Three become four

Yesterday we took our three chickens back to Dorset. It was not an easy job to catch them. I have picked them up before, when they are going in or coming out of the coop but loose in the pen was a different matter as they run under the big shrub out of reach.

We thought as they love raisins we could tempt them into the coop or dog crate with raisins, this worked on Poppy, but once the other two realised what was happening they were having none of it. We had to chase and corner them and it took nearly an hour.

After a cool summer it has just turned really hot and it’s two hours each way to Dorset, so I put some ice packs in pillowcases in the bottom of the dog crate and topped with pine shavings. I put a heavy bowl of water in so that it wouldn’t get tipped up and a dish of food. We left at 1.00pm and arrived at the farm at 3.00pm.

The guy at the farm was expecting us and looked at Poppy first. He agreed she was a roo and said he would look after him and breed from him in the future. He said he really didn’t think Dotty was a roo. Then he looked at Peppers crop and massaged it for a bit. He took her away to milk it, which means expelling the contents through her beak. When he bought her back her crop looked much better.

I asked if it was a good idea to add some bantams to my flock, but as they are really tiny he suggested I add two of his breeds that are the same age and size as mine. We were happy to be advised. He used a large net to catch them (so that’s how it’s done!).

We now have a chalkhill blue which will lay blue eggs and a longtown brown which will lay very dark brown eggs. Both breeds are docile, hardy and good layers. He said the journey home would be long enough for them to get acquainted and they travelled together with no squabbles which was pleasing. On the way home I thought about names and decided to stay with descriptive ones, I settled on Bluebell for the chalkhill blue and Treacle for the longtown brown.

We got back home at 6.00pm (two hours each way was pretty good) and decided to use the same tactic as when we bought our first two home. We put the dog crate against the coop door leaving them the coop and a small temporary run, with food and water inside and outside until dusk. The new girls went straight in the coop while the other two stayed out and Pepper was very vocal about being contained. It was only an hour until their bed time so we so we decide they would have to put up with it. I checked them a couple of times later and they were all in the coop and still no squabbling, so far so good.

New girls in the coop

This morning I went out to the girls at 5.00am as I knew pepper would not be happy if she couldn’t get out. Pepper and Dotty were in the crate while the new girls were still in the coop. Pepper was still protesting vocally and as I removed the crate they both ran out happily. I cleaned the crate and did my morning chores and half hour later decided it was time to force the new girls out. I reached in through the nest box and shoved them out. once out they happily explored. I spent an hour sitting with them, taking photos and making sure they were all okay together. Pepper and Dotty stayed close together while the new girls wandered separately. The new girls found the feeder and Treacle being slightly bigger soon showed she is top hen for now. She would give Bluebell a quick peck if she got to close but Bluebell was not put off, how ever when Pepper and Dotty tried to get to the feeder she would peck at them and they would scuttle away under the shrub. They are going to have to toughen up a bit. By the time I left them they had all four been round the feeder and water together, so I think they will soon get used to each other. It will be interesting to see how they go in tonight.

Bluebell, the chalkhill blue

Treacle, the longtown brown

Pepper with her crop looking better

I realise now that I thought Dotty was looking more upright like Poppy and therefore possibly also a roo (as well as having a more curved tail), but Pepper was much lower to the ground because of her crop problem. Pepper is now more upright than before.

Bluebell

Treacle

All four feeding and drinking together

I am feeling so much happier now. It was the right decision to go back to Dorset and I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from me. I am going to enjoy my extended flock.