merrydale poultry for POL hens and hatching eggs
 
 
 
 
Welcome to the Hens New Homes Page.

Below are letters and pictures of some of the hens we have sold and their new homes, look out for some really great hen names. See the bottom of the page for my top ten favourite names.

If you have bought hens from us, we would love to see some pictures and find out the names you have called them. Email Us and we will add you onto this page.

merrydale poultry new homes for hens merrydale poultry new homes for hens merrydale poultry new homes for hens
Hi Karen

I just wanted to email and say thanks again for the lovely crested chickens I bought from you. Here are some pictures of them and where they are now living. They have been named by my children so even though they look glamorous girls they are known as Spotty and Rosy. They are now well and truly part of the flock lining up to greet us or for treats as you can see in the picture! Rosy in particular is very chatty and it is impossible to go into their enclosure without being followed around with lots of back chat from her! We are still waiting for the elusive blue egg but Spotty is developing a good crest so fingers crossed it won't be long.

I have got more chicken accommodation and extended my chicken collection and now also have a Lawford Blue, a Snowbell and a Fenning Coucou....I am hooked as I think you predicted! I think 8 will do for now, and will hopefully give us almost all the egg colours possible!

I have recommended you to all on the omlet forum but it's great to see you already have a really good reputation on there. 

Thanks again and I look forward to coming back for more hens in the future!

Sophy Winfield
29.06.08
Dear Karen & Co,
 
Just wanted to thank you for your excellent service and to give you a quick update.  Ginny (our merrydale crested) has started laying, we found two very pretty green eggs in the nest box this afternoon!  Daisy (the single merrydale sweetie we bought last weekend) has integrated with our other 4 already, and they are freeranging around the garden as if they have know one another for years!  will send you some pictures when (or if!) we get a nice day to take some.
 
Many thanks once again,
 
Greg, Penny, Ashley, Phoebe & 'the girls' xx
26.06.08
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
Thank-you for such lovely service you gave us on Saturday!!  My husband and my boys loved coming to pick our 2 new ladies up and they have settled in very well!!  We got a sweetie and a ranger and named them Lilly and Honey. 
 
Best Wishes

samantha
26.06.08
Hi Karen,
 
Just a quick thank you for the chickens. They're beautiful and we've fallen in love with them already (although Poppy the Westie isn't too chuffed that there's another two to gang up on her!). As we speak they are fast asleep in a sunny spot in the garden. I can't believe how different they are from our other two girls. The other two are always charging about, digging and causing mahem but the new girls just plod around quietly without making a peep. It'll probably change when they have been been here a while and they pick up the other two's bad habbits! We haven't introduced them all together yet properly as there was a bit of pecking and squabbling so we're going to keep them separate for a week to get them all used to each other, so as soon as everyone is aquainted and one big happy family, fingers crossed, I'll send you some pics. Incidently, we've named them Tikka (Sussex) and Masala (Sweetie) to carry on the food theme (the other two are called Sage and Onion). I know, it's terrible!
 
Thank you again, you were so very helpful and we're so glad we came to you for our new girls.
 
Vicki and Stew (the bloke making a big fuss over his bad foot...men!)
22.06.08
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens

Hi Karen

Thought you’d like an update on the girls’ progress.  The Ranger (Matilda Mary-Jane) is a lovely friendly hen, very placid and gives us a beautiful brown egg every day.  The snowbells (Hettie & Lettie) are very bossy.  The Schwartz (Lily), Copper (Millie) and Black Rock (Aggie) are now starting to stick up for themselves.  No eggs from the latter five as yet but we live in hope!  Our German Shepherd finds them fascinating as you can see by the photos.

 We are enjoying watching them, and they seem to enjoy watching us.

 Many thanks

 Steve and Marie
14.06.08

Hi Karen,

Just to let you know how well my 3 POLs have settled in.  We collected them Saturday 17 May 2 x Rangers and 1 x Sweetie, and once we arrived home and I let them out into their new home/enclosure,  I found an egg in the carrier.  How cool is that!!!!  Since then I have had 2 eggs per day  -  I'm just waiting for the Merrydale Sweetie to begin laying.

Well, how well they have settled in.  Whenever I am at home I let them run free in the garden - they follow me around and I have even found them on the doorstep ready to come into the house.  I just love them, well everyone does - they are the main topic of conversation in the office - they are so amusing and their eggs are a wonderful bonus.  

Many thanks for all your advice - the farm is great and excellent customer service!

Helena Plowman
13.06.08

merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
I have attaches some snaps of our hens, Henny, penny and bluebell and our first ever egg which was a double yolker,real great as the children could share it!!!
 
Emily-jane
10.06.08
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
merrydale poultry new homes for hens
Hi Karen,

The 4 hens we bought from you on 19th May have settled in beautifully! We have named them Maureen (ranger), Pauline (snowbell), Mrs McNally (pied) and Rainbow Dash (black rock - name inspired by a My Little Pony!!). They seem very cosy in their shed - so much so that it took them more than 24hrs to discover their run and when they did, they forgot where bed was and had to be 'assisted' back in! They are still freeloading and haven't laid yet, but their antics are priceless entertainment! We're placing our bets on Pauline to lay first - her comb is now very big and red, closely followed by Maureen. Rainbow Dash doesn't seem to have had much comb development - I think this may her protest for being given a daft name!
We absolutely love having them in the garden and Lucy is desperate to give them their corn 'sweeties' every day (strictly rationed!). Thanks for all your help and advice - has your enthusiastic daughter taken over the business yet?!

Jo, Paul & Lucy, Irchester, Northants.
10.06.08
Hi Karen,
 
Just wanted to update you how the 3 Rangers that we brought from you last weekend are getting on. They have finally settled in now and are running round like they own the garden (they seem to have taken a shine to my parsnip and broccoli plants!!!).
 
We have called them Kiev, Kentucky and Caesar and they have their own personalities even after a week of having them. They are very funny to watch, they have no manners and will poo just about anywhere. They also have a habit of trampling on one another to get out of their house as fast as possible every morning!!.They are not too keen on the football we have brought for them but love pecking at the mirror which we have hung up in their run.
We are looking forward to tasting our first eggs. Hopefully we won't have long to wait.
 
We have set up a 'chicken cam' which means that we can watch them on internet if we are not at home. You can also see them by logging onto http://chrisward.awardspace.co.uk/chicken.html. The screen refereshes every 5 seconds or so.
 
I wanted to say thank you for the help that both you and your husband gave us and also the information regarding looking after them. It was nice to see how you care for your chickens at your farm. They all seem like very happy chickens.
 
Many Thanks. We will see you soon to stock up on more supplies.
 
Lisa & Chris
08.06.08
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Hi Karen,

Had a great time coming to Merrydale last Saturday and thought you might like to see how nicely 'the girls ' are settling in,despite the awful rain we have been having!
They are so amazing to watch and already clearly have very different personalities!
The ranger is called Sweetie,she is very chilled out! the black rock is called Rocky and is the bravest so far! The pied we named Piper,she is a bit nervous and the last to come close to us(she really is a bit of a chicken lol!),the copper black is Bossy boots at the moment as she really does think she rules the roost and chases the other girls about! and last but not least is the schwarz who is called Fergie and is also quite chilled !
We are trying to train them that when we ring a bell they get their treats in the hope that once we let them totally free range next week they will come back to the coop when they hear it,not sure how that will go but thought it might be interesting to give it a try!
We are all so excited with our new pets and they are being spoilt rotten, 
 We are eagerly awaiting our first eggs in a few weeks time,

Thanks for all the advice, we are now completely hooked on chooks!
 
Ally,Gez,Annabelle ,Joe & Adrian  :-)
28.05.08
Hi Karen

Just thought we’d let you know that the chickens have settled well into their new home. 
The Ranger has been laying virtually an egg a day since they arrived but seems to take Tuesdays off!  We are delighted with them and are looking forward to the rest of them coming in to lay.We were very impressed with your farm and the way that the chickens are cared for.
 
Kind regards 

Steve and Marie Sterling.
28.05.08
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes

Hi Karen,

We came to visit you on Saturday 17th May and collected a ranger and a sweetie. We were greeted by your husband who helped us select the birds, showed us how to clip the wings, and spent time discussing chickens with us - very useful as we were fist time chicken keepers!

All of the birds at your farm were in excellent condition, and we could have easily taken all of them! The journey from Mansfield to your farm was worth while! We will certainly recommend you to friends.

Attached are a few photos of 'the girls'. We have named the ranger Martha, and the sweetie is called Maisie. Martha, the ranger, is the boss, and this was sorted out on the first evening! Two days later, we were welcomed home after work by Martha's first egg - what a surprise! Maisie hasn't started laying yet, but her wottle and comb are getting redder by the day.

As first time chicken keepers, we're just left asking the question "Why didn't we do this sooner?"!

Many thanks,

Marcella and Gary.
28.05.08

merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Hi, just thought we'd let you know how the 5 chickens we bought from you on Saturday are settling in. They all seem to like our newly extended run but still haven't figured out how to get into their coop at night..we are working on it! The new ones all get on fine together particularly the 2 snowbells..they clean and preen each other..bless!! Our Ranger is very friendly as you will see from the photos and the black rock is coming on too. Paxo, our chicken who survived the fox attack, is still being a bit of a bully and all the others are petrified of her..she definately rules the roost! She hasn't hurt them though, just pulled out a few feathers, so I'm sure in a couple of weeks they will be friends. She seems happy to have them there, just wants to show them whos boss.
Thought I'd let you know what names they have been blessed with(!)
Ranger-Fudge
Pied-Thunder
Snowbells -Lightning & Milky
Black Rock-May
Not very chickeny names I know, but what can you do..kids eh!!
Well I've sent some piccies..hope you like them!
Thanks again
Natalie
26.05.08

Hi Karen,

 Well, after much squabbling, squawking and vying for position, Andrew got to put the ladies to bed for their first night home (I sulked, but someone had to hold back 10 stone of dog)……

 We had a Merrydale Ranger, a Merrydale Sweetie a Copperblack and a Snowbell from you 2 weeks ago exactly and we have had our first egg.  It was better than getting my first swimming badge when I was 6!!!!  When I have learnt how to upload from our camera I will send some photos on.

 We haven’t named them as this has been the cause of much bickering so far, and they haven’t sorted out a pecking order either.  They all sleep together, squashed into one nesting box, which takes up less than 1/6th of their total sleeping space – funny girls aren’t even perching much either.  The snowbell sprints up and down the garden all day chasing sparrows (they are truly free range) but apart from that they just seem to like each other’s company.  And cabbage.  Boy, do they like cabbage.  That first egg yesterday?  Golden as the sun.  They are currently scratching for bugs around the compost bin which has been very frustrating for our Great Dane Custard, who has always wants to have a good roll in that bit of the garden…

 Photos to follow, and really, really must get back to doing things like housework – I’m only inside when it rains at the moment – thank god for wireless internet or I’d get the sack!!!

 Kind Regards,

Miranda and Andrew x
23.05.08

Thought you'd like to see the new home complete with the other two chickens.
They seem to be settling in and have learnt to use the food and water dispenser provided by Omlet.

They're lovely!

Attached are 2 pictures of the new home.

Regards

Andrew and Joy
08.05.08

Hi Karen,
 
Just a quick note to let you know 'the girls' have settled in well already. We collected them from you on Sunday and so far we have had an egg a day!
The Sweetie we have called Dolly Daydream as she is so docile, The Ranger we have called Agnes 'Aggy' and the Cuckoo we have called Lilian.
 
Aggy likes to hold the chase when we put them away at night but I'm sure she will get the right idea soon. Dolly is right behind you when weeding and pulling up worms, and is becoming a bit of a glutton and Lilian is a real gem.
 
You have a wonderful set up, where you are and I have recommended you to all my chicken keeping converts! My boyfriend Ben has come round to the idea and he loves them as much as I do!
 
See you soon,
 
Donna (& Ben)
02.05.08
Karen
 
Thank you for the POLs. We bought 3  from you. The 2 Ranger & a Sweetie.
 
What a pleasant farm you have! Very clean. It was tidy and all the pens were spotless. You obviously care much about hygiene for your birds.
Thank you also for showing us around. Your birds are all fit and healthy; they all  look happy and content. It is a pity we could not have taken more off your hands.
Your tips on clipping and feeding were very useful.
 
The Sweetie (the Wife called her Clarrissa) has laid her first egg . A pigeon would have been proud of it, but then it was her first. The Sweetie is certainly a friendly bird and is always following me about in the garden. The Rangers are more reticent, preferring to scratch about and eat.
 
You will be seeing us again when we need to replace the aged birds in our small flock in our garden.
 
All the best
 
Wayne Gilroy
29.04.08
 

Hi Karen

Well we have just had our first 3 eggs almost 20 weeks to the day The girls have settled in a treat but i soon found that my pen was not big enough so the girls are in a new 20ft x 8ft pen and they love the freedom. The sweeties are called Henny, Penny and Jenny and the three rangers are Hetty, Netty and Betty. Our youngest grandchildren think they are magic, they just squat while they pick them up for a stroke and are not a bit timid. Sorry no pics yet when i get my camera to behave I will send some on.

Thanks for all your help and advice, we will keep in touch

 GEOFF AND SHEILA EVANS     MANCHESTER.
29.04.08
hens new home
hens new home
hens new home

Karen,

Just thought we would send you a couple of pictures of the girls,they have really made themselves at home.

No eggs yet they are just about 20 weeks old, we picked them up on easter Monday, so they should be about to start laying soon. Louis the Rottweiller is looking after them so the foxes better watch out!!.

Can't understand why we didn't get some sooner they are a real joy. Thanks and we may see you again soon as we intend to increase the gang!!

John and Julie. South Wales
27.04.08

hens new home
hens new home
hens new home
Just to let you know once again that the chickens we bought from you a few weeks ago have settled in really well.  The names we decided on are Snowball, Chips and Chickie.  Chips has been laying now for a good couple of weeks.  We are still waiting for the other two, but I am sure it won't be long now.  Snowball is very friendly.  She loves feeding out of our hands and is a big fan of cuddles.  She also will sit outside my back door and bang on it with her beak to come in.  I wish I would have done this a long time ago and I am very grateful to you for supplying me with some very fine chickens.  Attached are some photographs, one of them being of Katie with the first egg.  She was very chuffed!!!!
Thank you very much.
The Ramsays.
25.04.08
hens new home
hens new home
hens new home

Hi Karen.   20.04.08.

 Steve and I came and bought 6 chickens from you three weeks ago. Since then very little housework has been done as I have become an avid chicken watcher. Can’t wait for warmer weather so I can watch in comfort. We bought 2 sweeties which we have named Margaret and (Eggy) Peggy. We also had 2 cuckoo’s which are named Sophia (LE-Hen) and Gloria (Egg Stefan). A blue and a crested. The blue we have called Ada as she reminds me of an elderly lady I knew called Ada who always had a nice blue rinse. The crested is aptly named Cressida.

 Top chick is very definitely Peggy and bottom of the pecking order is Cressida. In between  all is very amicable. After the feather plucking of last weekend we let them out into the garden so the victim (Cressida) had got room to escape from any would be bottom pecker. We had tried isolating her but this really distressed her. This weekend we got up early to let them out and these tactics seem to have worked because she is now all healed up. (Thanks for your help and advice over this matter when Steve phoned up). All of them except Cressida now feed from the hand and come running up to me when I go to see them. She really is taking the business of keeping her distance from the rest very seriously. They don’t seem too keen on eating their pellets, much preferring nettles, worms and bugs and of course the afternoon treat of corn.

At night they all snuggle up together on the carefully measured roosting perch so there is room for another 6 maybe!

Today has been very exciting as we have had our first egg, lovingly laid for us by Ada and eaten for tea by our Cocker Spaniel Sophie. Photo enclosed of first egg—things can only get bigger. We have also enclosed some photos of our ladies in their new home.

 Thankyou. We are enjoying every minute of our new hobby.

 Viv and Steve.

Hi all at Merrydale,
Just a quick email to say thank you sooo much for our girls. They have settled in really well and have kept us all smiling so much that we've forgotten that we're waiting for some eggs!
Mable (merrydale sweetie) is really laid back and lets the world go by while she eats and poos! Shes always the first one out the coup in the morning. Martha (Copper Black) is bonkers she makes us smile the most her favourite time of the day is when i dig a hole in the garden for them, she sits on the spade waiting for her worms! Daisy (sussex) is the boss and she thinks she's entitled to Marthas worm's when she gets one. It's really funny seeing them chase each other for there finds.
Thanks for your advice on giving them the corn as a treat however the chickens tell us when they want it by tapping on our patio doors. You were also so right about Dave (the other half who didn't want chickens) He comes home from work and is straight in the garden giving the hens some fuss before me!
 
Thank you all so much for your help and advice.
 Claire, Dave, Jack ,Katie and Edith.
19.04.08
Hi,

I would just like to say thank you for your help yesterday.
Me, my wife and my young son all came yesterday and brought 3 hens and a coop from you
It was really nice to have somebody as friendly as yourself to help us.So we would just like to say thank you for helping us.
All hens are fine and the coop is really great and much better than my attempt.I am sure there will be some questions we have at a later date.

Thankyou once again.

Nick, Aimie and Matthew
12.04.08

merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
     
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes

Hello to everyone at Merrydale Farm,

We are just writing to let you know that the hens we purchased from you on Saturday 22nd March have settled in well at their new home. We decided on the following names; Margaret (Merrydale Schwarz), Edna (Merrydale Snowbell) and Sweetie (Merrydale Sweetie). The hens seems to get on really well – Sweetie is the boss (her name isn’t exactly appropriate as she likes to throw her weight around), Margaret is very placid and easy to handle and Edna is always first to the pellets in the morning, and corn treats in the afternoon. Our hens spend most of the day in the run underneath their coop - afternoons are spent in the green house – searching for creepy crawlies and having dust baths. We have enclosed a selection of photographs for you.

 Regards,

Grant & Helen West

Thought I would drop you a line to let you know how the hens are that we collected on 8 March. They have both settled in really well and Cayenne (the schwarz) laid her first egg on 27 March - we have had one a day since then. Nuggett - the sussex hasn't started laying yet - but expect our first egg any day now as her comb is getting bigger.

During the day they roam freely around the garden (until I start planting my veg garden) and have great fun chasing the other birds out of the garden!! Cayenne is the tamer of the two and happily eats out of our hands - but both come running down the garden as soon as they see us.

They are very funny and have given us lots of amusement watching them and getting to know their different personalities!! They both seem to think they should be allowed in the house and come in at every opportunity. This is my first experience of keeping chickens and I just wish I hadn't waited so long before taking the plunge!!

Thanks

Jo and Stuart Duncombe

merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Just to let you know that the 3 chickens we bought from you are doing very well - we have named the two Rangers Daisy and Gwen (the Hen) and the Sweetie is called Flurry because she looks like a flake McFlurry!!
 
They are settling in well - seemed to enjoy their long van drive back to Manchester and totally confused our dogs with their funny little noises :)
 
They are eating well and already know where their house is to go back to bed!! I no longer find them frightening and plan to try and clicker train them to do tricks - but not quite sure what.
 
Thanks again so much - we love them and they have had so many visitors already!!
  
Julie and Harry
Manchester, UK
 
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Hi Karen
 
A few pictures of our chickens we bought from you 2/3/08 ,we have got a 6 month old golden retriever and she loves the chikens,one has started laying they are called princess layer (Schwarz),scramble (Sweetie),nugget (Sweetie), pie (Pied) ,copper(Schwarz)and spring(Snowbell).They love the freedom of the garden and scramble tries to come into the house!
 
Many Thanks
Annette, Laura and Chloe
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Our three Merrydale blues (Rosie, Poppy and Bluebell) are now in their permanent run. 
They went to bed all by themselves from the first night, although all three have decided that they want to sleep together in the nesting box.
Quite a squeeze and I am hoping that this will stop when they grow up and start laying.
I am attaching photos as promised.
 
Best wishes
 
Janet and Chris Jackson
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Tilly (Black), Penny (white) and stig have settled in fantastic. Would rather dig for bugs and worms than have their dried food. Penny is so funny she keeps kicking all the leaves with her feet in one last attempt to get her last worm lol. What a joy to watch. Will send you some more photo's soon.
Daren from Redditch
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes

Hi Karen

here are the pics of the chicks i brought from you 27/2/08.The yellow one is called Emu and the black one is called Deli they are both real characters they live inside in a indoor guineapig cage,but most they time they roam around the living room and kitchen.I will keep sending you pics as they grow up hope all is well back at the farm thanks again Laura Astorgano x

merrydale Poultry hens New Homesmerrydale Poultry hens New Homes
Hi Karen
 
Just to say thank you very much for the chickens!  We had six (2 Ranger, 2 Sweetie & 2 Copper Black) and they are all very happy!  'I managed to clip all their wings (you're right it's easy when you get into the swing!) They took a while to settle in, I don't think the "fowl" weather helped!
 
Again very many thanks.  Couple of photos included, just so you know they went to a good home !
 
Sam and Chris
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
merrydale Poultry hens New Homes
An update.  Ruby and Sweetie have started to settle in now. Ruby is still noisy but very tame and loving and sweetie is ugly (ha ha) but so nice - she poses for the camera.  All seem healthy and happy and I love them. Each has a different character.  Hope you like the pictures.
www.konishiki.co.uk
Merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes Merrydale Poultry Hens new homes merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes

Karen

                 As promised here are a few photographs of the “Fox Fortress” built on an old greenhouse base.  While making it I discovered huge variations in the price of wire mesh, “Scats” did the best deal at just over £8 for a 10m roll.  We get visited by foxes almost every night so the hens only get to free range when I am out working in the garden.

 The 2 blues are called Henrietta and Penny and the 2 sweeties are called Victoria and May.  Collectively they are called the “twits” because they act so stupid at times.  Egg production is incredible at 3-4 eggs a day, so good in fact  that we normally hand out at least a dozen eggs a week to neighbours and family (in the hope that they will look after the hens when we go on holiday!).

 We have been totally converted to keeping hens – the daily reward is very addictive. 

 Thank You for your help.

 Richard Allen

merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Hi Karen, just a quick e-mail to let you know how the two Cresteds are that my husband and I bought from you this morning. They've had a very busy day getting to know us and the garden and avoiding my other girls like the plague!
They're all roosting together now so hopefully tomorrow they should be a little braver with each other.
We were very impressed with your set up (having visited lots of poultry farms in the past) and thought your service was excellent depite you being obviously run off your feet.
I've forwarded you a little snap shot. we've named them Daisy, the more golden one and Doris the darker one.
Thanks again,
 
Sarah and John Shelley
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homesmerrydale Poultry Hens new Homesmerrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Hi Karen
Just a quickie to let you how my lovely ladies are doing!
Thought you might like a photo or two!
Still haven't named them just cant ALL(five of us that is) agree on the same names! lol
They are being very spoiled, again by ALL of us !!
Only one still laying eggs and the one laying eats like a horse not a chicken, she's always the first one there when we have any food.
I will share with you though i have had sleepless nights worrying about the cold/frost/wind, keep trying to think of ways to keep them warm!
We do live on top of a small hill so it does get rather windy but they do seem to go in when they are ready.
Am i being a big softie?!?!?
Oh its the pied thats laying is that because she is the oldest?
Hope you are well and will up date you later on.
Kind Regards
Amanda (lincoln)
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Chickens, dogs and gnomes
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes

merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
First Egg
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Florrie (most tame)
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Charlotte
merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes
Gracie & Florrie
Well Karen, as promised pics of our girls.
 
They had only been with us a week and Florrie laid an egg.  They dont seem to mind our 6 dogs and have already made head contact and not flinched.  After showing and breeding dogs for over 25 years I never guessed I would find another exciting passion.  The chickens are great. They give me a reason to get up early in the morning - to let them out.  Florrie the blue is the most tame. She loves a fuss and she is the one who is laying. Charlotte the other blue who is magnificent to look at is more timid but she is slowly coming around. Gracie the Sussex is greedy.  She loves corn and also my bracelet and gold necklace. They all have individual natures and are such fun to watch and I simply adore their lovely noises.  Thanks a bunch for the girls. We already love them
www.konishiki.co.uk

merrydale Poultry Hens new Homes

Hi Karen!

A photo of my hens investigating their favourite type of plant. Sweetie and Bossie Britches (aka Crested!) are 'in charge', with Snowbelle next and Marmite (Schwartz) bottom of the order. Marmite got her name the first time she saw a crust of bread with a scraping of Marmite on it - it's the first time we saw her stand her ground!

Watching the hens is fascinating, we really enjoy watching them and eating their scrummy eggs!

Many thanks

Sharon

Hens in their new home

hi karen
      
attached a photo of our chickens they have settled in well and the two sweeties laid eggs on the sunday, we have named all the chickens  as follows
the 2 snowbells are called tinker and bell
the sussex with the darker neck is called clairy after my youngest daughter [she is the bossy one]
the sussex with the lighter neck is called dawny after my eldest daughter
the sweetie on the block of wood is called scary mary after my sister
the sweetie we called dotty
once again many thanks
           

tony [scarborough] xx

chickenschickens

just thought i would drop u a quick line to let u know that the hens have arrived at there new home and are looking good!! take a look at the pics i thought it would give u a good idea as to where the hens will be living and there new freinds (well hopefully)!! there are no magnets in sight lol. the hens come out into there run near enough straight away, and my hens came over and all looked reasonably well. i do hope i can introduce them all soon as the two hens do look a little cramped to say the least in the pen. for the rest of the afternoon one cockrell seamed to take control and kept on going inbetween the pen and other hens and flapping his wings. must be trying to show his boss status!!!
 
thanks for u help
 
liz and the hens!

chickenschickens

Hi again. Not very good photos yet - will take some proper portraits when it is warmer and the light is better. Both hens are still a delight, very friendly and "silly tame". I have to say we are even more impressed with them than with our first two F1 hybrids we bought earlier elsewhere, The Blue, who is named Trooper because her colour reminded my son of military uniform, started laying on 2nd January and has laid an egg every day since - though she won't use the nestbox and has laid every blasted egg on the droppings board. The Crested, who is named Roadrunner because she looks and moves like one, hasn't started laying yet, and we are agog to see what colour eggs she will lay! Having now been hen-owners for six months, we are now definitely addicted, both to the infinitely-better-than-shop-eggs produce and to the presence of friendly burbling hens in the garden.
 
Many thanks,
 
Amanda
STOP PRESS. Roadrunner the Crested laid her first egg today and it is a beautiful blue - to my eyes identical to the ones laid by our friend's purebred Araucanas. Also, she laid it in the nestbox like a well-behaved hen! Many thanks for your tips about persuading the Blue to use the nestbox. We will start with putting her in it (tricky, because she lays very first thing in the morning, before the others have even got up - in fact I am sure she lays before it is quite light, but we will try anyway) and if unsuccessful will try some dummy eggs.
I am going back to the kitchen to do some more gloating over our blue egg.
If we had more room, I would come back and buy some more hens - must admit I keep prowling round the garden trying to spot a space somewhere that could be used!
Thanks,
Amanda 

 

chickenschickenschickens

As promised, here are some photos of the girls that we collected from you on 7th October.
 
The Splash Cochin is gorgeous. I'm really excited about the prospect of getting two more from you next year. The Cochins are my favourites.
 
Thanks for the advice tonight.
 
Jan

Karen,
 
Just to let you know that the three girls we collected on Sunday seem to have settled in well. Jo has named them Sweetie, Snowbell and Copper (even though she's a Schwartz!!) No prizes for originality there then.  Sweetie is definitely in charge of the other two and keeps them both 'in check'. They are causing much amusement to Bubbles - the barn owl - she can't quite make out what these strange looking 'owls' are doing in her garden. As for the cats - well one now won't leave the house and the other ran so fast up the garden he nearly flew. They are all eating well, drinking ok and were quite happy to have their wings clipped.  When we get a nice day (sometime soon I hope) we'll take some photo's and let you see them all in their new home.
 
Thanks for letting us have some great girls!
 
Julie, Dave and Joanne x
Dear Karen
 
A few weeks ago I bought 3 hens from you - a Sussex, a Blue and a Crested.  They are all well and have settled in with my old lady Aretha - a six year old Maran.  No eggs as yet but I have named them after the Spice Girls.  The Sussex is Baby, the Blue is Scary and the Crested is Ginger.  This is continuing the tradition of naming hens after female singers.  Crazy I know. 
 
Regards, Ros Randle
Just a note to say thanks for your time and patience when we came down to choose two chickens for our garden.We/you was worried that the two new ones would pick on the silkie but it was the other way round she didnt like the thought of any one else sharing her home!!The two girls think they are great ,Im sure they will settle down in a few days.No doubt we will see you again for any supplies/advice or even more birds!!Thanks again.
 
Neil Barnett and family.

Thanks Karen – they are doing fine although don’t think they have quite grasped the concept of their coup – they were all just roosting on the floor of the run yesterday evening so I lifted them up and put them in – hopefully having managed to come down the ramp ladder this morning they might realise they have to go up it this evening!!!

We had one egg yesterday and one this morning so they are obviously not too traumatised by the journey!

I still can’t believe how friendly they are already – really lovely and if anyone asks me where to get hens I will definitely be recommending you!

 Hannah
xxx
www.hannahscountrykitchen.blogspot.com

Hi Karen,

Just wanted to say it was great to meet you this morning. You have a lovely set up and I will recommend you to others! The chooks are lovely – very friendly already which is a bonus. No doubt I will be back for more in the future!

Best wishes,

Cathy from Fleckney (and boys)

 PS Chickens are named already: Roley Mo, Little Bo and Bambi J

Favourite names I have heard so far :

Omelette
Henny Penny
Hen Solo
Princess Layer
Nugget
Chicken Licken

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my hens names are Mrs M`Clucky and Omletta. 
jozsef age 7

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Hi, I read your web page with interest.  I would love some chickens, but my husband will not allow it.  I have even thought of some names for them.  (if I had any) 
Yolko Ono 
Kiev and Nuggett  (a bit cruel) 
Gregory Peck  (don't suppose they would mind a blokes name) 
 will let you know if I think of any others. You ought to have an adopt a chicken scheme for people like me!! 

Celia

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hi
my brownISA is called Ruby Murray (she'd make a great curry). I love her, but shes a rubbish layer (especially for an ISA)
 
helen

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Hello i thought two great names would be chicken little, cornelious, fuzzy wunkles,lady von poofyhead, mr wattles and zoolander hope u like the names peeps.

Robert Higgins

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Have you got a better name? Email me and I will add it to the list

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