Time for treats!!

[Wrigley62]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thMzezbnAwA&feature=g-upl

Hi everyone,
This is my wife Terri giving the girls some Mandarin Oranges for treats. I am so lucky that she loves them as much as I do.
It's hard to understand why everyone doesn't have chickens.

 

[Marigold]

That's a lovely bit of video for the album. I really enjoyed meeting your family, Yes indeed it is hard to understand that, not only do some poor people not have chickens, but they don't even want to!

 

[Wrigley62]

Thanks Marigold for watching, the "Chick, Chick, Chick" thing gets kinda annoying after a while 02 . I won't do that again.
I tried to get my youngest son, Pearce (he's 14 going on 20) to come out, he's a little camera shy, maybe next time.

 

[chrismahon]

Great Wrigley and I can't understand why everyone doesn't keep them. But not everyone has the same attitute to animals and their own environment -I've found the two go hand-in-hand. Most people put one toilet roll inner into the recycling bin and want a medal for saving the planet! Still drive to the shops 400 yards away as well. The same people who think chickens have evolved to grow in plastic bags and throw themselves into the freezer. Enough.

Does the citrus fruit have any effect on their digestion? Like do they do runny poos or throw out any worms? Not something I have ever fed ours. I know they shouldn't be put on the compost heap for some reason but we always have anyway.

Is the Buff chap your Orpington Cockerel? Hope he learns some manners when he gets older. He is supposed to call the hens to the food not grab some and run off to eat it.

 

[Wrigley62]

Thanks Chris,
And yes, the oranges seemed to go right through them and it was very runny. So, that will be the last time they get any oranges or any citrus. Lesson learned.

That is our cockerel, "Charlie", tomorrow he will be 17 weeks old. He just started to crow this past Sunday. He did it again yesterday around 9 am, our son Pearce was still asleep until then, he wasn't very happy with Charlie. He needed to be up anyways, school starts in two weeks. Terri is not real thrilled with Charlie, he's really.............busy with the girls. She calls him a "Rapist". She says he is stealing thier "innocence". I like him, I think he is a beautiful boy and I am hoping that when he matures alittle more he will be more of what a Rooster is supposed to be. Although he is very protective of the other five (his little flock) that are the same age as him.

Wrigley

 

[Chuck]

Mine will eat and enjoy oranges too. As to what effect it has on the digestion, I have no idea as I've too many to take notice. Nothing died and they came back for more.
Yours, Wrigley are in immaculate condition ? Vitamin C induced.

 

[Wrigley62]

Thank you Chuck and I think you're right about the oranges. I was not going to give them anymore oranges, but I think, like everything else, moderation. Oranges as a treat once in awhile should be ok.

I'm still learning

 

[carolb0101]

Hi Wrigley

Loved the video and am really impressed by the way all your birds went running when your wife appeared with the food.
How did you get them to do that? We've had our girls for 8 days now, they are in an enclosed run, but they will not come near us.
I've taken treats in for them, but that doesn't work either.
They have full access to food at all times as they are only about 14 weeks old.

 

[Wrigley62]

Thanks Carol,

She pretty much "forced" herself on them. Terri wasn't that involved in the brooding process. She really didn't start to get involved with them until they were outside in the coop, which was at about eight weeks old. At first I would let them out to free range only while I was outside in the yard working, which could be for 4-8 hours a few times a week. After a couple of weeks we started letting them out at 9am until they went in by themselves at night which is around 8pm. once they went out we shut the coop and run so they couldn't get back in. We made sure they had pleanty of food and water outside. After a few times of that we were able to open the doors back up. Anyways, she started taking them treats, she would call them in her own way. After a short while they got used to her calling and giving them treats, so now they see her outside and they just come-a-running. She loves it!

Small steps, It seems to me that chickens are "creatures of habit". Keep doing something over and over and they come to expect it over and over.

I think once your girls make that first big step outside of their run and see what they've been missing, you'll soon find it hard to get them back in before their ready. My son Pearce says that everytime he see's me trying to get our girls in early, he hears the theme song to Benny Hill :lol: .

Have fun Carol,

Wrigley

 

[Marigold]

I just shake a plastic box of corn and say 'Chook Chook Chook!' and they all come running and will follow me round the garden much more obediently than the dog does! No problem getting them in at any time of day, which is handy when we want to go out during the day.

 

[Wrigley62]

Hi Carol,

I just read Terri your post, she said not to be discouraged. You have only had your girls for 8 days, we've had our since they were two days old, they are now 17 and 21 weeks old. They didn't start to come around to Terri till they were around 12-14 weeks. I have no doubt that they will be following you around like little puppies very soon. When they do you must post a video.

 

[carolb0101]

Thanks Wrigley and Terri

I won't get discouraged, I'll keep trying. They did come quite close this morning, so we're getting there. I'll have a go with a video when they do.

 

[starpaws]

haha what a brilliant video clip. I am loving having my girls even though it has only been 10 days. They chat back to me, i kid you not. I say " bok bok" and they say "bok bok" back. If i say it 3 times so do they, i was stunned.
They are also trained to come to corn but i am still scared to let them free range, so hubby darling will be making the run even bigger this bank holiday weekend. He just doesn't know it yet heehee x

 

[EddieS]

It won't be long before they come to you. With my nuisances, I have to throw corn to keep them from under my feet.
They come treats or not. The only time they don't come is when they are dust bathing.

 

[chrismahon]

A quiet 'bok bok' is a greeting Starpaws. Ours usually say that as they pass without any prompting from me.

They seem to slip into a pleasure trance when soil bathing. I've held corn under their beaks and they haven't responded. Similar state to when they are broody.