Hens Update

On the first day I got hens, they looked nervous and confused. It was only 5 minute-drive to bring to their new home, but they didn’t want to come out of the box that they were in to be transferred at the end of the drive. They were very careful about every movement they took. They soon found the nesting boxes in the coop, and they hid there for a long time. They didn’t come out for food or water until well late afternoon. Then, they ate food like eating machines, trying to fill up before the sunset. I watched them through my kitchen window as I washed dishes. I found them very entertaining.

They are with me for three days at the time of writing this post. They look settled in nicely. They come out for food and water frequently, and are very interested in pecking grass and weeds on the ground. My husband moved the coop little bit yesterday so that they can peck fresh patch of grass. They loved it. They are busy pecking everything they can see, including a fly that was going around in the coop. I even received the ‘greeting pecks’ on my jeans as I changed water. It’s a good sign to tell that they know we won’t hurt them.

I’m adjusted to my new routine with the hens. Every morning I change the water, add some food, and clean their droppings. I’ll clean their nesting on the weekend and the entire coop will go into my intensive cleaning once a month. I prefer to look after them naturally as much as possible without chemicals. I have lots to read yet to archive that.

The key points I found for hens’ natural health and well-being are:

• good feeding
• good management
• the use of preventative medicine

The first two sound straight forward. I’m using commercial mash food just because that’s what my hens had been fed before. I didn’t want to introduce too many changes yet. Finding a new home is a big enough change for them now. I’m planning to gradually change their food to organic food and hopefully my home-grown food.

Good management is easily given to them even though that has been a big problem at the factory farmers. I would never let my hens stay in an overcrowded coop. Water will be kept clean at all times. Food will be checked for quality, freshness and variety. Fresh green will be always available. The coop gets moved every now and then for fresh patch of green and good sunshine as well as shade. I’ll be free ranging hens once they settle a bit more for exercise. Coop cleaning routine is already in practice. Garden beds have been prepared to grow some herbs that can be preventative treatment for hens. I’m aware that stressful or unnatural environment can cause disease for them so the risk of creating such condition is pretty low.

Now, I need more knowledge about their disease and preventions. There are lots of natural remedies out there. I’m not surprised if some of them do more harm than the good. So I’m still burying my head to books and continue learning about them. There are a long list of remedies that I need to evaluate.

My hens are pecking grass again. They have no idea how much reading they’ve given to me. They are happily living in the new home, entertaining me. I’m so glad that I got them.