We are just choosing a new cockerel now - we have to use an new unrelated cockerel each year to prevent inbreeding. Other breeders are often ver keen to buy our proven breeders like Thor
Enjoyable video and fully agree with using what you have available. We use chicken runs, dog kennels, crates, rabbit runs all are multi use and adaptable depending on the stock we have at the time. People watching this can get a good idea of what can be utilized and made from equipment laying unused in sheds, barns, garages etc. Uploads like this help everyone, thanks.
@@EnglishCountryLife Things are moving on, after nearly 2 years we finally have completed the kitchen ceiling and floor, may even get the sink in by Christmas! Temp @ 32 C today so getting warmer, problem keeping the broiler chicks cool, we have 47 of them and they generate a lot of heat, so we have used our rabbit run panels to locate them in an outside area at night behind the electric fencing and use the usual tricks to keep them cool in the (now demolished) small barn area during the day.
@@EnglishCountryLife Forgot to say thanks for your previous dehydrating advice, have a storage rack full now and have just finished doing this years spinach harvest. I have learnt a lot from your channel. Take care over there and keep well.
Love your videos! Just got my first flock and have one precious buff Orpington in the mix just because of all your beautiful videos I watched when I did my research. And we’ve named her Martha Washington. Your chickens look so happy Fiona!
Hi Cammy - its about stock density. Our electric fence is 250m long so it encloses a BIG area. in Winter, when the grass isn't growing, there are only 15 birds in there. In Summer, its big enough to need mowing even with 80+ birds on it. We do fence off areas for re-seeding when needed
Hi! Its very much breed dependant - and climate! Our Buff Orpingtons can manage 12-15 chicks, but our tiny little Legbars 6-8. The most we've had was 27 - but that was ridiculous!
Hello I’m interested in getting chickens myself. I’ve been inspirational by you and how you are so knowledgable. I have decided I would like to get buff Orpington chickens. Do you know where I could purchase them?
@@howardking2795 Hi Howard, we don't know breeders in the South East I'm afraid ( we are South Lincolnshire) but you might find something on Gumtree - a surprising number of POL are sold there. Wish you were closer - we could have sorted you some out!
Hi Fiona, love your videos and learning so much from you. I wonder if you can advise me. I have just had chickens for 4 weeks and out of the 4 one is a Buff Orpington. Recently in the afternoons she's been going into coop and laying down in nest box. about 4 days ago she's stopped laying eggs. we don't think she is broody as she is down in the run. also recently she has been sleeping in the nest boxes and not with others. tried boarding up then she stopped but now starting again. what is going on and can you help. thanks Bev
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, we got them when at point of lay so we think they are about maybe between 6--7 months but she does look quite big and bigger than the rest or is that her feathers. Also I would like to make her friendly. She won't let me stroke her like two of the others as she runs away , i guess that will come in time but then she will come up to me sometimes and eat out of my hand and she does that so gently. I do talk to my chickens all the time and call them by their names. Oh by the way she is called buffy
@@beverleyharman7490 Hi Beverley! She's the perfect age and it's the right time of year for her to be going broody. The behaviours you describe are typical of a pullet experiencing the start if the hormones. She may or may not become fully broody. If you want her to brood, you could mark a couple of "sacrificial" eggs to encourage her to sit on them and then swap them for some fertile eggs once she's sat for a day or two.
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona,thank you for coming back as I know you are very busy. We have tried putting eggs out but she just goes to the other nesting box. We are going to cover nesting boxes at night so she sleeps with others. We have made an outside run for them and she is always there. Have we got to wait 21 days before she starts laying again as it has already been a week? Thanks again for your time
I love this series! It’s wonderful to keep up with your flock and get more info about your smallholding. How many chickens do you have in total, and how many broodies? Also, how do you tell your hens apart with, say, the Buff Orpingtons, since they’re all the same colour?
They are hatching so fast its hard to keep up! We have eight Buff Orpingtons, six are broody. Marshmallow has 12 chicks, Frankie and Chocolate have 9 each. Nougat is hatching right now! Taffy & Jelly Bean are on eggs. So is Rhubarb ( a Legbar). We have three other Legbars, two Welsummers & Thor 😁
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you! Wow, so many lovely birds 🐓❤️ I have a little flock of bantams in my garden, but at some point I would love a larger flock with a free-range field like yours
I give mine mash every day and they love it. They then graze on the dey crumb the rest of the day .I have 6 week old chicks going outside this week , when do you recommend they are wormed ?
Hi Louise, current thinking is to only worm annually. Best choices are Autumn or Spring. We use Spring so that broodies are strong and healthy before sitting on eggs which always takes its toll
Hi Toni! Fertilised eggs remain viable for at least two weeks, but mustn't be washed or refrigerated. We keep a stock in case a hen goes broody - but if we have too many, we bake cakes!
Ok, so follow up question. How do you know an egg is fertilized without incubating? And thank you so much for responding and answering my questions, means alot. Keep up the great work!
@@tonigriffin5466 We fertility test our cockerel. If he's fertile and treading each hen regularly then the eggs are fertile ruclips.net/video/aop_G9uzOVA/видео.html
She hatches the eggs but, when brooding, will sit on eggs from all the hens around her (all chickens do this) so it may be her egg or another hens, but she incubates and hatches it.
Thanks for the video, do you have any tips for flock integration, other than keeping them within view but seperate for a few weeks, ex barn hens, ( getting another 6 tomorrow to add to the remaining 3 I have), are far from docile and slighty agressive, purple and anti peck sprays on hand ready for the new learning curve along with a water pistol just in case things get heated when the joining day comes.
Hi Andrew, as well as all you suggest, wr integrate when the birds are roosting - being asleep seems to prevent instant aggression. Waking up together seems to make them seem less alien.
@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks for the reply, I have seen so many people introducing the new flock at night and thought it was too quirky to be true, will give it a go if you know it works, thanks again for all the useful chicken info.
I'm thoroughly enjoying this month-by-month series. And I love that Frankie has such a fulfilling life. I'll be smiling all day!
Frankie is a wonder hen 😁
I totally agree. Very heart warming.
@@jennytaylor3409 Thank you - she is all tucked up with her chicks now
Thor is such a good daddy and a handsome roo, you should dedicate a video to him.
We are just choosing a new cockerel now - we have to use an new unrelated cockerel each year to prevent inbreeding. Other breeders are often ver keen to buy our proven breeders like Thor
I appreciate your balanced approach to raising chickens
Thanks so much
Enjoyable video and fully agree with using what you have available. We use chicken runs, dog kennels, crates, rabbit runs all are multi use and adaptable depending on the stock we have at the time. People watching this can get a good idea of what can be utilized and made from equipment laying unused in sheds, barns, garages etc. Uploads like this help everyone, thanks.
Thanks Trev! Hows things there? Do you have the heatwave?
@@EnglishCountryLife Things are moving on, after nearly 2 years we finally have completed the kitchen ceiling and floor, may even get the sink in by Christmas! Temp @ 32 C today so getting warmer, problem keeping the broiler chicks cool, we have 47 of them and they generate a lot of heat, so we have used our rabbit run panels to locate them in an outside area at night behind the electric fencing and use the usual tricks to keep them cool in the (now demolished) small barn area during the day.
@@bgtrev We gave hatching chicks today - they are just laid put in the open!
@@EnglishCountryLife Forgot to say thanks for your previous dehydrating advice, have a storage rack full now and have just finished doing this years spinach harvest. I have learnt a lot from your channel. Take care over there and keep well.
@@bgtrev You too Trev!
Fiona.. absolutely love these videos they really have been so helpful. The quality and condition of your Chickens are super duper ❤
Thank you so much 🙂
Love your videos! Just got my first flock and have one precious buff Orpington in the mix just because of all your beautiful videos I watched when I did my research. And we’ve named her Martha Washington. Your chickens look so happy Fiona!
Thank you so much - Martha is a great name 🙂
Another great video. Appreciate the effort you put in making them
Thanks David 🙂
Just by watching your channel I’ve started a small backyard chicken ( buff Orpinton) coop. Thanks a lot for your detailed info 🙏🏽
That is awesome!
Hey what kind of grass do you use in your chicken yard? loved the video as always..
We use a tough grass mix with a large proportion of rye grass
How do you keep your grass so pristine with chickens? My chickens kill my grass.
Hi Cammy - its about stock density. Our electric fence is 250m long so it encloses a BIG area. in Winter, when the grass isn't growing, there are only 15 birds in there. In Summer, its big enough to need mowing even with 80+ birds on it. We do fence off areas for re-seeding when needed
Hello, how many chicks can one chicken look after and keep warm?
Hi! Its very much breed dependant - and climate! Our Buff Orpingtons can manage 12-15 chicks, but our tiny little Legbars 6-8. The most we've had was 27 - but that was ridiculous!
Hello I’m interested in getting chickens myself. I’ve been inspirational by you and how you are so knowledgable. I have decided I would like to get buff Orpington chickens. Do you know where I could purchase them?
Hello Howard, whereabouts in the country are you?
@@EnglishCountryLife South East England
@@howardking2795 Hi Howard, we don't know breeders in the South East I'm afraid ( we are South Lincolnshire) but you might find something on Gumtree - a surprising number of POL are sold there. Wish you were closer - we could have sorted you some out!
Hi Fiona, love your videos and learning so much from you. I wonder if you can advise me. I have just had chickens for 4 weeks and out of the 4 one is a Buff Orpington. Recently in the afternoons she's been going into coop and laying down in nest box. about 4 days ago she's stopped laying eggs. we don't think she is broody as she is down in the run. also recently she has been sleeping in the nest boxes and not with others. tried boarding up then she stopped but now starting again.
what is going on and can you help.
thanks Bev
Hi Bev, how old is she?
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, we got them when at point of lay so we think they are about maybe between 6--7 months but she does look quite big and bigger than the rest or is that her feathers. Also I would like to make her friendly. She won't let me stroke her like two of the others as she runs away , i guess that will come in time but then she will come up to me sometimes and eat out of my hand and she does that so gently. I do talk to my chickens all the time and call them by their names. Oh by the way she is called buffy
@@beverleyharman7490 Hi Beverley! She's the perfect age and it's the right time of year for her to be going broody. The behaviours you describe are typical of a pullet experiencing the start if the hormones. She may or may not become fully broody. If you want her to brood, you could mark a couple of "sacrificial" eggs to encourage her to sit on them and then swap them for some fertile eggs once she's sat for a day or two.
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona,thank you for coming back as I know you are very busy. We have tried putting eggs out but she just goes to the other nesting box. We are going to cover nesting boxes at night so she sleeps with others. We have made an outside run for them and she is always there. Have we got to wait 21 days before she starts laying again as it has already been a week? Thanks again for your time
I love this series! It’s wonderful to keep up with your flock and get more info about your smallholding. How many chickens do you have in total, and how many broodies? Also, how do you tell your hens apart with, say, the Buff Orpingtons, since they’re all the same colour?
They are hatching so fast its hard to keep up! We have eight Buff Orpingtons, six are broody. Marshmallow has 12 chicks, Frankie and Chocolate have 9 each. Nougat is hatching right now! Taffy & Jelly Bean are on eggs. So is Rhubarb ( a Legbar). We have three other Legbars, two Welsummers & Thor 😁
Oh, look closely you will see the Orpingtons have coloured leg bands 😉
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you! Wow, so many lovely birds 🐓❤️ I have a little flock of bantams in my garden, but at some point I would love a larger flock with a free-range field like yours
@@ripplemoon249 Nougat managed 13 - Jelly Bean tomorrow!
@@EnglishCountryLife congrats to all your broodies, they’re doing such a great job!
I give mine mash every day and they love it. They then graze on the dey crumb the rest of the day .I have 6 week old chicks going outside this week , when do you recommend they are wormed ?
Hi Louise, current thinking is to only worm annually. Best choices are Autumn or Spring. We use Spring so that broodies are strong and healthy before sitting on eggs which always takes its toll
@@EnglishCountryLife when do I worm my 6 week old chicks? Do I do them now as they are outside in the daytime now ? Thank you
@@Louise-xr5ok There's no need to worm them separately unless you see evidence of a worm burden. We will do ours in Spring
Do you gather and incubate all the eggs until you have a broody hen? Can you explain that or point me to another one of your videos? Thank!
Hi Toni! Fertilised eggs remain viable for at least two weeks, but mustn't be washed or refrigerated. We keep a stock in case a hen goes broody - but if we have too many, we bake cakes!
Ok, so follow up question. How do you know an egg is fertilized without incubating? And thank you so much for responding and answering my questions, means alot. Keep up the great work!
@@tonigriffin5466 We fertility test our cockerel. If he's fertile and treading each hen regularly then the eggs are fertile
ruclips.net/video/aop_G9uzOVA/видео.html
Is that the real mother-hen of the baby chicken? or you just incubate a random egg from another mother-hen?
She hatches the eggs but, when brooding, will sit on eggs from all the hens around her (all chickens do this) so it may be her egg or another hens, but she incubates and hatches it.
Hi, what should I do when my hens stopped laying for two months
Hi John, is your hen broody?
It's not
@@ojenyionzore Its a very unusual time to be off lay then. Is she in a heat moult? That might explain it
Thanks for the video, do you have any tips for flock integration, other than keeping them within view but seperate for a few weeks, ex barn hens, ( getting another 6 tomorrow to add to the remaining 3 I have), are far from docile and slighty agressive, purple and anti peck sprays on hand ready for the new learning curve along with a water pistol just in case things get heated when the joining day comes.
Hi Andrew, as well as all you suggest, wr integrate when the birds are roosting - being asleep seems to prevent instant aggression. Waking up together seems to make them seem less alien.
@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks for the reply, I have seen so many people introducing the new flock at night and thought it was too quirky to be true, will give it a go if you know it works, thanks again for all the useful chicken info.