I'm back!

[LadyA]

I got lost for a little while! My laptop crashed and had to go for repair/restoration, and I lost all my bookmarked sites, including this one. And when I got it back, I couldn't for the life of me remember what this site was called! So I was going through all the likely sounding names!

Chicken wise, nothing has happened! All girls fine, all chucking out eggs happily, and all tucking themselves into bed nice and early. But, man, I've never had a batch of hens as fond of their pellets as these girls! They are out (well they can be out if they want to) all day, but they still motor through pellets! If it wasn't for the fact that I use a Grandpa's treadle feeder, I'd be convinced something else was eating them too! But no, I see five litle red heads tucking in there greedily, several times a day!

 

[Hen-Gen]

My experience too. But I go into my hen shed during the day and starlings are like a swarm of locusts. I can only assume that they have discovered that en masse they can access the treadle feeders. Certainly the food is going down at a ridiculous rate.
Never had this before. Planning to leave the hens shut in for a week to break the starlings habit. Fortunately my main hen shed is 12ft X 13ft so for eight birds this is practical but even so it's a pain.

 

[bigyetiman]

I always think starlings are football hooligans and rioters reincarnated.
Our newbies are motoring through food, I had forgotten how much they can eat and drink

 

[MrsBiscuit]

Here in Portugal we occasionally have actual locusts :shock:

But luckily, so far, no crop eating plagues

 

[bigyetiman]

Thats good, don't want any of the 7 plagues of Egypt descending on you.

 

[LadyA]

I always think starlings are football hooligans and rioters reincarnated.
Our newbies are motoring through food, I had forgotten how much they can eat and drink

The water too! Yes! I have never had girls drink like this lot! Mind you, they are brimming with health and good vibes! And although they do go out on the grass and have a good time during the day, I notice them all trooping back to the run, to the feeder & drinker several times a day! Thankfully, I don't have starlings here, except one or two. Wild birds don't tend to go in the run much, because they can't get back out. The door is very low, just chicken height. Except the door I go in at the other end, obviously! But once in, the run is maybe 7 ft high at the apex.

 

[EWROBERTS41]

Hi everybody, I thought my girls were thirsty (they drink nearly 6 litres every day, but having read what others have said I'm quite happy to supply the water for them. As regards starlings I do not get any problem with them or the pigeons of which we have plenty because when I had the run built I was advised to put a net over the top of the run which I did. A bit expensive I know but it does the job and the pellets are left for the girls. They are 22 weeks old now and laying every day, mostly mini eggs at present with the odd larger egg, so they are getting there.