Moving Chickens and digression on driving old bangers

[David B]

So I arrive in Scotland after a long and stressful drive.

Stressful because after my lunch stop about half way, on starting back on the road the speedo cut out, and the warning light which showed an engine with a lightning bolt through it came on. It was intermittent for the rest of the trip and I wasn't sure what it was. Manual left at home. So the trip was a bit fraught, wondering if the battery was charging, and if I'd find myself stuck on a motorway without an engine that worked.

Saw garage guy yesterday, who told me that it was the engine management system reacting to not being able to find a speedo. No big deal, as the rev counter still works, so I can stay under the limit when passing speed cameras by using that.

Back at the point, Cath wanted to move here chicks into part of the other garden, so they could fertilise, weed and debug the bit of the garden where beans grew this year, and where brassica will be next year. So we made a run out of chicken wire, sticks and tent pegs, and then tackled the problem of getting the hen house from one part of the garden to the next.

Which involved lifting it over a high wall and down the other side, with the assistance of a picnic table.

Later, it will be moved to other parts of the veg garden, though not the parts where root crops will be grown next year.

They've been there under 24 hours, but they are already doing a good job of clearing the vegetation..

It's pissing down with rain now, but pics will follow when I've taken them.

[Ray Moscow]

Sounds like a good trip so far. Say hi to Cath for us.

[Goldie]

Oh! You are making my heart ache. I miss having chickens so much!!! I used to have about 30 layers and a couple of roos... not to mention raising cornish cross for butcher. (But you don't fall in love with the ones for butcher. They are only with you for 12 weeks, tops)
They are good little helpers, aren't they? I always had the most beautiful compost. My garden was magnificent.

I hope the rest of your trip is great. How wonderful and lucky you two are that you have each other. :)

[Cath B]

Sounds like a good trip so far. Say hi to Cath for us.

Hi Ray and Mrs Moscow :wave:

[Cath B]

Oh! You are making my heart ache. I miss having chickens so much!!! I used to have about 30 layers and a couple of roos... not to mention raising cornish cross for butcher. (But you don't fall in love with the ones for butcher. They are only with you for 12 weeks, tops)
They are good little helpers, aren't they? I always had the most beautiful compost. My garden was magnificent.


They were very confused at bedtime last night.

Even though their coop was there for them they were wondering where their home was. My daughter had to lift them into their sleeping quarters - they've always walked up the ramp themselves in the past.

They've enjoyed tucking into the vegetation today.

They're a bit more exposed to outside view where they are and less visible from the house so I hope they don't attract too much interest from dogs, foxes or troubled youngsters.

They may be too tame for their own good.

So you had about 30 layers! I'm guessing you sold the eggs. I'm tempted to get another coop and more hens some time, but not right now.

[Goldie]

Actually, I just gave the eggs away. I just loved having my birds. I didn't have the heart to ask people to buy them. I had many colored eggs when I first began. That was a lot of fun...but eventually I settled on my favorite breed, the gentle giants, Buff Orpingtons. They are the golden labs of the chicken world. lol

Oh...I miss them so much. I can't wait until we get our own place again, so I can have chickens. But...that might be a few years away...the way things are looking for us. :(

If I could keep them here I would. I am damned lucky to have stolen a bit of city property for my garden.:)

[Cath B]

I'm glad you''ve managed to purloin borrow a garden :).

Yeah, I did wonder whether you gave the eggs away. I've got a friend with lots of chooks who does that. Sometimes she asks for donations for particular charities or causes. In the UK the laws on selling eggs are quite stringent and the costs incurred to compy are too hifg for small-scale producers.

If I get more chooks I'd like to try out other breeds.

[Goldie]

I'm glad you''ve managed to purloin borrow a garden :).

Yeah, I did wonder whether you gave the eggs away. I've got a friend with lots of chooks who does that. Sometimes she asks for donations for particular charities or causes. In the UK the laws on selling eggs are quite stringent and the costs incurred to compy are too hifg for small-scale producers.

If I get more chooks I'd like to try out other breeds.

People here sell eggs all of the time. No big laws or anything. Yea, I coulda paid for my feed...but, the people I gave them to needed them. I could afford my hobby, at the time. But, at least I knew those folks were getting some protein in their diet, if ya know what I mean.

[Cath B]

I'm glad you''ve managed to purloin borrow a garden :).

Yeah, I did wonder whether you gave the eggs away. I've got a friend with lots of chooks who does that. Sometimes she asks for donations for particular charities or causes. In the UK the laws on selling eggs are quite stringent and the costs incurred to compy are too hifg for small-scale producers.

If I get more chooks I'd like to try out other breeds.

People here sell eggs all of the time. No big laws or anything. Yea, I coulda paid for my feed...but, the people I gave them to needed them. I could afford my hobby, at the time. But, at least I knew those folks were getting some protein in their diet, if ya know what I mean.

Also omega 3 and iron.

I give away fewer of my eggs than I'd like to as the family eats most of them. Folk aren't desperate for such extras where I live but a lot of my neighbours have been really kind to me of late and it's good to produce enough to share a bit. That's one of the reasons I'd like more chooks.

I've just googled Buff Orpingtons. I can see why you like them. So you kept English varieities whereas I, in Scotland, have a US cross and a US x English cross.