Decided to take advantage of the continuing good weather to scrub and poultry shield the allotment coops. Left DH at home to do some finishing stuff in the kitchen, and to look after the chicks, while I went off.
Takes a surprising amount of time, especially as I had to work around one broody girl in each coop, and one Laydee who hadn't laid yet. Took me about 2.5 hours. They are large wooden coops, and they need time to dry after scrubbing and poultry-shielding, so I work round one coop, then leave it open to dry and go and work on the second coop.
I started on the nesting boxes for the second coop, as one of the Laydees hadn't laid. She still hadn't laid by the time I'd worked my way around (there are 5 nesting boxes on this coop, so it takes aaaages to get all the nesting material out). I had to eject the broody (Siouxsie Sioux), who complained loudly.
By the time I'd sprayed the second coop, most of the first coop was dry enough to put down stalosan and diatom; I then scrubbed and disinfected the drinkers, scrub and disinfected the roosting bars and tidied up. At this point Roo, having been nagged by his broody wife and hearing the distressed calls off both broody Siouxsie Sioux and NotNotman in the other run, decided to Sort Me Out. I knew what he was up to as soon as I saw him sidlling up to me. I swung round with the poultry shield can in front of me, just as he launched. I tried to stop him, but his Dander was Well And Truly Up, and he hopped around and attacked me again, and again. I put down the Poultry Shield container, which I think had been the last Straw, and II managed to get my hand on his back and squash him to the ground. From there, I picked him up and held him snugly under my arm. I wasn't really sure what to do next, so I stroked him and talked to him, and then put him gently on the ground. He regained his balance, and walked off.
So, I went to Stalosan and Datom the second coop. I then scrubbed and disinfected the roosting bars of the second coop, and then put everything away. I put some nesting material in one of the nesting boxes, so that NotNorman could finally lay her egg.
I left the coops and came home. DH is popping to the allotment on his way to the pub, and will fill up the nesting boxes, put the poo trays and roosting bars back in.
I'm covered in diatom, stalosan, and stale aubiose.
Off to have a shower and wash my hair.
Takes a surprising amount of time, especially as I had to work around one broody girl in each coop, and one Laydee who hadn't laid yet. Took me about 2.5 hours. They are large wooden coops, and they need time to dry after scrubbing and poultry-shielding, so I work round one coop, then leave it open to dry and go and work on the second coop.
I started on the nesting boxes for the second coop, as one of the Laydees hadn't laid. She still hadn't laid by the time I'd worked my way around (there are 5 nesting boxes on this coop, so it takes aaaages to get all the nesting material out). I had to eject the broody (Siouxsie Sioux), who complained loudly.
By the time I'd sprayed the second coop, most of the first coop was dry enough to put down stalosan and diatom; I then scrubbed and disinfected the drinkers, scrub and disinfected the roosting bars and tidied up. At this point Roo, having been nagged by his broody wife and hearing the distressed calls off both broody Siouxsie Sioux and NotNotman in the other run, decided to Sort Me Out. I knew what he was up to as soon as I saw him sidlling up to me. I swung round with the poultry shield can in front of me, just as he launched. I tried to stop him, but his Dander was Well And Truly Up, and he hopped around and attacked me again, and again. I put down the Poultry Shield container, which I think had been the last Straw, and II managed to get my hand on his back and squash him to the ground. From there, I picked him up and held him snugly under my arm. I wasn't really sure what to do next, so I stroked him and talked to him, and then put him gently on the ground. He regained his balance, and walked off.
So, I went to Stalosan and Datom the second coop. I then scrubbed and disinfected the roosting bars of the second coop, and then put everything away. I put some nesting material in one of the nesting boxes, so that NotNorman could finally lay her egg.
I left the coops and came home. DH is popping to the allotment on his way to the pub, and will fill up the nesting boxes, put the poo trays and roosting bars back in.
I'm covered in diatom, stalosan, and stale aubiose.
Off to have a shower and wash my hair.
