser. From these ingredients a number of recipes came including the ‘coddle’. In Dublin, it was a nutritious way of eating when times were hard. Potatoes, bacon pieces and a sausage stewed made for good eating. Today, I cook this dish with seasoning for a taste I would run a mile for!

4 main Ingredients people.. thats right, only 4!

Potatoes, Onion, Sausages & Bacon (Rashers)

Seasoning – Parsley & Thyme.

Pearl Barley (optional)

You can put celery or carrots in, I found that one time I put two of both in, they totally took over the taste, so today I have placed one celery stick in, no carrot ( I’m actually all out of them since the lamb hotpot yesterday).

(1) So basically, get your biggest pot for stewing in. Have a look inside, and start peeling potatoes, dice and slice them. You want to fill the base of the pot with potatoes to start with.

0)

Fill the base of pot with spuds :0)

(2) Peel one large onion, like what I have in the picture. You may need to use 4 regular sized onions if you dont have a large one to hand as you need to fill over the potatoes with onions now, like below.

chop em up

chop em up

It should look like this now:-

Sprinkle onions on top of potatoes

Sprinkle onions on top of potatoesI added some celery, just because my man likes it, he also likes carrots in it too, but I haven’t got any!!! Now its time to place the meat on top. You should use the finest pork sausages and rashers for this recipe, so don’t cheap out! place the sausages on top of the ingredients

 

 I rubbish other recipes where cooks like to grill or fry the sausages and bacon before they’re placed in the coddle. No! Do-not do that! The whole idea is that over the cooking time, the flavours are released into the dish, and that is how it gets it’s taste!

Next, place the rashers on top

Next, place the rashers on top

Next place the magic ingredient in the pot, dried Thyme. This adds an insane flavour to the entire dish, trust me, tastes fantastic.

 

Pour cold water over the ingredients until it covers them entirely and place on a low heat.

 

 

 

Don’t get worried as your dish starts to look like this – its normal.

This is just all the fat, potatoes and onions boiling away, it goes after a while

This is just all the fat, potatoes and onions boiling away, it goes after a while

 

 

 

 

Now, you let it cook for as long as you want. I always, as a rule of thumb, cook it for an hour and ten. Anything after that is a bonus. Its 16.11pm as I type this, and Eric is going out tonight so, I’ll serve up around 5.15.

Enjoy making this dish, please do try it, its is sooo good!

TA-DA! Bon Apetit!!

TA-DA! Bon Apetit!!

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Christopher Robin (Redbreast)

October 19, 2008 · Filed under General Garden stuff, The Chickens · Tagged ,

Over the past few weeks I have noticed that a Robin Redbreast has returned to the trees directly behind the coop. Last Christmas I remember sitting in the garden and watch the Robin frolicking about so I was delighted to see his/her return. I had noticed the bird the other day trying to find some spilled seeds around the coop but I was not prepared for today!

As I cleaned out the coop I disocvered that the cheeky Robin had flown inside the coop and was now in a panic to get out, so I took the opportunity to take some pictures.

After I had taken the pictures below, I was sitting down having a cup of tea indoors and I heard the hens screeching for help, the same way they did the last time the neighbours cat tried to get them. I ran outdoors in the rain and discovered that the cheeky Robin had gotton back inside the coop and the Hens did not like it one bit! I got the hens out into the main enclosure and then released the Robin.  The Robin is cute, but it’s dangerous to have wild birds near your flock as they would carry different parasites, red-mites and fleas. A wild bird in contact with a hen could lead to an infestation of the entire flock, so tomorrow I’ll be investigating how the cheeky Robin got in. I had just hung a bird house Eric had built for the Robin which I had painted green. I hung it in the trees with some hay and seeds in it so I hope the Robin finds it when the leaves drop and the trees are more bare.

Heres some pics of the little fella -

Christopher Robin
Christopher Robin

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