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

First Day Volunteering!

So Thursday was my first day cleaning out and feeding the Roey chickens! It was a really easy and fun way to start the morning before lectures, it took me less than an hour to do everything. The checklist is very simple. In summary you let the chickens out into the outdoor run, litter pick the coop, collect eggs and top up food and fresh water.  

Unfortunately, the weather was miserable but because the wood chip area of the run is sheltered I could still stay dry while it was raining, so volunteering in the winter is not such a bad idea!  At the moment the hens seem to favour laying their eggs in the brooding box, we think this is because it’s rather cosy and dark so if you catch a hen laying there just leave her and collect the eggs later in the afternoon! Also, don’t panic if you all see a few pink bottoms, autumn is the moulting season so they will be losing their feathers in time for a new, warm, winter coat.

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