Happy New Year!!!

The young chickens have grown so much! The two Buff Orpington’s are now so large and fluffy; but we have a cheeky suspicion that they are cockerels. Because they are so young there hasn’t been any serious fighting that would give us a good indicator of their gender however, there are other signs to look out for in telling the sex.  Orpington’s are known for being a ‘gentle giant’ but we have noticed them bossing around the hens and occasionally charging at each other! We are waiting to hear a cockerel call to determine their sex for sure. However, I have noticed pointing of the saddle feathers and long, thin hackle feathers (feathers around the neck) which is a male trait. Older roosters will also have spurs and tend to have larger and redder combs than hens. Unfortunately, if they are cockerels we will have to give them away, so let us know if anyone would be interested.

A note for everyone passing the chickens however, is that two foxes have been spotted sneaking around the coop eyeing the chickens up. Please let Growhampton know if you see them again and make sure they go away! We are checking they are locked up before it becomes dark outside to keep them safe. 

Make it your New Year’s Resolution to do some chicken volunteering! Contact Eva: zoubeke@roehampton.ac.uk

Im Daisy, if you have any questions please email: pinnd@roehampton.ac.uk

 (above are the Buff Orpingtons's)

November Update

It’s been a while since the last update on the chickens due to my busy timetable! However, today I revisited the hens with the chicks now entering their pullet stage (when they begin to lay their first eggs). Luckily there has been little bullying of the chicks so they have been able to safely moult into their new winter coats. The hens also have access to cover at all times so they can huddle and stay warm during the next few months! To all the volunteers the chicks have now also transitioned on to layers pellets but they are still being fed from two feeders to reduce any possible tension in the new established pecking order. In addition, I noticed the shed had new plastic bins to store food this is a good idea to stop the corn becoming mouldy from any damp, some fungi can be really dangerous for hens!

Give a chicken cuddle for Christmas :3

If you are interested in writing about your day with the Roey chickens please contact me!

pinnd@roehampton.ac.uk

Growing-up fast!

The Growhampton chickens are all healthy and happy but now the chicks are starting their transition to join the adult hens. We are doing this slowly by keeping them in a small run within the main hen run. This makes sure they can settle in and are safe from pecking! Chickens fight for their dominance and the chicks are currently too young and fragile to fight their way into the established order. In addition, next week we are now changing their feed from chick crumbs to layers pellets. If you volunteer within the next couple of weeks you can still cuddle the chicks while they are young and super soft!

It is approaching winter and so it's important to make sure the chickens are in before it gets dark, just to keep them safe from any foxes about. So if you still see the hens in the outside run after 4.00 PM please politely inform The Hive Café. I get the chickens inside by tempting them with corn, they really enjoy a handful before bedtime :)

Troublesome Teens: You may notice a couple of chicks charging at each other, we are keeping an eye out for this as it may mean we have some cockerals! Re-visit this blog for updates.

Im Daisy, If you have any questions please email: pinnd@roehampton.ac.uk