Bogiehead Chicken Antics!!

A year on...

2010-02-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

A year ago today I collected 3 ISA Brown hens from Craighill Poultry. I soon became obsessed and bought another 3 black rocks. The obsession grew and grew. I'm lucky enough to have plenty of space for keeping them all. Buying an incubator helped increase the chook numbers. I did 3 hatches, which unfortunately weren't that successful though I have got some lovely hens, this is my favourite out of them all, she is a Rhode Island Red and I've named her Ruby. I also got a few inevitable cockerels from the hatching. Though the 'leader of the flock' is Dennis, I bought him and 6 other chicks at a week old, I sold 4 of them and kept Daisy and Doris (yes all 27 chickens have names!) who lay lovely dark brown eggs. This is Gareth, a black leghorn cockerel who is being saved from the pot since I have 4 ladies for him.

The ducks haven't multiplied as much as the chickens, this is mainly due to it being so difficult to find Black Indian Runner Ducks. Though I did manage to buy a very handsome drake, to go with my ducks, from Pegasus Poultry near Ellon, which brings the duck numbers up to 9. They should all start laying again soon and the incubator will get filled and all going well I should have lots of ducklings in the spring.

Hopefully spring will come soon and I will have an abundance of eggs again and lots of chicks and ducklings.

Various for sale!

2009-10-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Having decided what I want to keep I have the following for sale: -

3 x Black Leghorns (14 wks old)
2 x Cream Legbars (14 wks old)

Vorwerk Pair (9 wks old)

2 x Cuckoo Maran Cockerels
1 x Black Leghorn Cockerel

Black Indian Runner Ducks

2009-10-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

The whole Bogiehead Chicken antics started because I wanted these ducks. At the time I couldn't get from anywhere so to keep me happy I got the other various chickens and ducks. At the end of September I happened to phone Michelle at Craighill Poultry at the right time and she had 2 available. They look a bit strange along with the Khaki Campbells but I think they are lovely, they are still young and have a lot of growing to do, I am hoping to find a lovely drake and hatch some ducklings next year.

Lenny

2009-10-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is Lenny. Unfortunately he's in the 'hospital coop' in this photo. Poor Lenny suffered a prolapse but we got it fixed and after a week of rest he joined his ladies again and is doing well. I think he is a handsome duck and he is such a gentleman!

Lenny & Lucy as Ducklings

2009-10-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is Lenny and Lucy as ducklings having a swim in the trug in the dogs cage! Bailey, the dog, wasn't too impressed about them borrowing the cage!

2009-10-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is Dennis, one of the 7 chicks that I bought, he is a copper black maran. He take his job of looking after has ladies very seriously! After a few encounters with my wellies he has learned that i am not a threat!

Major Progress!

2009-10-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Since my last post the chicken numbers have increased by a few! My laying hens went up to 12 after I bought 3 bluebells and 3 white stars. I then had to buy a bigger house. I git a 24 bird house from bruckley sawmill an I also got electric poultry netting to make them a nice safe area to free range in. Bunty one of my first hens became ill and sadly died.
I then bought 7 week old chicks and a 2 week old duckling! I only kep 3 of the chicks - Dennis, Daisy & Doris. The lonely duckling needed a friend, craighill poultry came to the rescue and I got a 3 day old duckling, they hated each other at first but then became inseperable.
After buying an incubator and doing 3 hatches I now have 35 chickens of various ages. I also bought some more ducks to keep Lenny & Lucy (the 2 ducklings I bought) company.
Looking after all of these has kept me very busy over the summer, it's had it's ups and downs but I still enjoy collecting the eggs every day! So much so I applied for an egg producer number and after the visit from the egg marketing inspector yesterday, I now have an egg producer number. This will make sure no eggs go to waste as it opens up who I can sell the eggs to.

More Chickens in residence!

2009-03-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

Got a bigger make shift enclosure set up today so went over to http://www.craighillpoultry.co.uk to collect 3 point of lay black rock hens. Though going by the colour of their comb it's going to be a couple of weeks before they start laying. Once they get settled in i'll get some pics added to the blog.

Eggs, eggs and more eggs!

2009-02-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

The chickens settled in well and I have been getting eggs every day since they arrived, only 1 a day for the first couple of days then it went up to 2. I don't think Bunty is laying yet but Ginger and Babs are. I have even had a double yolked egg! They are greedy little buggers they ate nearly a whole cabbage one day. Photos will follow soon.

Chickens in Residence!

2009-02-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

The hen house finally arrived yesterday, so me and my Dad spent most of the day putting it together. We then went over to Craighill Poultry to pick up the Isa Brown hens, they are now happily roosting in their new house. I also saw my black rock hens, I never realised how big they were so i am going to have to have a rethink about housing them!

Chicken accommodation!

2009-02-07T15:01:00.001-08:00

This is the hen house I have ordered. I am patiently waiting for it to arrive but due to the blooming snow no courier would be daft enough to even think about coming down our road, at the moment its 4x4 vehicles only! Hopefully it will arrive this week and i can collect the chickens next weekend. The chickens will be coming from Craighill Poultry, Strichen. The nice lady is going to keep me 3 ISA Brown POL hens until the hen house is ready. I have also reserved 3 Black Rock hens, they are only 8 weeks old just now so i'll be waiting til they are nearer 16 weeks old before i collect them. She will also be showing me her indian runner ducks... I soo want some!!!

Free Range Eggs!

2009-02-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well i've decided to get some chickens, I've been buying alot of eggs recently and always make sure I buy free range ones, so I thought it would be even better to know exactly where the eggs are coming from. I'm pretty sure i'll have surplus eggs so decided to make this blog so every one that gets some of my chickens eggs can see where the eggs have come from!!