RoSAH Rescue Blog

Not been updating much

2009-08-13T23:56:00.004+01:00

Sorry I haven't updated on here. I'm having a few of days, you know, down in the dumps days.
I've been sat outside with the chookies today and managed to get pooped on by Lexi ;-) Is it meant to be good luck?
I'm hoping to get a Cochin hen at last asap, will keep you posted. Obviously she will be my pet and live with our other "posh birds" Will keep you posted. I may cheer up then.

I've kept 2 guinea pigs (adults) back to stay as pets and they are named Emma and Shauna. I have ALWAYS had a soft spot for rexes. In fact all my recent pet guinea pigs have been Rexes

One, think it's a boy *may* have to stay as it is very flighty but that is not uncommon with guinea pigs that have the satin gene which it has, they are also at risk of osteodystrophy so we try not to home them if possible as it is a horrific disease which shortens their lives and if rehomed to someone without knowledge of it, the guinea pig could suffer.

They are also very difficult compared to non satins. For instance, I have ALWAYS managed to pair up same sex cavies with no problems, both males and females. Well the females often live in bigger family groups with any babies that arrive with them, but Satin ones can be particularly unsociable and not get on with any other so I must contact my friend to find out if that was why he was in the box on his own- maybe he was disagreeable whilst with her. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.

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Lincs Little Hens are laying...

LOTS OF TASTY EGGS THIS MONTH

Guinea Pigs in now

2009-08-11T16:40:00.003+01:00

Guinea Pigs in now for rehoming, adults and babies. Donation required to Rosah Rescue.
Call 0845 017 9422 and leave a message stating whereabouts you are and if you have accommodation ready.
These piggies will be rehomed in same sex pairs and an adoption form will need to be filled in.

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Lincs Little Hens are laying...

LOTS OF TASTY EGGS THIS MONTH

Dixies kits

2009-08-02T16:16:00.002+01:00

As usual, click to enlarge. Aren't they gorgeous with eyes open? 3 dark ones like Daddy, 1 light 1 like Mummy (dark eyed)- all boys.

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Lincs Little Hens are laying...

LOTS OF TASTY EGGS THIS MONTH

Ferret kits eyes are open

2009-07-30T02:03:00.000+01:00

As you can see from the subject, the kits have their eyes open. More pics to follow as they'll start to get more charismatic and mischievous now.
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Lincs Little Hens are laying...

LOTS OF TASTY EGGS THIS MONTH

FERRET KITS HAVE HOMES, WE THINK

2009-07-22T17:36:00.001+01:00

So far as we know, all the ferret kits have homes lined up. One will be staying with me and we have had a fair bit of interest from elsewhere.
If they aren't rehomed then I will repost on here so keep an eye out if you are interested.

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Lincs Little Hens are laying...

LOTS OF TASTY EGGS THIS MONTH

Hob ferret kits ready in a few wks

2009-07-08T21:59:00.003+01:00

Adorable ferret kits will be ready in a few weeks. Donation to the rescue. These kits are being well handled (and their eyes aren't open yet) so should make nice pets. Father has strong poley markings, mother has diluted poley markings and a very pale face but dark eyes. Kits should be stunning. The one with the darkest mask is mine and called "Turpin" Pics below, click to enlarge.

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Lincs Little Hens

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

Baby bunnies for rehoming

2009-07-07T03:07:00.002+01:00

1 white albino and 2 black lionhead crosses. £15 minimum donation per rabbit which is half price what Baytree are selling them for plus you have complete back up should you be no longer able to keep them.
Call us on 0845 017 9422 if interested.
These rabbits are in Sutton Bridge, Lincs and ready now.
A check will be carried out to ensure the housing you have is suitable for a rabbit as many ones on the market today do not have the height required for a rabbit. This check can be handy as we can answer any of your Q's regarding the best bedding and any tonics/feeds for your rabbit.
We also sell Bunny Brunch in 20kg sacks for £9.00 each
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Lincs Little Hens

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Nottinghamshire | Police dogs die in parked vehicle

2009-07-02T15:44:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Nottinghamshire | Police dogs die in parked vehicle

How disgraceful is this? I hope the officer (s) involved lose their jobs over this stupid, thoughtless act of cruelty

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Lincs Little Hens

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

Ethical Superstore

2009-07-02T12:27:00.002+01:00

I was browsing our webshop earlier and came across the Ethical Superstore and love it!
Anyone who hasn't seen our webshop yet, please go to http://www.buy.at/rosahrescue and we receive a little commission on your purchases which all goes to the upkeep of the animals.

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Lincs Little Hens

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

FERRET KITS

2009-07-01T15:59:00.001+01:00

WE HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF UNEXPECTED FERRET KITS READY IN A FEW WEEKS.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

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Lincs Little Hens

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

Got a cheque today

2009-06-27T14:29:00.002+01:00

It's all very exciting, we received our first ever cheque from our webshop sales commission for £23.02. It will come in so handy as things are so tight at the moment we are struggling with feed/bedding bills.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

Little Hen Rescue webshop

2009-06-25T19:50:00.001+01:00

Please help Little Hen Rescue's webshop and repost this on other forums or Facebook and spread the word.

The website of the shop is http://www.buy.at/littlehenrescue
This gist is that you access lots of major stores by going through our webshop and LHR gain a little commission from each purchase you make.

Many stores, insurance companies, Haven Holidays, Great Universal Catalogue (you even get your own cashback from the catalogue), Next Directory, Marshall Wards, Ticket Master, Premier Inn, gamestation, Ethical Superstore, Waterstones, Mothercare and lots more!!

Little Hen Rescue needs any donations possible and by using the webshop, you aren't paying a penny more than you would if you went direct to the online stores as the commission given to LHR comes from the stores marketing budgets.

Please, please bookmark the webshop and post this message on any forums you belong to.

Many thanks
Lyn
Lincs Coordinator
Little Hen Rescue

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

RoSAH Rescue

2009-06-23T15:13:00.002+01:00

Way Hey! We have a new website url for the guinea pig rescue thanks to our dear friend, Jill
the url is www.rosahrescue.co.uk which is so easy to remember and we are thrilled. Please remember us!
BTW We have no baby guinea pigs but have some baby rabbits ready to go. Minimum donation of £10 each. They are Mini Lionhead crosses and adorable.
PS We ARE NOT a rabbit rescue. We have to clarify this. Being gifted rabbits causes us enormous problems as I am asthmatic and rabbits are a trigger for my asthma attacks due to allergy and my children have to tend to the rabbits.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

WOOHOO LHR DID IT!

2009-06-22T12:46:00.002+01:00

All the 10-11,000 hens were rescued from the farm. The last one had a red ring put on her leg and was named Jo!
The fantastic way in which all the volunteers pulled together to make this happen makes me realise what a really special group we are at Little Hen Rescue.
EVERY hen has a home which is amazing! All the people who have come forward to offer homes, the people who made the fleecy and woolly jumpers for the baldies, YOU ARE STARS!
Hopefully now these poor girls whom some have been in a cage of 10 hen (legal limit 4-5 depending on the cage size) can now stretch their wings, walk about and enjoy the retirement they deserve.

We are not sure when the next rescue will be. We hope we can take a break and gather ourselves BUT if a farmer comes along wanting his sheds clearing or we hear that the slaughterman has been booked, we will all swing into action once again.

Personally I thank everyone for all you have done. I can't run around hen catching due to my disability but offering advice to new owners is just as important. Everybody who helps us in any way is equally as important.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

FULLY BOOKED FOR THE WEEKEND

2009-06-16T22:28:00.004+01:00

It's great news that we are fully booked for the rescues this weekend and also that we rehomed 10 birds from here tonight who were "spare" last time but bald and had big red bare bums so I wanted to keep my eye on them. They are all eating well and looking better so they have gone to a new home in the village tonight.
We've had lots of interest and our new website url is so much easier to remember www.lincslittlehens.co.uk and it fits with my email address too which is lincslittlehens@aol.com. We've had some vinyls made up for the vehicles to advertise and have got flyers for photocopying when the man gets around to doing it! The website url was organised for us by Jill who we are really grateful to.
We will start taking bookings for the next rescue come next week and the bedlam of the weekend is over.
Lexi is my new best mate. I've always tried to remain detached even though she was here from Jill for TLC. Lexi was chirping at me earlier and trying her best to get on my knee so I lifted her on, she then copied me typing the emails and managed to delete a message to Jill. Mark thought it was hilarious as she was tapping away. I had to email Jill and ask if she can stay here in exchange for two more.
I love Lexi to bits and would be gutted if she went home even though that was always the intention.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RETIRED COMMERCIAL HENS

2009-06-16T00:19:00.005+01:00

Our weekend

2009-06-14T22:24:00.004+01:00

We've had two lovely pigeons lodging with us for most of the week. I managed to hold the darker one and see blue ink on it's flight feathers which clearly showed a 'phone number so I called it and eventually got hold of the owner in Bridlington. I thought the birds had left us last night as they were nowhere in sight at bedtime but today they were back with us. I REALLY love them and secretly hope they never get their bearings and leave. Click to enlarge the pic. They're stunners. No idea where the mainly white one hails from. It has different rings to the grey one who I call "Bridget from Bridlington"

Yesterday Mark built "The Peek Inn" and a fun day was had by all of us and especially the Pekins at bedtime who had to sleep in the same hut for the first time. It started out as a brand new garden store. We've already got one for the ex batts but that is at ground level rather than being raised like the bantams one has been. It's customised to suit them. Roosting bars, cat litter trays as nest boxes in case of chicks, correx floor for easy cleaning and it'll hopefully be painted on the outside this week and look like a Southwold Beach Hut along with the Des Res too ;-)

Today Aunty K came with my dear nephews and we spent the day outside with the chooks. Amber laid an egg that rolled all the way down their carpeted ladder and Fenella laid one at Aunty K's feet so of course we let her take them for the boys breakfast.

In fact K took all of todays fresh eggs which I *think* was 14. No duck egg today but when Jemima does lay an egg we have to get it quickly as the ex batts seem to have a liking for duck eggs.

After K and the boys left I got cracking on the computer sorting out all the hen people for next weekend. Sending reminders to people who registered an interest but hadn't replied when given a date. I'm trying to get everyone on Sat but again, it depends how many reply. I do have one lady coming on Sunday but I'll be over there anyway so don't mind bringing her 7 back then.

Mark will have to go to Bearts this week and stock up on mash again. Seems the best way of doing it rather than lugging it all the way from Norwich when we'll be going to Bearts anyway.

Have now given Chloe a trim and am feeling knackered. Am just eating some cheese ravioli with Reggae sauce then I'm off to sleep.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

New website url for Lincs Little Hens

2009-06-06T14:39:00.001+01:00

www.lincslittlehens.co.uk

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Our Mascot, Tiny

2009-05-27T21:42:00.002+01:00

In the buff

...and with her PJ's on

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Maps for hen collection

2009-05-21T02:02:00.001+01:00

SUTTON BRIDGE

View Hen rescue Sutton Bridge collection point in a larger map

NORWICH

View Little Hen Rescue, Norfolk in a larger map

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

2009-05-18T19:20:00.001+01:00

Today I've found out the chicks except 1 are cockerels so they'll be off to Little Hen Rescue at the weekend :-(

Sat morn we're offloading kids at Nanny & Grandads then picking the trailer up at 7pm and heading to Norwich to bring back 300+ hens and then take the trailer back to Holbeach ish at night.......only to pick it up again in the morning and take Jo's crates back and bring back just over 100 hens for Heacham and Wisbech.

Monday I am trying to confirm hens and rehomers. Yes it's short notice but I wasn't originally doing all 3 days but the people want the hens and we want to save the hens so what can we do? Jo will help us with our fuel bill which will be a godsend and we always get some good donations for her.
Mark is currently off homechecking at Heacham and dropping off Defra paperwork for a lady wanting 100 hens. Think he'll also take the little ones to Hunstanton to give me a break to do chook emails which is great as I had a headache earlier so once I took my pills I was groggy (can't win)

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

So so busy

2009-05-16T15:45:00.002+01:00

Sorry we're not updating the blog often at the moment. Truth is we are so busy sorting dates/trailers/hen crates etc for upcoming rescues we haven't time for yapping about it.
Every time I log on, my inbox is full and as I read and reply, new emails keep on clicking in so it's never ending.

That coupled with a rabbit who had babies- thanks to the kids who let a boy rabbit out to play with a girl one (luckily only 3 babies, 2 blk, 1 white). They're fully furred but eyes not opened yet. The cage they were in wasn't suitable as it was a double decker and a couple of times the babies had ended up at the bottom of the ladder....so they are now in a bunny palace which was donated by Chris Beal and they are safely in a "downstairs bedroom"

Mark is building another hen house, well it's a garden store actually but perfect for the chooks. We really need less in our green hen house as they all huddle and obviously it'll be dangerously hot as the summer arrives. We did try to persuade a few to use the playhouse but they weren't keen as the white Amber Links are bossy and the ducks were in there too. The ducks have now moved into a kennel.
Now the ducks are in their newer accommodation and the new is almost sorted (just the roof to go on) they will be able to choose where they sleep and spread themselves out a bit.

We've then got to get the Pekin chicks sexed as any cockerels are off to Little Hen rescue possibly next week......any hens can stay (possibly) and Flipper-Midas.

Then we need to sort more housing as the tiny chicks will start growing soon and need more room............and we are now collecting eggs daily so we don't have another baby boom. That's it for this year unless anyone gives me some fertile Aylesbury duck eggs ;-) as Eyup and Roland need wives to stop them chasing the chooks.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

New web shop for LHR

2009-05-06T15:50:00.001+01:00

Little Hen rescue have a new web shop www.buy.at/littlehenrescue

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

More Pekin chicks

2009-05-05T21:45:00.002+01:00

Amber & Fenella seem to have been sitting on the same box of eggs for so long and today a tiny black and yellow chick hatched followed by a lavender one this evening.
I suppose there will be even more tomorrow.
The Pekins are all classed as my daughter's, the one who volunteers at Little Hen Rescue so she is thrilled (again)
After this lot, they will be collecting eggs daily and eating them as they are very popular amongst the family with having more yolk than egg white.
We're getting overloaded with eggs again so tonight was omelette night (my speciality, lol) Each kid (except K) had 4 eggs each....and J had 2 whole omelettes.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Pickle the foster hen (hence Pickle Foster)

2009-05-05T03:11:00.003+01:00

Pickle is one of our foster hens along with Pingu, Caramel, Lizzy, Joan, Rita and many more.
Some hens have stayed until well and gone home but the majority have stayed.
Pickle now has her own Facebook page. Please look her up, add her to your friends and suggest your friends add her too.
Pickle and Pingu's picture has been entered in a "pets on the net" competition in my OLD local rag, the Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser in Nottinghamshire.
When voting gets underway, I will let you know as the prize is a £100 Pets at Home voucher which would REALLY benefit the rescue.

Pickle Foster's Profile | Create your badge

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Press Release RE 11000 hens

2009-05-01T22:53:00.002+01:00

Press release sent to;
Fenland Today, Lynn News, Spalding Today, Boston Today, Newark Advertiser

Hello,

I am the Lincolnshire Coordinator for Little Hen Rescue who rescue and rehome ex battery hens when the farmers discard them in favour of younger birds.

These hens are only just over a year old and have spent their life in the space of an A4 sheet of paper in a wire based cage with 4-6 other birds and when they are rescued, they have feathers missing, broken toes, damaged wings, arthritic joints, peritonitis and crush injuries. They are also barbarically debeaked with a hot blade as chicks to supposedly stop them pecking each other but this can cause lifetime deformities. WE DO NOT REHOME ILL BIRDS!

Besides all the negatives, many are healthy birds. The healthy birds will have feathers missing and often long floppy combs as they regulate their body heat through their combs and the battery farms are very hot places.

Rescuing these hens is with the help and agreement of the farmers involved and we couldn't do it without them.

We do have one predicament though of a mammoth scale. We need to rehome 11,000 hens by the 29th June and if we cannot get them all, the rest are destined for slaughter and end up as "mechanically recovered meat" as there is actually so little meat on their bones.

There is such a high interest in rehoming ex battery hens these days, after television programmes by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver but many people do not know where to start regarding getting themselves a few for the garden.

These hens still lay eggs, although their supply does lessen as they age. They can live for many more years. They are fascinating to watch, don't make much noise and the pleasure gained from watching them go from tufty little girls into beautiful well feathered ladies is immense. The first time they look at the sky to see a bird or aeroplane fly past, or walk on grass then gravel and feel the different textures on their feet, it's beautiful to see.

These ladies are only to be rehomed as pets. People must regard the eggs purely as a bonus and if they can no longer keep them for any reason, Little Hen rescue will take them back without passing any judgement whatsoever.

LHR ask a minimum donation of £1.50 per bird and currently the closest collection point is Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire BUT if there is enough interest, we will set up a collection point in your area. (http://www.tinyurl.com/lhrsb )

We have found though that people are happy to travel to save these girls.

I am hoping that you could possibly do an article highlighting the plight of these hens and if you wish, I can send pictures of how some birds look on coming out from the farms. I didn't want to add an attachment in case this email to yourself was rejected.

Please see our Norfolk website Home

and also my own site with details more for Lincolnshire (regarding suppliers of housing etc)

Lincs Little Hens

Anyone interested needs to view the websites to see if they can cater for the needs of these hens, regarding housing and diet and if they would still like to rehome some, please email me (Lyn) on lincslittlehens@aol.com for Sutton Bridge collection (possibly your area too) or Jo on littlehenrescue@aol.com for Norwich collection

Little Hen Rescue was originally started in June/July last year by Jo Eglen of Norwich and has currently rehomed almost 9000 hens in total. Our biggest mass rescue so far has been for 3000 hens so you can appreciate what a task lays ahead.

Please, if you can help in any way or even sponsor a crate to help us rescue more hens, we would be grateful. If you can circulate the information about the plight of these hens it will help us reach that target of 11000 hens and enable us to not leave any behind, looking at us, hoping for their turn to come to freedom.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

HUGE APPEAL

2009-05-01T01:39:00.001+01:00

**** OUR BIGGEST APPEAL EVER ****

Homes needed for 11,000 Battery hens by 29th June!!

Please help us spread the word! Add us to your websites and forums, add us to your local newsletters!

Please contact Jo - littlehenrescue@aol.com for Norwich Collection

or Lyn - lincslittlehens@aol.com for Sutton Bridge collection.

Lots of collection dates coming up!

Go to www.littlehenrescue.co.uk

or www.devoted.to/exbatteryhenrescue

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Busy Busy Busy

2009-04-08T15:52:00.003+01:00

The man of the house will be away tomorrow [Thurs] at LHR and then I'll be there Friday and sleeping over until Saturday and then bringing back over 100 hens and a cockerel for the people of Lincolnshire & Cambridgeshire.
We're also bringing back sacks of food and other items for the new owners of the hens.
At some point the boys need taking to Adams and others need offloading elsewhere, lol.
It'll just be the one usual little monkey with us on Saturday.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Chick Pix

2009-04-06T14:37:00.001+01:00

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Life...so far

2009-04-04T20:17:00.004+01:00

We're (so far) bringing back 71 ex battery hens + 1 cockerel for new homes in Lincolnshire & Cambridgeshire so we'll have a full van load. I'm going over in the car on Fri then sleeping over with the chooks and Mark will come along on saturday for the half day and to collect the hens.

The Pekins are growing gradually, the Lavenders are the biggest. Their wing feathers are huge and they keep flitting about now so we've moved them from the indoor guinea pig cage and into the dog crate with Correx panels around the sides so they can't get out and the dogs paws can't get in to play with them. Little Flipper is fine and there's no sign of the splayed legs that "it" hatched with.

Sadly we unexpectedly lost 2 of our ex batt ladies recently. At least they had a lovely happy life whilst here.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Hen Rescue Easter weekend

2009-04-01T17:13:00.003+01:00

The next hen rescue will be held over easter; Thursday, Good Friday & Saturday.
We will be bringing hens back to Sutton Bridge on Saturday the 11th so if you are not already on the rehoming list please contact Jo through Little Hen rescue
Hopefully you can adopt your hens and they'll lay you some REAL easter eggs on Easter Sunday

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Eddie's joke

2009-03-28T16:29:00.000Z

A man decided he wanted to become a chicken farmer so went to a rescue and got
100 hens to start up with.

A month later, they had all died so he went back to the rescue for another 100.

The rescue got very suspicious as on the third month, the man came back for
another 100 hens saying all the others had again died but that he had worked out
what the problem was.

He'd been planting them too deep!!

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

My apologies / Pekin chicks

2009-03-26T21:00:00.005Z

I've not been updating anything for a while as I've felt crap (to put it bluntly) With my health being quite unpredictable, sometimes I can corpse for ages and then the longer I'm off the computer, the longer it takes me to get motivated as I know I'll have hundreds of emails to face.
For a while, well since the last hen rescue....all I've done is deal with chooks with my dear other half's help. I've been on a real downer after seeing Doctor Doom.

We put 9 Pekin eggs in the incubator on the 7th March of which 8 hatched yesterday (and one was a late death) The children are thrilled, especially Mini whom they belong to. The chicks have now been moved under the heat lamp and another 9 eggs have gone in the incubator today which will hatch a couple of days after Easter....so if anyone is interested in any, get in touch. There will be a price for these (£10 each) as they are my 7 year old daughter's chicks so any money is going in her bank. We cannot sex them yet as have previously not had experience sexing chicks. Click pics to enlarge them.

Mini, (aged 7) who the Pekins all belong to. Mini is our daughter that comes to the rehoming days at Norwich LHR and everyone thinks she's a little boy as she's a tomboy, happiest when upto her knees in muck and sitting with her chooks. She DOES get quite annoyed when people call her "young man" or "mate" though. Bless her.

Here are the Chicks' Daddy and Mummies

Please see our extra web pages, devoted to hens http://www.rosahhenrescue.eshire.net

We have also advertised the poultry housing sold by Power Poultry as to us, it looks very good at a reasonable price.

The next Little Hen Rescue is Easter weekend so please give me or Jo a ring if you are wanting any ex battery hens from that rescue.

Hopefully now I've got online, I will now be motivated to be on a bit each day ....unless I get wiped out again.

Hubby has been redoing the garden so the rabbits we have left (no, we don't want any more as I'm allergic to them) have somewhere to run. He's built up the fencing for their safety.

Back soon x

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

SHED NEEDED BY THE GUINEA PIGS

2009-03-17T14:28:00.005Z

Can anyone help with our need for a shed for the guinea pigs?

The outbuilding room we are currently keeping them in has become damp which is not good for their respiratory systems, yet the cages we have are no use for being outside. They were donated to us but are made of softwood.
If anyone has a shed they no longer require, we can help dismantle it.

If any company can offer us a new basic shed, that would be appreciated too and we would advertise your business on our main website as a thankyou.

Please call 0845 017 9422 if you can help or leave a comment on here with your details. Our telephone may go to answerphone, if so, PLEASE leave a message so we can call you back.

PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN SO WE CAN GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER ASAP.

Thankyou for reading

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Next LHR rescue

2009-03-17T14:26:00.001Z

The weekend before easter will be when you can next get hens from Little Hen Rescue so please get yourself on the rehoming list asap if interested.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Another successful LHR rehoming day :-)

2009-03-15T19:21:00.006Z

Today we had glorious sunshine, lots of mainly feathered hens and some lovely rehomers collecting their new pets. A French TV crew were also on site filming people collecting hens.
We spent the day at LHR. I was manning the Bearts stall selling layers meal, feeders, drinkers and various poultry tonics. My dear other half was directing traffic as well as catching hens.
We brought 21 hens back to Sutton Bridge for other people including 6 for our friend, Karen whose hens laid an egg on the way back in the crate.
I bought 2 poorlies home again. This time named after Emmerdale characters, Edna Birch and Betty "Eggleton" (Yes I know Betty's name is actually spelt Eagleton but it's more fun with the egg relevance) Both ladies are "off their legs" so will need extra TLC to get them standing and walking again but we've managed it with the others so we should be ok.
Mini came with us. Joe stayed home as "animal supervisor/carer" and the others went to their local Grandparents for the day.
I think today was a very successful and enjoyable day.
Can't wait until next month for the next one. Click the pics to enlarge them. These are Jo at LHR's photo's as I took no camera with me.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

For anyone collecting hens from Sutton Bridge this weekend

2009-03-12T22:57:00.003Z

These maps will enable anyone wondering how to find us if they have booked any hens from Little Hen Rescue this weekend. http://tinyurl.com/LHRSB
We will be doing a full days rehoming in Norwich before heading back with the Sutton Bridge hens which will get back to our Sutton Bridge collection point around 7pm. The mobile 'phone we will have with us will be 07500 693 207 and we will call you as we leave Norwich.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you haven't yet booked any hens, it may be too late for this rescue although we have more rescues planned later in the month. If you would like to book some for next time, here is the procedure;

Take a look at the website for Little Hen Rescue and read everything there is to know about homing these hens- accommodation, feed, bedding, health etc....

If you are able to provide what these ladies need and are still interested, please fill in one of the contact forms on the LHR website which will go through to Jo who runs and co ordinates each rescue.

Jo will email you back to say you are accepted onto the rehomers list and you will be told approximately when the next rescue is likely to be. Take this time from being told you are on the waiting list to make/buy your hens house, fence off any area you'd like your hens to be in and generally prepare for their arrival.

Please STATE CLEARLY from the outset that you wish to collect hens from Sutton Bridge. You will need to pay Jo in advance for hens collected from Sutton Bridge. Each hen requires a donation of £1.50 per bird but any extra is always gratefully received as the £1.50 is never enough. You can pay by cheque payable to Little Hen rescue or Paypal via the website. If you use paypal, try to include a little extra if you can because Paypal take fees from payments made thru them.

When a rescue approaches, Jo will be in touch and you will be given a date for receiving your hens. Assuming you have stated you wish to collect them from Sutton Bridge and we have your contact details, you should collect your hens promptly that evening as currently we are unable to overnight any hens that cannot be collected on the Sunday evening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the day of the rescue, everyone is VERY busy. Your hens will be collected from the farm and taken back to base for a general health check.

It will usually be evening time when your hens arrive in Sutton Bridge as we have a full days rehoming to do first. We will call you once we know what time we will be there and you can see from the map and tinyurl where the meeting point is.

Once you collect your hens, take them home and put them straight in their hen house and shut them in until next morning. In the morning you can let them out into their pen and ensure they drink and eat. Your hens will have had a very long shocking day. They have never seen the great outdoors or experienced freedom to even flap their wings. They've never been able to look up and see the sky or scratched in the soil.

Hopefully you will grow to love your hens like we love ours and they will reward you with a few eggs which we always think are a gesture of goodwill for saving them from the abbatoir.

If you don't want to collect your hens from Sutton Bridge and can drive to Norwich instead, you are able to pay on collection day for them.

These images can be clicked twice to enlarge them. We hope they help you.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

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Little Hen Rescue on video

2009-03-12T22:17:00.006Z

This video is of Jo at Little Hen Rescue whom we help on a regular basis on rehoming days and also bring hens back to Sutton Bridge for people who are too far away from Norwich. Jo is such a natural on camera.
We are rescuing this weekend so if you aren't already on the rehoming list, please go to LHR website.
Hens can be collected from Norwich or Sutton Bridge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since being set up 8 months ago, the Little Hen Rescue has rescued over 6,000 battery hens from slaughter. Watch this video for a touching insight into the work of Little Hen Rescue founder Joanna Eglen.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

PLEASE sign this petition

2009-03-09T19:22:00.004Z

This poor couple from Gateshead have been told by their local council that they must get rid of their 2 pet hens as they are classed as livestock rather than pets or they will face eviction (see BBC news link below).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7926539.stm

Please please sign this petition to have hens reclassified as pets rather than livestock http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/GardenPoultry/

More details from petition creator

We believe that people should be encouraged to become self-sufficient as possible. Properly kept, domestic hens pose no nuisance to anyone.

The keeping of cockerels is not included as a right in this proposal.

There is also a Facebook Group for this cause http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=6898&post=24098&uid=55594908075#/group.php?gid=55594908075 PLEASE JOIN

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

HEN RESCUE CANCELLED AGAIN AAARRRGGGHHH

2009-03-07T19:36:00.003Z

I've missed a few days online as i've been so drained.
The hen rescue is cancelled again. Not due to Bernard Matthews this time or DEFRA but the farmer wants to hang onto the hens a bit longer for their eggs. Poor ladies, almost free....then this!
There *should* be a different rescue on the 13th/14th March so hopefully everyone will get their ladies from that one.
It's so frustrating though especially with so many new homes lined up.

Past few days I've not done a lot. I borrowed Ruth's incubator and set 9 Pekin Bantam eggs in it. 7 of ours and 2 lavender ones of Ruth's.
I am so hoping we've done it right and they'll hatch into lots of Pekin hens :-) (prob all be cock birds that i'll have to rehome)
We got another Pekin egg yesterday but I let Mini eat it as a treat.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

We're hoping the Norwich hen rescue will be on this 8th March

2009-03-03T00:29:00.002Z

Hopefully we will get the all clear from Defra so Little Hen Rescue can move hens from the farm back to their Norwich premises ready for rehoming this Sunday the 8th March.
We're a little sick of Bernard Matthews importing turkeys from abroad with avian flu and also his poor "housekeeping" which leads to disease amongst his flock and ultimately puts many more birds at risk.
This cretin wants closing down http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=713716914&gv=2#/group.php?gid=2245311818

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

FYI- My illness/disability

2009-03-03T00:05:00.006Z

As many people know me from seeing me on crutches or in a wheelchair or only communicating with me over the internet when I'm feeling well enough, I thought that as the worry of my MRI scan is over and the GP says I haven't got Multiple Sclerosis as I feared I had, that I would tell everyone what I actually have which will hopefully explain why I have days off the computer and the answer machine often gets your calls and I have to call you back when I'm feeling "human"
Luckily my family & friends offer me an enormous amount of help, especially with the foster of some of the animals and I find sitting with them very therapeutic.

Please rest assured that if you have called me or emailed me, one of us will get back to you asap.....and I will never miss a hen rescue if I have to be parked up in my wheelchair all day or dumped in a stable with hens running around all day while my other half is on traffic duty. My great love is helping out at Little Hen Rescue and I'm sure that is what keeps me going.....Thanks to everyone for your patience. I'm not after sympathy but when I tell people I have Fibromyalgia, they say " oh is that M.E ? " but it's not the same illness. M.E is Chronic Fatigue. Fibromyalgia is Chronic Fatigue PLUS Chronic Pain. I hope this page makes people realise why I am often on a "go slow"

From the NHS Direct website, here is the information on Fibromyalgia which you may find of interest. I'm not lazy, I'm not a slob and just because some days I'm relatively human, I'm far from OK. I just have bursts of energy where I do things (or usually overdo things) and then make myself worse. I am also on valium, morphine & codeine which without, I would be in an even worse state than I already am.

Introduction

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain all over the body. The condition affects the muscles, tendons and ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bone to bone), resulting in widespread pain, fatigue and extreme sensitivity to pain.

The name fibromyalgia comes from the Latin word 'fibro', meaning fibrous tissues (tendons, ligaments), 'my' meaning muscles, and 'algia' meaning pain.

Fibromyalgia used to be known as fibrositis, which literally means inflammation of the muscles and soft tissue. However, the condition was renamed fibromyalgia after studies found that there is no inflammation or nerve injury.

Who is affected by fibromyalgia?

Anyone can develop fibromyalgia, although the condition affects more women than men. In most cases, fibromyalgia occurs between 35-60 years of age, but it can develop in people of any age, including children and the elderly.

The number of people with fibromyalgia has never been measured, but it is thought that between 2 and 4.5% of people in the UK have the condition.

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but treatment aims to ease the symptoms. The condition can be treated using a combination of medicines, complementary therapies and lifestyle changes.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia

There are many symptoms of fibromylagia and they tend to vary from person to person. The symptoms can also come and go over time, although it is unlikely that they will ever disappear altogether. The main symptoms of fibromyalgia are outlined below.

Pain

If you have fibromyalgia, one of your main symptoms is likely to be widespread pain, which you may feel from 'head to toe'. This pain may feel like an ache, or a burning sensation, or it may be more like a sharp stabbing pain.

You may also find that your pain is worse in the areas of your body that you use the most, such as your back, neck, shoulders and feet.

Extreme sensitivity

Fibromyalgia can cause you to become extremely sensitive to pain all over your body, and you may find that even the slightest touch is very painful. If you hurt yourself - for example, if you stub your toe - you may find that the pain continues for much longer than it normally would.

If you have fibromyalgia, you may find that you are very sensitive to other things as well, such as smoke, certain foods and bright lights. Being exposed to something you are sensitive to can cause your other fibromyalgia symptoms to flare up.

Fatigue and trouble sleeping

Fatigue as a result of fibromyalgia can range from a mild, tired feeling to the exhaustion that is often experienced during a flu-like illness. Sometimes, severe fatigue may come on very suddenly and can drain you of all your energy. If this occurs, you may feel too tired to do anything at all.

Fibromyalgia can also affect your sleep, and you may find that you often wake up tired even when you have had plenty of sleep. This is because fibromyalgia can sometimes prevent you from sleeping deeply enough to refresh you properly. The muscles in your legs may also spasm at night which can also interfere with a restful night's sleep.

Stiffness

If you have fibromyalgia, as well as causing you pain, you may find that your muscles, tendons and ligaments become stiff and prone to spasm. The stiffness may be most severe when you have been in the same position for a long period of time.

Cognitive problems ('fibro-fog')

Cognitive problems refers to problems with mental processes, such as thinking and learning. If you have fibromyalgia, you may have trouble remembering and learning new things, problems with attention and concentration, and slowed or confused speech.

Headaches

If you have pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders from fibromyalgia, you may also have frequent headaches. The headaches can vary from being quite mild to very severe migraines.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

If you have fibromyalgia, you may also develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as well. IBS is a common digestive condition that causes pain and bloating in your gut. It can also cause constipation and diarrhoea.

Other symptoms

Other symptoms of fibromyalgia can include:

facial pain, often as a result of neck, shoulder, or jaw muscle stiffness,
tingling, numbness, prickling, or burning sensations in your hands and feet (paresthesia),
dry eyes, skin, or mouth,
unusually painful periods (in women),
anxiety, and
depression.

Your symptoms may sometimes get better, or worse, depending on factors such as changes in the weather, stress levels, and how physically active you are.

If you have fibromyalgia, it is unlikely that your condition will ever resolve permanently, although there may be long periods of time when your symptoms disappear completely. Most people have to learn to live with the condition long-term. However, fibromyalgia is not life-threatening and does not reduce life expectancy.

Causes of fibromyalgia

The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, and research into the cause is ongoing. However, research into fibromyalgia has identified a number of possible causes of the condition, which are outlined below.

Problems with pain messages

One of the most likely causes of fibromyalgia is a problem with the way that pain messages are carried and received in your body.

It is thought that in people with fibromyalgia, the central nervous system (which transmits messages to and from your brain) cannot process pain messages properly. It is also thought that the brain becomes more sensitive to any pain messages that it receives. This may be why fibromyalgia results in constant feelings of pain and extreme sensitivity to pain.

Research has also found that people with fibromyalgia have higher levels of pain transmitting chemicals in their spinal cords compared with those who do not.

Low levels of hormones

People with fibromyalgia have been found to have lower than normal levels of the hormones serotonin, noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine) and dopamine. Low levels of these hormones may be a key factor in the cause of fibromyalgia.

These hormones each play an important part in controlling many of the processes in the body. For example, serotonin helps to regulate your moods, your appetite, and the way that you sleep. Noradrenaline contributes to attention and your responses, and dopamine helps to control your mood and behaviour, and the way that you learn.

Sleep problems

Some researchers think that disturbed sleep patterns may be a cause of fibromyalgia, rather than just a symptom. Fibromyalgia can prevent you from sleeping deeply, which may be due to your brain waking you up slightly every time you begin to enter deep sleep.

External factors and genetic predisposition

In many cases, fibromyalgia develops after an external factor, such as an illness, injury, or operation. It is possible that these external factors may act like a trigger causing fibromyalgia to occur.

There also seems to be a genetic link to fibromyalgia, with some people being more likely than others to develop the condition due to their genes. If this is the case, a genetic predisposition (tendency) could help explain why some people develop fibromyalgia after some sort of trigger.

Other conditions

There are several other conditions that can lead to fibromyalgia. In these cases, the condition is known as secondary fibromyalgia. Some conditions that can cause fibromyalgia are outlined below.

Joint hypermobility - a condition where your joints are extremely flexible, and can lead to pain, stiffness, and a risk of joint dislocation.
Lupus - a condition where your immune system attacks your body's connective tissues, such as ligaments and tendons, by mistake.
Rheumatoid arthritis - joint pain and stiffness which occurs as a result of your immune system attacking the lining of your joints by mistake.

It is also possible that there is no single cause of fibromyalgia, and that several of the above factors may combine to cause the condition.

Diagnosing fibromyalgia

If you think that you may have fibromyalgia, you should see your GP. They will ask you about your symptoms, before carrying out a physical examination.

However, diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult. There is no specific test that can diagnose the condition, and the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be varied and very similar to those of several other conditions.

Ruling out other conditions

If your GP thinks that you may have fibromyalgia, they will first have to rule out any other conditions that could be causing your symptoms. These conditions include chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME, or myalgic encephalomyelitis), rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

You may have blood tests, X-rays, plus other scans in order to rule out conditions that have symptoms which are similar to fibromyalgia.

If you are found to have another condition, such as those listed above, it does not necessarily mean that you do not also have fibromyalgia. As fibromyalgia is a complex condition, when making a diagnosis, your GP will need to take any other symptoms and possible factors into account.

Diagnosing fibromyalgia

Although there is no specific test that can be used to diagnose fibromyalgia, there are two criteria that can be used to confirm the condition, once all other conditions have been ruled out, or considered.

It is likely that you will be diagnosed with fibromyalgia if your symptoms fit within these criteria. The criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia are:

that you have had widespread pain for more than three months on both the left and right sides of your body, above and below your waist, and
that you have pain in at least 11 of the 18 'tender point' sites when they are pressed.

Tender points

The tender points are the areas on your body where your pain is likely to be at its worst. They are places on the body where everyone is most sensitive to pain, so if you have fibromyalgia, these areas will be very painful.

The tender point sites include the back of your neck, above each of your shoulder blades, and the inside of your elbows.

Treating fibromyalgia

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but treatment aims to ease your symptoms as much as possible and to improve your quality of life.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia tend to vary widely from person to person, so you may be treated for your condition by several different healthcare professionals. For example, you may be treated by your GP, a rheumatologist (a specialist in conditions that affect the muscles and joints), or a neurologist (a specialist in conditions of the central nervous system).

Fibromyalgia can be treated in several different ways, and it is likely that you will need more than one kind of treatment to ease your condition. However, all types of treatment may not be effective for everyone with fibromylagia.

In most cases, fibromyalgia is treated using a combination of medicines, complementary therapies and lifestyle changes.

You may also find that joining a fibromyalgia support group can be a tremendous source of comfort and support.

Medicines for fibromyalgia

You may need to take several different types of medicines for fibromyalgia, including painkillers, antidepressants, and medicines to help you sleep.

Painkillers

If you have fibromyalgia, you can treat your pain using simple painkillers, such as paracetamol.
If paracetamol is not effective in easing your pain, your GP, or healthcare professional, may prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as codeine.

You may also be prescribed a painkiller called tramadol, or one called nefopam. Both of these painkillers have been found to be effective in treating pain that is caused by fibromyalgia.

In some cases, in addition to your main painkiller, you may also be prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen. However, you should avoid taking NSAIDs if you have asthma, high blood pressure, or kidney, or heart, problems. They are also unsuitable for you if you have, or have had, a stomach problem, such as a peptic ulcer.

As well as easing pain, NSAIDs help to reduce inflammation. However, as fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation, they are not effective in treating the condition when taken on their own.

Antidepressants

Antidepressant medicines for fibromyalgia are not prescribed specifically to treat depression.

They are used to boost the levels of certain hormones, such as serotonin, noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine), and dopamine.

It is thought that low levels of these hormones may be a factor in causing fibromyalgia, and that raising their levels may help to treat the condition and ease the pain of your symptoms. See the 'causes' section for more information about fibromyalgia and hormones.

If you have fibromyalgia, there are many different types of antidepressant medicines that you may be prescribed. The choice of medicine may depend on the type of fibromyalgia that you have, and severity of your symptoms, plus any side effects that the medicines may cause.

Antidepressants used to treat fibromyalgia include:

Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline and dosulepin) - these are usually the first choice of antidepressant and raise levels of serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) in order to ease pain and help you sleep.
Serotonin-norephinephrine reuptake inhibitors (venlafaxine and duloxetine) - which raise levels of serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine). Venlafaxine also raises levels of dopamine, as well as serotonin and noradrenaline.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (citalopram, fluoxetine and paroxetine) - these only raise serotonin levels, so they are not often used.

There are also two other types of medicine that affect the levels of hormones which are sometimes used to treat fibromylagia - a dopamine agonist called pramipexole, and a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist called tropisetron.

Muscle relaxants and medicines to help you sleep

If you have stiffness, or spasms, in your muscles as a result of fibromyalgia, your GP or health professional may prescribe a muscle relaxant to help ease your symptoms.

Muscle relaxants that are often used for fibromyalgia include medicines called tizanidine and carisoprodol. Tricyclic antidepressants (see above) can also help to relax your muscles.

Muscle stiffness and spasms can also affect your ability to sleep, but even if you sleep all night, you may find that you still wake up feeling tired. This is because fibromyalgia can prevent you from sleeping deeply enough to fully refresh you.

If this is the case, your GP or health professional may recommend, or prescribe, an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medicine, or herbal supplement to help you sleep more deeply. If these medicines do not help, using one of the muscle relaxant medicines mentioned above may help you to sleep more deeply at night because they have a sedative (sleep-inducing) effect.

There are also stronger medicines, such as zopiclone and zolpidem, which can help you sleep. However, you may only be able to use one of these medicines for a short period of time because long-term use can end up disrupting your sleeping patterns even further.

Pregabalin

Pregabalin is an anti-seizure medicine that has been found to be effective in treating several fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain and sleeping problems. You may be able to take pregabalin as a brand called Lyrica.

However, pregabalin can cause a number of side effects, such as dizziness, blurred vision and weight gain, so it may not be suitable for everyone.

Complementary therapies for fibromyalgia

There are a number of complementary therapies which may help to ease your symptoms of fibromyalgia. However, it is important to remember that there is little medical evidence to back up the effectiveness of these therapies, and that they may not work for everyone.

Warm water therapy, such as swimming, gentle exercises in a warm pool, or simply having a warm bath, is a popular complementary therapy for people with fibromyalgia.

Some people also find that complementary therapies help to ease their pain, or fatigue, and help them to relax and manage their condition more effectively. Examples of complementary treatments that may help to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia include acupuncture (where thin needles are inserted into certain points around the body to help relieve pain), aromatherapy (where essential oils are used for a therapeutic effect), massage, and osteopathy (which aims to heal your body by applying pressure).

There are also complementary therapies for fibromyalgia that focus on the mental and emotional aspects of the condition. Relaxation therapy, anxiety management techniques, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or other 'talking treatments', can sometimes help some people to cope better with pain, fatigue, or other symptoms.

If you decide to use a form of complementary therapy, always ensure that your therapist is a fully qualified and accredited member of the appropriate organisation - for example, the British Acupuncture Council (BAC).

Complications of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia does not get worse over time, so it does not often cause any physical complications, or lead to other conditions.

However, it is possible for fibromyalgia to lead to depression. This is because the condition can be difficult to deal with, and low levels of certain hormones, such as serotonin, can make you prone to developing depression.

Depression can cause many symptoms, including constantly feeling low, a lack of interest in the things that you normally enjoy, and feeling tearful.

If you think that you may be depressed, it is important to get help from your GP, or your fibromyalgia health professional. .

Self help

If you have fibromyalgia, there are several ways that you can change your lifestyle in order to help relieve your symptoms and make your condition easier to live with.

Your GP, or healthcare professional, can also offer you advice and support about incorporating these changes into your everyday life.

Exercise

As fatigue is one of the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, you may find that you are often very tired and feel unable to exercise. However, an exercise programme that is specially suited to your condition can help to significantly improve your symptoms by reducing pain, boosting energy levels, and helping with regular sleep patterns.

Your GP, or a physiotherapist, can help you to design a personal exercise programme. The programme is likely to involve gentle exercises, such as stretching and warm water exercises, as well as low-impact aerobic exercises, such as walking, cycling, or swimming. However, you should take care not to push yourself too hard when exercising.

Relaxation

If you have fibromyalgia, it is important that you regularly take time to relax, or practice relaxation techniques. Stress can make your symptoms worse, cause them to flare up more often, and it can also increase your chances of developing depression, which is common among people with fibromyalgia.

There are many relaxation aids available, including books, tapes and courses, although deep breathing techniques, or meditation, can be just as effective. Try to find time each day to do something that relaxes you. Taking time to relax before bed may also help you to sleep better at night.

Anxiety management techniques, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or other 'talking treatments' can also be helpful in combating stress and learning to deal with it effectively.

Diet

There is no specific diet that you should follow if you have fibromyalgia, but you should try to eat a healthy, balanced range of foods. Your diet should be high in fibre, fruit and vegetables, and low in fat, salt, and sugar.

You should only drink alcohol in moderation, and cut down on foods and drinks that are high in caffeine, such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola.

Pacing yourself

If you have fibromyalgia, it is likely that you will have some days when your symptoms are better than others. Try to maintain a steady level of activity at all times, without ever over-doing it. It is important that you always listen to your body, and that you slow down, and rest, whenever you need to.

You should avoid doing any exercise, or activity, that over-exerts you, or pushes you too hard because this can make your symptoms worse.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

5th Pekin egg and 5 ex battery eggs

2009-03-02T23:11:00.003Z

Our hens are doing well. If you look at the right hand column you'll see our monthly totals so far this year.
One of the Pekins laid their 5th egg today. I do hope one will brood them as I'd love some chicks and so would the children.
We had 5 eggs from the ex battery ladies today too.
Mollie the trampolining labrador has completely demolished the swimming pool now from when she skated on it while frozen and the ice split the top inflated ring. I've decided that we're NOT getting yet another pool so that part of the garden will be cordoned off for the guinea pigs & rabbits.
The children will enjoy sitting with the animals in there and helping to tame any newbies that are skittish. Also it will be an extra space for emergency chooks to keep them confined.
Come next winter time the guinea pigs can come back in the outbuilding.

Mollie got her support tabard today which can carry her water, poop bag, tennis balls, treats, first aid kit (for her), my mobile, inhalers...whatever... and we can go off for the day with her as my support dog and I'll be on my scooter. I can't wait. She is so good.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

LATEST NEWS FROM LHR REGARDING WEEKEND RESCUE

2009-02-27T16:45:00.004Z

Due to the possible out break of the Avian flu virus at 2 Bernard Matthews Turkey farms in East Anglia, we have to cancel the rescue for this weekend.
I am really sorry to all that were hoping to get hens from us.
The good news is that the hens will not be slaughtered and are being kept until we know the results from DEFRA. If all is clear and there are NO restrictions in place then we can collect the hens next weekend. All your time slots will be moved forward to Sunday 8th March.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

4th Pekin egg today

2009-02-27T16:17:00.000Z

This is getting VERY exciting. Amber laid one today. I really hope they'll hatch them.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

3rd pekin egg and 11 hen eggs

2009-02-25T21:08:00.004Z

Today was a hen day, proper thorough muck out of sheds and straw on ground. Also the duck pond had a nice clean refill so they were happy and 1 had a swim.
Rita & Joan are still happy together and as soon as I got Rita out, she started trying to pick a fight so she's better off separate with just Joan for company.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

2nd Pekin egg

2009-02-24T18:26:00.003Z

Haven't managed to keep up with the blog due to illness and chaos and children off school etc....
Everything tends to go into meltdown as routine goes out of the window.
Helping at Little hen rescue this Sunday. Taking some cockerels to Jo and bringing a few hens back for other peeps.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Our 1st tiny Pekin Bantam egg!

2009-02-21T18:21:00.002Z

Ooooh we're so excited as there is a possibility of it being fertile. Mark has written the date on it so we'll see if they lay any more. Fenella was sitting on it (our lavender hen)but Mark seems to think Amber laid it although he said there was a lot of noise from them all day.
Will keep you posted.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

BLOOMING SNIDE NEIGHBOURS

2009-02-20T22:08:00.006Z

I'm not very happy as one of our "dear" neighbours has complained to the council dog warden about excessive noise from our dogs which I can only assume was during the hen rescue weekend which we felt uneasy about anyway as the dogs did play up so we took free eggs round to them.....and no one said anything. (We'd already made arrangements for the next hen collection so it's not from our house and here instead> http://www.tinyurl.com/lhrsb )
I can't stand people who haven't got the balls to just say"the dogs are a bit loud", I don't bloomin' bite! I'd have apologised and turned the music up indoors to mask the fact that we had visitors and to stop the woofing.
I'd respect my neighbours much more if they had an adult conversation with us. Last time Mr Next Door started shouting over the fence which I thought was unnecessary and asked then if he EVER had a problem again to come to the door rather than scaring the kids by ranting. Why can't people do that rather than sneaking off like little snitches telling tales. They ought to grow up!

The dogs are only warning us that someone is around who shouldn't be. The neighbours will be upset if they get burgled and we've kept the dogs quiet. GRRRR. Hope it happens to them now!
The "complainant" will be monitoring the dogs for 10 weeks themselves before the council will get involved and as far as I'm aware, as long as the dogs aren't barking continuously or throughout the night then there's not a problem. It's our next door neighbours Jack Russells that yap all night and upset ours. I think theirs live outside, either that or they are out until very late at night.
Roll on the neighbour exaggerating and getting a noise monitor in that will pick up the REAL culprits.
I REALLY wish we had no neighbours at all, even if I had to live in a caravan in a field.
I think The Fair Isle looks nice. Would love to flit there.
Feeling pissed off today now.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Went to Bearts yesterday

2009-02-19T22:57:00.004Z

....and OMG we spent £79 and we have to go there fortnightly. Fair enough one trip is always dearer than the other but phew.....That was on food stuffs, straw, cat litter and some Jeyes Fluid & medical bits and bobs we needed for the animal first aid kid. I also got 2 of the smallest (cheapest £1.75 each) haynets to hang the cabbages in for the hens who go wild for them.
Then on the way back we stopped at a roadside stall and picked up some huge cabbages for the hens and guinea pigs for 50p each which is an absolute bargain at the moment.

(This wasn't including Dollys food, bedding or livery)

All this was after my MRI so my head was pounding. I had pins and needles from my neck up to the top of my head.
We parked the kids up and left them in the minibus with a view of the Stowbridge level crossing. They were thrilled to see 2 trains so it gave us time to shop.

A lady from Weston Hills called Jane donated us 2 chicken feeders and a drinker and big stainless steel bowl which are very much appreciated. Thanks Jane.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Next Hen rescue, Feb 28th

2009-02-17T19:57:00.004Z

Anyone wishing to rehome ex battery hens from the next rescue, please see Little Hen Rescue's website then fill in a contact form.
If you wish to collect from Sutton Bridge, please say so clearly on the contact form.

Bit of advertising for LHR.
Click picture to enlarge it sufficiently to see.
May as well use the space on the back of the car for something practical.
The vinyl lettering was only £2.50 + £1.50 postage off eBay.
The chap who made the guinea pig logo is also making me some hen silhouettes in 8 year vinyl too.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

100 eggs already in February

2009-02-16T15:03:00.004Z

Our girls must be happy hens as they're prolific layers. We've reached the magical 100 eggs this month already so we must be doing something right.
In a way it's a shame I don't eat eggs myself but it keeps the family and neighbours in free organic free range eggs from happy hens and hopefully stops them buying "value" eggs from battery hens.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Olive has been pecked

2009-02-16T14:50:00.002Z

Poor Olive, we've never had any problems with anyone pecking her. She was one of the anber-link rescues and is white with brown flecks.
Today I noticed on her back and neck she has had feather plucked out so I've put plenty of "Anti-Pek" on her and hopefully, whoever the bully is will get a mouthful of yukky feathers and leave her alone in future.
Here's a pic of her a few weeks ago, strutting her stuff with her fancy comb and lovely looks.
I've sat out there for ages and am unaware of anyone getting her.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

2009-02-14T19:45:00.010Z

The "Miracle Cure" to everything for your Poultry

Apple Cider Vinegar (or ACV for short) has long been hailed as a miracle cure for everything in the poultry world.

It does have numerous health benefits and supports the immune system. Since I have started using ACV I have noticed a big difference in the health of my flock and now recommend it to all poultry keepers.

ACV is certainly full of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It helps to lower the pH level in the stomach, helping digestion and making it a less friendly for harmful pathogens. ACV detoxifies the blood and helps remove mucous from within the body, this is particularly useful since chickens are particularly prone to respiratory problems and ACV can be of benefit in helping birds to clear their airways (especially for ex batts & ex barn hens who have inhaled all sorts of foul bugs from within their sheds prior to rescue).

Due to the acid content of ACV, it is an antiseptic. As well as killing germs, it is also a mild antibiotic as well, (that is, it contains bacteria that destroy infectious organisms).

Some claims have been made that ACV increases egg production. Whilst I can't find any studies that prove this, it would still make sense that if you are keeping a hen in good health, she will perform better and our own hens do seem to be laying very well.

ACV, can be found in health shops and many poultry / equine shops / outlets will sell bottles of it. Ours is by Wendals herbs and was from the Equine section of our feed supplier.

How to give ACV to chickens.

We use between 10-20 ml per litre of water. Remember ACV is acidic and you should only put it into plastic water containers to prevent corrosion (DO NOT put in galvanised drinkers). I normally do this for a week every month - the first week of the month so that I remember which one!

I also add a daily scoop of garlic powder during this same week to their food.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

The prem baby guinea pigs are doing well

2009-02-14T17:39:00.005Z

and have both been reserved already!!

One is blind, it would appear since birth but seems strong and healthy, the other is very healthy and strong. From what I can tell they are both female so will stay together when the time comes. We've had blind ones in the past that have lived a normal life with a companion.

these are the 2 babes. the blind one on the right.

We also had 12 eggs today from our hens which has broken our previous daily record.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These pictures below are especially for Grandma
click to enlarge them

The girls with Fenella the Pekin

Mini with Silkie

12 HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS TODAY!

Joan has joined Rita overnight

2009-02-13T22:06:00.004Z

Fingers crossed this will work out. I put Anti-pek spray on both girls today and they freeranged the garden with the others. A few had a pick on Rita until they got a mouthfiul of vile tasting feathers. No one bothered Joan at all.
I put them both in together at nightfall so am hoping it'll work out and they'll become friends.
Mollie (The Labrador) was out on the garden today, she ignores Rita & Joan who are both used to her from being on the house but when the others flapped she got a bit excitable and chased although caused no harm nor intended to. She just needs a little more supervised time with them.
One of the hens laid an egg underneath the 13ft trampoline and I had a right job getting it out. No idea who laid it, it was 1 of my big fat ladies stood near as it was steaming but I'd have thought they knew exactly where to lay....very strange.
Mark did a mass muck out so plenty of muck for the composters of West Norfolk.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Maps for hen collection

2009-02-13T10:24:00.007Z

These maps will enable anyone wondering how to find us if they are planning on ordering any hens from Little Hen Rescue. http://tinyurl.com/LHRSB

Let me explain the procedure if you are wanting any ex battery hens.
Take a look at the website for Little Hen Rescue and read everything there is to know about homing these hens- accommodation, feed, bedding, health etc....

If you are able to provide what these ladies need and are still interested, please fill in one of the contact forms on the LHR website which will go through to Jo who runs and co ordinates each rescue.

Jo will email you back to say you are on the rehomers list and you will be told approximately when the next rescue is likely to be. Take this time from being told you are on the waiting list to make/buy your hens house, fence off any area you'd like your hens to be in and generally prepare for their arrival.

Please STATE CLEARLY from the outset that you wish to collect hens from Sutton Bridge. You will need to pay Jo in advance for hens collected from Sutton Bridge. Each hen requires a donation of £1.50 per bird but any extra is always gratefully received as the £1.50 is never enough. You can pay by cheque payable to Little Hen rescue or Paypal via the website. If you use paypal, try to include a little extra if you can because Paypal take fees from payments made thru them.

When a rescue approaches, Jo will be in touch and you will be given a date for receiving your hens. Assuming you have stated you wish to collect them from Sutton Bridge and they have been paid for in advance, you should receive your hens that evening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the day of the rescue, everyone is VERY busy. Your hens will be collected from the farm and taken back to base for a general health check.

It will usually be evening time when your hens arrive in Sutton Bridge as we have a full days rehoming to do first. We will call you once we know what time we will be there and you can see from the map and tinyurl where the meeting point is.

Once you collect your hens, take them home and put them straight in their hen house and shut them in until next morning. In the morning you can let them out into their pen and ensure they drink and eat. Your hens will have had a very long shocking day. They have never seen the great outdoors or experienced freedom to even flap their wings. They've never been able to look up and see the sky or scratched in the soil.

Hopefully you will grow to love your hens like we love ours and they will reward you with a few eggs which we always think are a gesture of goodwill for saving them from the abbatoir.

If you don't want to collect your hens from Sutton Bridge and can drive to Norwich instead, you are able to pay on collection day for them.

These images can be clicked twice to enlarge them. We hope they help you.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

It's blooming snowing again.....

2009-02-13T00:11:00.003Z

.....so my plan for putting Joan in with Rita at bedtime was foiled as it would be too cold for Joan with her being inside for a few nights.
She's been really alert today. It's been like the first day where she's been looking up at her surroundings and being nosey. It must be amazing for her to discover life beyond the battery cage. I'd forgotton what it's like as Lizzy never did with being a no neck for so long and as Rita had been a freeranger anyway, she behaved differently.

JOAN

Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow and get the snow melted away so we can maybe move Rita's pen under cover and then introduce them at bed time. Tomorrow won't be such a hectic day (hopefully)

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Joan is ready to live with Rita (we think)

2009-02-11T23:27:00.002Z

Joan is doing really well, just a slight limp now but she puts her wings out to hold her balance then pootles off on her way.
I bought some Anti Peck Spray for poultry today so tomorrow evening I shall spray both her and Rita and put them to bed together and hopefully they'll keep each other warm and be kind to each other on Friday. If not, they'll both get a mouthful of foul tasting feathers which will hopefully nip it in the bud.
If Rita REALLY doesn't want a friend of her own variety, I'm sure Joan will fit in with the rest of the flock.
Then who will I mother?? I should have brought more than 1 sickly hen or one more needy.
We've got 2 prem baby guinea pigs but in all my years I've never successfully hand reared any. They always fade away on about day 5 so I'm just leaving them with their mother and letting nature take it's course :-( I really can't bear it when they die in my arms.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

NEW Sutton Bridge hen collection point

2009-02-10T16:24:00.007Z

Thankyou to our dear neighbours for such tolerance on Sunday & Monday especially. We thought our dogs would be quieter than they were. This is why we have set up maps pointing to the NEW collection point so we don't bother you on future rescue weekends.

Our neighbours have been very tolerant this weekend as people have come to collect the hens we brought back from Little Hen Rescue and as we may possibly be helping out with Hen Rehomers-UK as well, we don't wish to put any more stress and noise on our neighbours than we already do. Visitors make our dogs go bonkers and they won't shut up until people leave and I hate to feel that I'm rushing people who may want to ask a few questions or have claws or wings clipped.

SO, to save upsetting anyone, any future collections of hens will be from HERE It's just off the A17 main road and very easy to find.
As well as the placemark on the map, there are written instructions too and if you click on the symbol you can put your own postcode in and get directions to there.
I hope this helps anyone collecting hens but you will have to be fairly prompt at your agreed collection time (or call us) as it is just a side road with no facilities. We only chose it as the meeting point as the swing bridge is such a prominent landmark to all from either direction.

Hope to see you soon
(The Mad Chook woman)

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

The hens we brought back (+Lizzy update)

2009-02-10T00:43:00.004Z

As I probably already mentioned below, we brought back 30 hens plus a lovely cockerel for other people.
10 hens and the cockerel went to their new homes on Sunday and on Monday, Sue my Boston & Skeg Freecycle Mod came to collect her 8. It was lovely to meet her at last but before she came I took a few pictures and video clips as the hens weren't very still and I was getting a few blurry pics. We've still got 12 hens to go which I hope will go tomorrow so the cats can go back in their enclosure.

I'd also like to show you Lizzy who we got at the end of November. We called her no neck Lizzy and thought she had a tumour on her neck but it turned out to be a curvature of her spine. Well with a good diet, and a lot of TLC I'm pleased to say she now stands tall with no sign of how she was upon being rescued which I think is miraculous. I actually brought her home to give her love for her last days! She became my "parrot hen" often sitting on my shoulder while I was on the computer and I'm very fond of her.
Click to enlarge them.
BEFORE

TODAY

**************

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

GREEN VEG WANTED, also a pallet

2009-02-09T01:15:00.007Z

This isn't a huge ask but is for all our local supporters who wouldn't mind helping the animals.
The guinea pigs need extra vitamin c from green cabbages as they cannot munch on the lawn or any garden leaves. The Giant African Land Snails are eating lettuce and cucumber like it's going out of fashion and I was also told yesterday that chickens absolutely love a cabbage hung up for them to peck at. We have never tried it. Ours just get sweetcorn as a treat but one chap told me to hang cabbages up in pony haynets and it apparently keeps them busy and happy.
Well we're all for enhancing their living conditions as with this snow, they're none too pleased and have taken up camp undercover where the ground is dry.

If anyone local has a pallet they are disposing of, could they please let us know too so the hens have a raised area to stand on.
The bantams are using upturned empty wire hanging baskets to stand on and keep their tootsies out of the snow (as they have feathered feet and don't like them wet) but the ex battery hens have nothing except the straw bale which is under cover anyway.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Eggs, chickens, veggies etc...

2009-02-09T00:22:00.001Z

It seems we're getting overwhelmed with eggs again especially as we've got the lodgers staying over awaiting collection and are currently upto 47 eggs this month already. Maybe over all we will have less this month as it's a shorter month but it is looking promising so far.

I had to share the cartoon below. It made me smile but also makes a point! If you MUST eat meat, please buy free range so hens aren't in those massive sheds suffering for the sake of you having a slightly cheaper chicken for your tea.

I hate any animal having to live an unnatural life. Having seen our rescued hens instantly knowing how to scratch the soil and eat worms and dust bathe in the garden, it made me realise that it is natural instinct so the fact that they are in these intensive rearing/laying sheds must be truly horrific for them. Obviously the battery cages are worse still.

It makes me wonder why the chicken which is seen as important in many peoples diets is not allowed to grow and thrive in a manner that would promote good health in the bird and therefore a healthier food?

Please buy free range or go veggie! I have been a vegetarian for 12 years. There are so many choices of yummy food nowadays than when I first became a vegetarian even though I had dabbled in not eating meat throughout my teenage years, it was only when expecting my second child that I gave up eating meat all together and he was my biggest baby ;-)
I am borderline vegan. I don't drink milk or eat eggs etc....BUT Quorn still use eggs in their products as a stiffener and until they find an alternative I can only be a vegetarian. I would like to go Vegan eventually though.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

LITTLE HEN RESCUE YESTERDAY

2009-02-08T19:06:00.006Z

Wow, what an amazing day!! Crap freezing weather here in Lincolnshire but Norfolk was lovely and sunny.
Jo had helpers at the farm who were loading crates while she drove back with 600 or so hens on the trailer and helpers were at the yard uncrating the hens as the masses flocked in to eagerly rehome some!
It was fantastic, we must've rehomed 1800+ hens during the day and at times we came close-ish to running out of hens.
The little baldies got their jumpers put on and some people thought they were so cute they were taking all baldies which was fab because at the end of the day there were hardly any baldies left to overnight at the yard.
Some hens were unwell and were put in the hospital wing, some (not many) sadly were too far gone and lost their fight for life as it all must've just been too much to cope with.
I wasn't physically able to run around catching hens but I clipped a few claws and gave advice to the new owners should they need doing again although they will probably be fine scratching around the gardens of their new homes.
People had travelled from all over. There had been an article on Radio Suffolk about their plight so we had people from Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and I think even Nottinghamshire.
A cameraman and reporter turned up from Anglia TV and although we couldn't see the news when it was on, we watched it online and they did us proud!!
A huge HGV truck from Leeders was on site selling food/bedding/vitamins/feeders/drinkers and everything you could possibly need for new hens.
Many new helpers joined in which was nice as I met a few new folks.....but it was sometimes difficult to see who was helping and who was collecting hens. (I'm going to take stickers or get some badges next time, lol)
We brought a little hen back with us who we've called Joan. She is off her legs...well she was. Her feet were curled and she really didn't want to stand on the flats of her feet. We've given her gentle physio by uncurling them and lowering her gently to the ground where she has held her weight for brief periods of time before dropping into a squatting position but if she's been like that a long time, this is just day one of recovery. She is certainly VERY perky and bright eyed.

Little unwell hen in the yellow jumper that Jo was taking home and some baldies awaiting jumpers

We had a fantastic time and were buzzing, roll on the next one! Jo was still rescuing today taking the total to around 4000 hens which is the biggest rescue carried out by Little Hen Rescue so far.
The work carried out by Jo and all the helpers is really commendable. Saving these hens from slaughter and hopefully people will be rehoming them and using their eggs and the farmers won't be restocking their sheds as demand for cheap eggs lessens! Lets hope!!!!!!!!!!

Here is Joan, our new addition for nursing as mentioned above

...and this is the most gorgeous cockerel. My alarm clock at 5.15am today. Mini wanted to keep him and was gutted when he went to his lovely new home with 4 ladies for company. He hasn't gone to live far away so I'm sure I will hear how he is getting on.

Cautious hens in the snow

2009-02-05T10:00:00.004Z

Our ladies were rather unsure as to whether to venture out this morning. The rabbits & Guinea pigs are ok as they were well packed with extra straw bedding in anticipation of the cold snap but what a shock this morning that even the main roads hadn't been treated and were dangerous and the schools were closed.

BIG HEN Rescue this weekend

2009-02-04T22:33:00.005Z

I reckon Jo should change the name to BIG Hen rescue instead of Little Hen rescue as she is hoping to rescue 4000 hens so they're ALL needing homes because it's terrible to leave any behind for slaughter. Please email littlehenrescue@aol.com if you have space for any.
We are happy to transport any from Norwich to Sutton Bridge in Lincs for easier collection.
Jo requests a donation of £1.50 per hen (personally If I were her I'd charge £2 as I do when we do our own rescues as it all helps to cover costs and go towards to dog/fox proof fencing fund so any extra REALLY does make a difference)

Mollie the Lab has settled in well and spent Sunday afternoon with Boo at the beach at nearby Hunstanton. The tide was out so plenty of space for a game of ball and a run around.

Meet our new friend Mollie

2009-01-28T21:57:00.004Z

Mollie is an absolute star, she doesn't bark, she's house trained, she likes cats, chickens and our other dogs, is great with the kids and the perfect dog.

We all love Mollie to bits, including Rita. I said she didn't think of herself as a hen.....now I know why.

Click to enlarge the pic. Isn't she lovely?

4 Snails going to a new home

2009-01-23T20:23:00.005Z

We have 4 Giant African Land Snails going to a new home this weekend. 3 are about 3 inches long and 1 is quite a lot smaller.

We still have lots for rehoming. Please get in touch if you would like any.
Any donations are gratefully received.
At the moment we cannot take ANYTHING else in as we do not know where our next money is coming from. The pot is empty with bills to be paid. We have never been in such a dire situation.

Here are some pictures of our GALS which were taken today. Click the small pictures to enlarge them.

____________________
From todays Telegraph Online

Little Lil, a Columbian blacktailed cross hen, is the smallest of her flock but regularly lays eggs measuring 10cm across - more than twice the size of a normal egg.

Youngsters at Raikes Centre pupil referral unit in Gloucester have been unable to measure the weight of the eggs because they exceed 8oz, the maximum their scales will reach.

When pupils cracked open the latest oversized egg they found a yolk, an egg white and another small but complete egg on the inside, like a Russian doll.

The six-month old hen has only been laying since October but once a month she forces out an egg measuring an eye-watering 10cm by 8cm.

Teacher Kate Farminer, 54, said: "We've got four pet chickens here and Little Lil is by far the smallest and also the quietest.

"So we were amazed when she started producing these enormous eggs - you wonder how she gets them out.

"The first time it happened the egg broke but the latest one was intact.

"We've got another two spare so this time our curiosity got the better of us and we took a look inside.

"We couldn't believe it when we found another egg inside - maybe she's a Russian chicken."

Little Lil lives with three other pet chickens Auntie Madge, Auntie Edie, and Auntie Doreen. Her eggs normally measure 4cm by 7cm.

The centre's three classes of children aged between four and eleven also keep pet rabbits and chickens.

According to Guinness World Records, the largest ever egg was laid by a Black Minorca hen in England in 1896 and weighed nearly 12oz.

We've reached 100 eggs this month already!

2009-01-20T16:19:00.002Z

From our dear 19 hens, all rescues of one kind or another, we have had
100 eggs already this month.
I'm so eggcited. At the beginning of the year I decided to use my
Battery Rechargers calendar for anything hen related so tallied up
each day and thought how good it would be to reach 100 in the whole
month so I'm shocked my girls have done it already.
Bless my happy hens

Was hoping to make the Pekin run......

2009-01-20T14:17:00.002Z

I'm so glum. Mark was meant to make the run for Newton, Fenella and Amber at the weekend but with poorly children and not enough daylight, I never got him sent off to get any wood & screws.
Now since then, the RoSAH fund has been spent on all the feed supplies we needed from Bearts so now we can't afford to do it.
Got my old guinea pig multi block in bits as I'm having the doors off it as top opening hinged lids and am doing an extra bit with corrugated roofing on that the food bowls can go underneath.
I just need the flipping framework and have nothing left to dismantle so if anyone has any fence posts or 2x2 or ANYTHING any use to us, please let us know.
I'm getting fed up with Newton hopping over the current temporary fence (made with plastic elec fencing poles and mesh) to be with the ex battery ladies when the Pekin ladies can't/won't hop over as the ex battery hens bully them because they're so tiny.

Amber & Newton

Fenella, Amber & a bit of Newton

Amber

6 eggs today

2009-01-19T23:20:00.003Z

Our happy hens gave us 6 eggs today taking the total so far, this year to 95. (and it's only the 19th Jan!!)
This has really shocked us and we've been told we have very happy hens to be such prolific layers.
Today we bought some apple cider vinegar which is said to be very good for their digestion, mobility and a multitude of problems (not as our hens seem to have any) but there's no harm putting a few drops in their water each day.
Not a lot has happened today as Clo has been home from school with that lousy virus, she looks very puffy in her face and keeps getting so hot. We're getting thru loads of Calprofen.
Mark did the animal feeds run though which has skinted us again.

Hellish day

2009-01-18T16:51:00.007Z

As I felt unwell this morning, Hubby went out to make a start on making the bantam pen a more permanent fixture (as Newton likes to hop over at the moment)
I was in the house with Clo who's also not well. She had come down in the night crying with a headache but had some Calprofen and settled on the chair with her Fifi blanket and nodded off again.
She still wasn't well and later went up to the toilet and vomited blood on the floor so I immediately went into panic mode and told mark to get her to hospital and I've not heard anything since.
I'm worried sick and can't think straight. I'm doped up on my medicines so I can't drive the minibus full of kids down to Kings Lynn.

Mini has been helping out with the chooks, cuddling her white ladies and egg collecting.

Olive on the mezzanine ;-)

Gladys

Madge

Mini & Petal

Mini & Nora (above)

Mini with Nelly & Olive

On a brighter note, the hens laid 7 eggs today

PS....and Chloe & Mark got home around 5.30 pm, none the worse for wear. Bad viral infection that I think was passed from Mini ( They all share their bugs) They think she ruptured a blood vessel in her throat or something but there seemed an awful lot of blood.
Chloe's just going to rest until she's strong enough to send the virus away.

Date for Jan hen rescue still to be confirmed

2009-01-16T22:56:00.001Z

Details will be posted here as soon as we know them.

Lizzy's poem

2009-01-15T18:58:00.008Z

Lizzy was rescued from life on the farm,
Where all she ever faced was cruelty and harm.

Crammed in a cage, laying an egg every day,
When her egg supply lessened, and she didn't always lay,

She was to be sent off to die,
and turned into chicken pie.

But people like Jo save the hens from that strife,
Rescuing them all, and giving them life.

Allowing them to see sunlight and sky,
Sometimes they are tempted to try a short fly.

Lizzy pecks and she scrats,
Enjoys dust baths and all that.

She behaves now as every hen should,
How the hens in the farms wish they all could.

When we first met Lizzy, we didn't think she would last,
Hungry and weak, she was fading fast.

We tapped at the food to encourage her to eat,
to build up her strength and get her back on her feet.

Then we noticed......."Oh flippin' 'eck!"
She seemed to have a lump on her neck

But she's one of the prettiest hens I've seen,
That's why she's called Lizzy- She is OUR Queen.

She lives in the garden with all our chooks,
And we can always spot her special good looks.

Jo is brilliant, saving hens with no fuss,
Rescuing them all to be great pets for us.

May Little Hen Rescue save hens near and far,
And Jo get the recognition for the star that you are!!

© Lyn Ray 2009

"Mummy's parrot"

PS Jo @ LHR has had her hen fencing installed. For anyone wishing to see it, here it is It will also be electrified top and bottom once completed. Fantastic, isn't it?

We had 5 eggs today taking the total this month into the 70's! Phew!

Rita's poem

2009-01-13T21:23:00.008Z

There's no hen sweeter,
than our lovely Rita,

Who looked such a wreck,
Missing feathers and wonky neck,
With glucose drinks and treats for a boost,
She soon began to rule our roost.

Rita doesn't care for the other hens,
Instead, she sees us humans as friends,
She grew lovely new feathers and rejoined the flock,
But others pecked her bald of her lovely new locks.

They're growing back now, but Rita's in fear,
So she won't let the other hens near.
If the other hens come into her space,
She puffs up her chest, saying "get out my face"

"Leave me alone for I'm now not just Rita"
"I am now known as Rita the beater"

© Lyn Ray 2009

Snoozing with "Mummy"

Why would she want to be with other hens? spoilt rotten and loved so much.

Pictures from today.

2009-01-13T15:24:00.007Z

Mini was poorly with a head cold so stayed home from school...however her Calprofen ibuprofen worked a treat and amazingly she was well enough to help with the hens.
Here are a few pictures taken during the course of the afternoon.

The bottom 2 pictures are of a future chicken expert. Mini is only just 7 but already somewhat of a know-all when it comes to hens and she is so observant and notices the slightest difference amongst them. I imagine her in the future either as a breeder or show judge or some kind of poultry expert. The fad has just never won off with her and she will always do ANY job, no matter how grotty. Our extra special little girl, Mini xxx

The hens have laid 6 eggs so far today.

Just 3 eggs today & no Lyn

2009-01-12T21:10:00.006Z

First of all, Many Thanks to Chris Breed of Long Sutton-ish who gave us some hay for the animals. The guinea pigs will be very appreciative this evening as I believe Mark has already popped it in for them. We hope you enjoy the fresh eggs!

Lyn was unwell all day today and her get up and go had well and truly gone.
Mark let the hens out in the morning and fed and watered all the other animals including Dolly.
Lyn didn't stir until 3pm and was very unsteady and drained (she really needs to go back to the GP as the MRI scan date hasn't come through yet)

Mini then came home from school and got down to her favourite jobs.....cleaning the hens out and collecting the eggs. She was disappointed that there were only 3 eggs laid today.

Once she had finished that job (that girl LOVES being with the animals) she helped Mark cleaning out the parrot and handled him along with the hand reared cockatiels and the tamest budgie, Geoff (Lyn named him after her hero- strongman & local budgie man, Geoff Capes)

I fully expect Mini will work in a zoo when she is older but she says she wants a farm. She is really looking forward to egg collecting on the next rehoming day for Little Hen Rescue and hopes that her little friend, Jay will be there to help her too.

PLEASE SEE OUR GROUP PHOTO'S

LITTLE HEN RESCUE'S NEXT RESCUE- END JAN

2009-01-12T02:50:00.003Z

LHR will be doing their next ex battery farm hen rescue at the end of January (date to be confirmed with farmer)
There will be 2000-3000 hens looking for permanent pet homes.
Anyone interested in having some rescued ex battery hens please contact Jo @ LHR to book them.

If you are in Lincolnshire and can book and pay Jo in advance, we can transport them back to the PE12 area for collection by yourselves if Norwich is too much of a trek for you as we will be helping on rehoming day.

Rita has got her hen saddle :-)

2009-01-11T13:33:00.005Z

I set to work straight away with the leather that Joy whom I met thru Freecycle gave to me. I carefully took a bit at a time off to get the right shape then added elastic for under her wings.
See the pictures. Click to enlarge them.

Dearest Rita, lovely bird,
Love is not too strong a word
For the way I feel for you,
And hope you feel it for me too.
I love you more than I can say,
And even more each passing day.

Rita posing in her new leather jacket, lol
We made some photo albums today as we used all our free space on Flikr so have gone to Fotki instead which we have previously used for personal pictures and they're great. Here's the link to our Rosah albums http://public.fotki.com/rosahrescue/

Oh and we have 2 eggs so far from the other ladies

[Update at 9.30pm- 5 eggs today making 60 this month already from 19 hens]

Nice early start

2009-01-11T10:39:00.002Z

What a crisp morning, certainly got me woken up at daybreak! (wonder how long I'll last until I flake out)
I popped to Moulton Seas End to meet a lady called Joy who gave me some leather to make Rita a little "saddle/anti peck vest".
Looks like being a lovely day so long as everyone gets wrapped up well. The hens hadn't laid any early morning eggs today.
Back later with an update.
Off now to sort Rita's saddle out.

Joe's been in charge today

2009-01-10T22:40:00.003Z

It was a really sharp frost this morning and never really thawed out all day.

Joe's done all the hard work today.
Defrosted water bottles, mucked the chooks n ducks out (although not as good as I would so I sent him back again) I told him, if he's be happy to sleep there, it's done correctly.
He's chased Rita around scooping her poops up and been an all round good teenager. He's hardly complained at all, except that his back ached but he had a bath to soothe it (he had a bath yesterday too, very strange, maybe there's a girl on the horizon as he's usually aquaphobic)
The family got back around 9.30pm from the children visiting Grandma & Grandad in Nottinghamshire, to be greeted by the collie chorus who heard the car pull up..

5 eggs today although one broke in Joe's hand.

Our pet Pekin Bantams & Dolly

2009-01-09T13:42:00.007Z

The Pekins have settled in really well and the kids adore them.
They make such nice pets and are only about 9 inches tall and they have the most delightful feathered feet.
Amber and Fenella haven't laid any eggs yet but we're hoping they will be fertile if they do, then we'll have our own little family of them as Amber is broody.

Dolly the pony had her booster jabs today for flu and tetanus and also had her teeth done this morning. She was really well behaved but I suppose at her age she's had it done a fair few times in the past and knows what to expect. Ruth had also put on her quilted leg warmers to keep her joints nice and toasty warm in this bitter cold weather and also held Dolly while Eve, the vet filed away at Dollys teeth. I propped myself up on the barn as I'm on both crutches and in a crappy way today.

We've moved a large guinea pig cage that has a run below it next to the hen pen for when Rita's feathers are back. She will be able to associate with the flock without being menaced and replucked. I've posted a wanted message on Lincs-Pets4Life if anyone has a hen saddle I could have or borrow. It may protect her from the vicious mob.

Our ex batts, ex barn hens and free rangers managed to lay they grand total of 2 eggs today!

Some of the guinea pigs in our care & rabbits for rehoming

2009-01-09T13:00:00.008Z

We have a black buck rabbit (Jack) awaiting a new experienced home. He doesn't much like people and certainly not our hands going into his cage.
He was found on the road in Spalding a long time ago and has been with us since but I am allergic to rabbits and have to wear a dust mask with them and would love someone else to have him who could get him friendly. I would say he is NOT suitable as a child's pet.
We also have a (2 year old approx) white buck rabbit awaiting a home. (Sparky) He was born here, his family went to new homes but he was left behind and has been here since. He isn't getting handled as much as he should do, due to my asthma.
Contact us for more details.

All our cavies are in same sex pairs, even the males. We have found that there is ALWAYS a compatible friend for company and if the animals are introduced correctly, there is no need for unnecessary neutering (which is a major operation in a guinea pig when you compare it to neutering a dog and the anaesthetic risk is high too). We usually pair an older boar with a baby boar and there seem to be no squabbles even when the baby reaches adolescence as he will assume that the other is "boss"
The ONLY guinea pigs we ever had a problem pairing up were some satins that we rescued from a breeder who was giving them up, a long time ago (of which almost all had osteodystrophy) Even the female satins had attitude problems and were the worst guinea pigs we have ever rescued regarding health & temperament which was such a shame as they looked stunning.

Some of our ladies are in pairs or trio's.
Most cavies we have in our care at present are elderly and have been gifted to us to care for for life. Some are for rehoming though so if interested, please let us know.

YET ANOTHER URGENT APPEAL FOR SNAIL HOMES!

2009-01-08T17:38:00.001Z

We have lots of baby Giant African Land Snails for rehoming. They're only fingernail sized at present (and growing rapidly) but will grow to the size whereby they will sit on your palm. They grow very fast too.

Ours live in plastic toyboxes with holes in the lid and have compost in the base but if you look on ebay for snail stuff, there are many different substrates that people use in theirs.
Snails eat leaves, salad and pretty much what garden snails will eat. We mist ours daily with a plant mister to keep them moist. They also need a cuttlefish bone to maintain a healthy shell.

If you are interested in rehoming some, we recommend this website for information- http://www.freewebs.com/worldofsnails/giantafricansnails.htm

We are happy to rehome these free of charge although any donations are always welcome (even if in fruit and veg, lol) Rehomers must be over 16 years old and responsible enough so that if for ANY reason you cannot keep them at any point in their lives, you MUST return them to us in a suitable container which they can live in.

These snails are in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire. Please email rosahrescue@aol.com if you are interested in rehoming any.

The Pekins have gone outside now

2009-01-08T15:53:00.005Z

The Pekins have gone outside today and they're all having fun scratting in the straw on the ground.
When I gave the ex batts their warm oats around 3.30pm, I added tinned sweetcorn & a little garlic powder and popped a bowl over for the Pekins and they swooped on it.
Mark has put 2 nest boxes in the "Pekin Palace" (former duck house) and lovely deep sundown bedding so they'll be cosy tonight.

Rita is inside (as expected) looking rather jaundiced from the iodine on her back. She seems to be herself though and is now freeranging the lounge and will be sleeping in the dog crate (well she sleeps anywhere, bloomin' narcoleptic chook)

Look at these lot, crowding around as half past 3 is porridge time and I get mugged until I put the troughs down. Quite nice to get a picture of them close enough together though rather than one here and 2 there.

PS The hens only laid 3 eggs today. I think it was due to the work going on in their pen, they were too nosey to dash off and lay an egg. I imagine the nest boxes in the morning will be full with early morning eggs.

Poor Rita the beater!

2009-01-07T23:21:00.006Z

Mark let the hens out this morning and said that Rita seemed more settled and not as picked on so I was horrified to go out this afternoon with the mealworm porridge and see that all her lovely new feathers have been plucked out to the point of her bleeding.
I am so upset. I scooped her up and brought her in, putting iodine on her wounds and put her down in the lounge....only for her to immediately start running the Pekins around and trying to bully them.
I caught her and put her in a carrybox, resprayed her wound and she is now feeling very sorry for herself in an indoor guinea pig cage.
I'm heartbroken, her feathers were looking lovely. She won't get along with any bird, even Lizzy when she was being nursed- that's where the term Rita the Beater stemmed from (Rita Connors, former "Top Dog" on Prisoner cell block H) Rita and Lizzy although both unwell, had to argue and attack each other.
1st January- feathers just regrowing

4th January- About ready to join the flock, lovely feathers regrown

7th January- After the attack by the other hens (the staining is iodine, sprayed on as a disinfectant)

As the Pekins outdoor house & run is prepared, unsociable Rita will now end up in a rabbit hutch and run but I've got her in again now until her skin heals and feathers regrow. I cannot risk her being near the other hens until there are no scabs or sight of blood as hens swoop in on it. They can be vicious little sods.
Someone has suggested a "stab vest" aka a saddle like people use to stop the cockerels pulling feathers when mounting the hens- I shall have to look into getting one maybe.

PS Another 5 eggs today (added to the total in the right hand column)

Newton & his wives

2009-01-06T21:21:00.008Z

We're so pleased to have bought 2 wives today for Newton, our Pekin bantam.
Here are some pictures of them all....we couldn't get them all on one shot so took a few. You'll need to click them to enlarge them.
Anyway the Lavender lady is called Fenella (Ella from the fens) and Mark named his Gold Birchen one Amber as she looks like she has flames.
The kids were thrilled when they came home and saw them.....in fact they never got put in their coop and are still here with me now at almost 9.30pm so it looks like they'll be overnighting in the dog crate.
We just want to say a huge thankyou to Karen & Simon at Power Poultry for the hens and the introduction to all the breeds.

Fenella Newton

Fenella Amber

Our main flock also laid 5 eggs today taking our total this year to 40.

We went to Bearts to get the animal feeds and supplies and OMG it cost us over £100! (and we go fortnightly and still have fresh stuff to buy)
Fair enough though, we did buy a kids boiler suit for Mini (for £14) when she comes on the next hen rescue as her legs had grown too long for her current overalls. She's such a star when it comes to the chickens though and was thrilled with her bright blue Dickies boiler suit, lol.

6 eggs today & Rita has joined the flock

2009-01-05T21:23:00.004Z

Our hens laid 6 eggs today for us taking the total to 35 in 5 days.

Hubby and Mini delivered some as freebies to 3 of our neighbours so that makes us feel like we're doing our bit to promote eggs from happy hens.

A chap called Declan from West Norfolk M.I.N.D came to collect all our sacks of duck and chook manure for some allotments they are starting for their group members so that's gone to a worthy cause and should help them. Sadly he didn't knock on the door or we'd have given him some eggs too! (If you read this Declan, knock or ring the bell next time)

I'm concerned about the weather forecast saying it will be minus 5 in places tonight as Rita has joined the flock in the old playhouse (now known as Duckingham Palace as the Aylesbury's reside in there too) I do think they will all keep each other warm though and we've put really deep bedding down and there's plenty of space to get up from the ground on either the ladder, old toyboxes or in the tyres full of bedding. I do worry about her though and hope she will be warm enough and maybe snuggle with the other white hens who seem to stick together.

Newton is eagerly awaiting a new wife or two tomorrow. I just know we'll get two.....and I was telling my mum on the 'phone and she said "you must have a trio" and she's been brought up with poultry and every other animal under the sun so I tend to listen to her advice, so it looks as though the lavender lady will have a friend coming with her too. I just have to show you the website of where the wives will be coming from http://www.powerpoultry.co.uk/ They're not far from us and we have to go to Bearts anyway to load up with supplies.

Trying to think of some lovely names for them (see I'm pluralising it already) The ex batts & rescues all have old lady names but I don't think Pekin ladies will suit old lady names and posh names would be more appropriate. No doubt Mark and I will decide before the kids come home from school....or Chloe & Mini will call them Piglet & Tigger!!!! I have noticed that a couple of hens I had my eye on, on the Power Poultry website now say sold so we'll just have to wait and see what the lady has for sale tomorrow.

I'll update this blog tomorrow, no doubt with pictures of 1 or 2 spoilt rotten ladies with the new man in their life.

Today- just 3 eggs :-(

2009-01-04T20:56:00.004Z

Rita was going to go outside today to join the flock in the hen house overnight but she's still not 100% and when I put her on the lawn earlier she was shivering. We're going to try tomorrow evening if it's not icy cold. We noticed she had longer feathers this morning so she's quickly getting a full coverage but I do worry about her especially as she sleeps so much and just nods off wherever she is. Hopefully she'll be fit to go tomorrow.
We only got 3 eggs today from all our ladies. Suppose it was so cold they were clenched, lol

Mini Newton Mini

Mini & Newton Rita

PS We're getting Newton a wife or two this week. Can hardly wait. I'm so excited. Hoping to get a Lavender Pekin hen and possibly another too, see what catches our eyes, lol

A few pictures....and the egg count

2009-01-03T19:26:00.007Z

We're now up to 26 eggs since the 1st Jan so not bad going. Rita laid 2 today- sadly the second one broke as she did it out of the box and it hit the pottery water bowl in the dog crate.
It is planned that she is joining the flock in one of the hen houses tomorrow night, now her feathers are growing thru so well. She will be outside, but separated tomorrow daytime to acclimatise to the temperature then put in the hen house after dark which seems to work for us when introducing anyone new.

Olive
the porridge munchers

Inside the playhouse (before a muck-out, oops)
the table "mezzanine", the hens seem to like it.

Mini with Newton
Chloe with Newton
The kids old converted playhouse (Duckingham Palace)
The proper hen house (Cluckingham Palace)

The kennel (Pekin Palace), formerly the ducklings were in here (before they out grew it) but it will be used for the new bantam(s) instead.

Fundraising for RoSAH Guinea Pigs

2009-01-02T18:46:00.002Z

To all our supporters,
Please use our webshop by visiting http://www.buy.at/rosahrescue

Rogavi – the charity raffle is now available at www.buy.at/RoSAHRESCUE

Rogavi is an exciting new way to help charities raise money. It's simple, for as little as £2.50 you can win prizes ranging from a celebrity date to a ten day adventure for two in Borneo.

There are a number of exclusive prizes to be won including a rare collectors Mini. There are only three of these in existence and this one was owned by Bernie Ecclestone!

This is also a fantastic diamond-mounted cooker to be won – this raffle is drawn on the 1st January.

When you register with Rogavi RoSAH Guinea Pigs will receive 50p.

You can find out more here.

Visit www.buy.at/RoSAHRESCUE for more great offers from over 150 top retailers.

Forward this mail on to help RoSAH Guinea Pigs raise funds. Please forward this mail on if you think that you know people who would like to receive it.

Responsible emailing

Remember if someone receives this mail from you, then tells you they don't want to receive a similar one again you must not send them future messages. If you are considering forwarding it on you must do so only to people who you consider would like to receive it and to whom the content is relevant. If you have a formally-managed list you must only send it to those who have expressed that they wish to receive such mail from you.

Purchases made through www.buy.at/RoSAHRESCUE are made according to the information and terms provided by the company making the sale to you. Further details on using the buy.at shop are provided on the site.

The chooks have a mezzanine!

2009-01-02T17:45:00.006Z

Mark made it from an old table and put a ladder up to it which seems quite effective in the playhouse as there seemed too much wasted space with the height.
The table has gone in there whole and it has a base where chairs used to be stored underneath, the nest boxes have been put there and the two tyres which are used as nest boxes have been placed to the side.
Lyn has promised a photo tomorrow but she's not up to doing much today.
Lizzy and Rita went for a wander outside until Mark accidentally let all the rabble out when taking the table into the hen pen area. Lizzy was fine. Rita just "played dead" she's not right. Mark reckons it's chicken narcolepsy. As soon as he picked her up she was asleep in his arms, yet when she is wandering in the house she looks bright eyed and perky.....just a bit bald. She does fall asleep anywhere though in the position in which you would buy a dead one from the shops!
The ducks and white hens put themselves to bed tonight in the playhouse. I think it's the first time the ducks have taken themselves in at nightfall. The brown hens always take themselves in the smaller hen house. Lyn just wishes they'd spread out a little more and use the playhouse too. Lizzy does but she was confused and snuggled outside next to a straw bale....probably because Lyn had her in the house last night, it confused her.
Hopefully Lyn will be back online tomorrow with pictures and more information and chatter.....reading this blog, I think she talks to herself, lol.

Rita & Lizzy- our special needs chookies

2009-01-01T21:20:00.006Z

Today having been oustside with the hens I noticed Lizzy wasn't looking too well again.....she seemed huddled and with mucky feathers under her bum so I brought her in again (and clipped off the mucky bum feathers- the jobs I get!!, lol)
Rita isn't too fond of her and earned herself the nickname of Rita the Beater (after Rita Connors on Prisoner Cell Block H) Well after the initial squabbles where Edward and myself were having to hold Rita back from attacking Lizzy they have settled ok together for the night. Rita is "Top Dog"

Here are a few photo's taken tonight of the pair. We've threatened to get a roasting tin to let Rita sleep in as she really gets in that "oven ready" position when she just falls asleep on the floor.
Anyone who keeps up to date on the blog will know that Rita & Lizzy both have deformed necks either from accident or birth deformity before we got them.
Rita just has a lump on the left side of her neck and Lizzy is a "no neck" although she manages to stretch it more later in the day. We're going to start and add a bit of cod liver oil to their mash.

Rita is the white hen. Lizzy is the brown one. Rita came from the recent Amber-Link rescue. You wouldn't think she was a free ranger if you saw how bald she was when we got her. She then grew spikes but they're now growing lovely tufts out of the ends. enlarge the "oven ready" pic to see.

10 eggs to start off the New Year with.

2009-01-01T15:30:00.007Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL SUPPORTERS of RoSAH RESCUE

Here is just a basic update of the day. It was just the usual happenings at Rosah Rescue today.

Lyn's not feeling too well, that Fibromyalgia is making her life hell so I've volunteered to help with the blog until she's more up to it. Mark's busy enough without sorting the computer too.
From what I can gather the hens laid 10 eggs today including one by Rita who is getting a nice covering of feathers now- the spikes now have tufts.
Mark and Mini emptied the duck "pond" and refilled it once they had thawed the hose pipe out.
They also sorted the guinea pigs and all the other animals out before going off to sort Dolly (the pony) out. She needs mucking out, bringing in from the field and feeding.
Lyn has currently taken Lizzy back into the house as "she didn't look happy" and also Rita is still in until she has a little more feather growth. Lizzy and Rita are the two with crooked necks.

I've been asked to post that we urgently need homes for the young Giant African Land Snails. Please get in touch asap if you'd like some.

We still also need donations of animal food. Veg & fruit for guinea pigs, rabbits and snails, tinned & dried cat food, hen layers meal , pellets and mixed corn for the resident ex battery hens and also tinned sweetcorn etc...Anything you donate helps the rescued animals out and also Lyn & Mark who fund everything themselves.

Today- New years Eve

2008-12-31T16:21:00.008Z

Hubby has been busy today beautifying the playhouse converted for hens. He'd previously ended up doing a rushed night time boarding window holes (originally they'd had perspex in but that had since broken) when we took in 20 hens at short notice. They were rehomed but we thought we may as well use it as a permanent hen/duck house so the windows have now been done properly with board covered with opaque megazorb bags which are light coloured so look like windows and the frame of the playhouse still has a cross to make them look like georgian windows.

Tomorrow he'll be building them a mezzanine using old bed slats as they don't like perches but a mezzanine with an access ladder will give them more space and something to do, especially as the ducks have now moved in there too.

We're keeping the kennel which the ducks were in ready for when we get our Pekin Bantam family. I have put a wanted ad on Bird Trader and have put one on Pekin Bantams forum today hoping someone will have a lavender hen or 2 for us, would even consider a lemon or buff hen as I've since seen pictures and think they are adorable too.

The hens only laid 4 eggs today, the least they've laid. I put it down to Mark messing about in the playhouse. The white hens feel that is home but didn't come in to lay....plus they freeranged the garden until their porridge was ready and I imagine that was way more exciting than producing an egg.

At bed time (hen bed time) we had to do a rearrange again as they were all stacked in the small house including the ducks again. The only 4 in the playhouse were 3 white hens and Lizzy. Luckily the others moved easily with no fuss, and Mark carried the feed buckets in.......although he's whining because he hurt his leg in the playhouse today....it's a mardy man thing, I reckon. If not I'll take him to hosp tomorrow but I assume it's just muscular because he was "cooped up" (excuse the pun) while redoing the hens playhouse windows.

Geez I just realised it's New Years Eve (so I added it to the title, lol) That means at midnight the dogs will go mental, the kids will wake up, the hens and ducks will probably crap themselves and all because of alcohol fuelled revellers who think that a New Year means wonderful new things, lol. Well not the way the economy is going....I heard Adams kids clothes company has gone into administration as well as Woolworths and Zavvi and there are a few more companies queued up to go bankrupt too. It's not looking good! But then I forecast this in 2003 when the house prices started going up and up.....

Here's to a totally sober New Years eve, prob on my own with lousy TV as Hubby will nod off and I'll be shushing the dogs at midnight and he'll sleep thru it (as usual, lol)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

I've decided I'm going to try and get pictures of all the animals we have tomorrow. That'll keep me out of mischief while Hubby is building in the hen house.

Our hens and pony use bedding from Sundown Products

Collected the hen crates today/ 10 eggs

2008-12-30T21:28:00.005Z

I'm chuffed to bits, Hubby took our daughters for a day out to Hampshire and they collected the poultry crates we bought from a chap on eBay. The kids loved driving on the M25 passing Heathrow and a huge jumbo jet appearing out of the mist just above them. I remember driving down that direction many years ago and being shocked how low the jets are over the motorway.

The hens laid ten eggs today. I changed all their bedding to the new one called "Sundown yellow", smells of Eucalyptus but is different texture to the usual Sundown with woodflakes, hard to describe really. It'll be easier to clean out the playhouse now as I'd had straw in that and hate shovelling cack out of straw. The proper hen house had ordinary sundown so was easy enough anyway but I've changed that to the new stuff as I did a mass clean out. The birds freeranged the garden whilst we did it. The ducks were shovelling their beaks full of any soft mud or soil. It took ages cleaning the smaller hen house out as all the ladies kept jumping in the laying boxes to lay an egg. They were queueing up so Edward and I sat outside on the straw bale playing bowling on our DS consoles.

At hen bedtime I wondered where everyone was.
3 white hens were in the playhouse but no ducks or brown hens in sight........and they were ALL in the smaller hen house, crammed in. No idea how the huge ducks got thru the opening! Anyway, I couldn't leave them packed in, it was so humid in there with all their sweaty bodies, they'd have overheated.
I moved the ducks and put them in the playhouse with the white hens and I also put a few brown hens in there too (no idea who, in the dark with just a lantern for vision)
Maybe the ducks wanted company or felt their own kennel/duck house is too small now.
Hopefully they'll all get along in the playhouse. Mark is going to build a shelf in there to accommodate more birds (as the hens don't seem to like perches as ex batts have never had them before)

We'll just close up the kennel/duck house for the time being and save it for when Mark gets his lavender Pekin ladies which he'll get as soon as I find any for sale locally.

12 eggs today/hen crates coming tomorrow

2008-12-29T20:54:00.002Z

Including Rita's egg , we've had a dozen today.
Tomorrow, Hubby is off down south to collect our hen crates from eBay.
Off to keel over on the sofa now......feels like it's been a really long day.

Night all
Lyn xx

URGENT APPEAL FOR HOMES- Giant African Land Snails

2008-12-29T15:46:00.004Z

We have lots of baby Giant African Land Snails for rehoming. They're only fingernail sized at present but will grow to the size whereby they will sit on your palm. They grow very fast too.
Ours live in plastic toyboxes with holes in the lid and have compost in the base but if you look on ebay for snail stuff, there are many different substrates that people use in theirs.
Snails eat leaves, salad and pretty much what garden snails will eat. We mist ours daily with a plant mister to keep them moist. They also need a cuttlefish bone to maintain a healthy shell.

If you are interested in rehoming some, we recommend this website for information- http://www.freewebs.com/worldofsnails/giantafricansnails.htm

We are happy to rehome these free of charge although any donations are always welcome (even if in fruit and veg, lol) Rehomers must be over 16 years old and responsible enough so that if for ANY reason you cannot keep them at any point in their lives, you MUST return them to us in a suitable container which they can live in.

These snails are in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire. Please email rosahrescue@aol.com if you are interested in rehoming any.

Monumental moment- Rita laid an egg.....on me!

2008-12-29T14:30:00.001Z

Bless Rita,
We brought Newton in for company and while he was investigating, Rita
came and snuggled on the sofa with me in my duvet (she much prefers it
to the straw of her box, lol) Anyway, she eventually stood up and Mini
yelled "she's laid an egg"....well I thought it was the rubber egg
that has been doing the rounds teasing everybody in the past few weeks....but it wasn't,
just a lovely fresh brown egg.
Marks gone to fetch some more mealworms so she'll get a treat for it.
She must be feeling a bit better. I'm soooo happy.

Must dash, it's almost hen warm oats time. The ladies were waiting for me earlier when I went to fetch DeeDee and BooBoo in for woofing.

Little Hen Rescue, hens in jumpers

2008-12-28T21:35:00.000Z

Have a look at these sweeties and support Little Hen Rescue if you can.

RoSAH Rescue Blog

Not been updating much

Guinea Pigs in now

Dixies kits

Ferret kits eyes are open

FERRET KITS HAVE HOMES, WE THINK

Hob ferret kits ready in a few wks

Baby bunnies for rehoming

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Nottinghamshire | Police dogs die in parked vehicle

Ethical Superstore

FERRET KITS

Got a cheque today

Little Hen Rescue webshop

RoSAH Rescue

WOOHOO LHR DID IT!

FULLY BOOKED FOR THE WEEKEND

Our weekend

New website url for Lincs Little Hens

Our Mascot, Tiny

Maps for hen collection

So so busy

**New** web shop for LHR

More Pekin chicks

Pickle the foster hen (hence Pickle Foster)

Press Release RE 11000 hens

HUGE APPEAL

Busy Busy Busy

Chick Pix

Life...so far

Hen Rescue Easter weekend

Eddie's joke

My apologies / Pekin chicks

SHED NEEDED BY THE GUINEA PIGS

Next LHR rescue

Another successful LHR rehoming day :-)

For anyone collecting hens from Sutton Bridge this weekend

Little Hen Rescue on video

PLEASE sign this petition

More details from petition creator

HEN RESCUE CANCELLED AGAIN AAARRRGGGHHH

We're hoping the Norwich hen rescue will be on this 8th March

FYI- My illness/disability

Introduction

Symptoms of fibromyalgia

Causes of fibromyalgia

Diagnosing fibromyalgia

Treating fibromyalgia

Complications of fibromyalgia

Self help

5th Pekin egg and 5 ex battery eggs

LATEST NEWS FROM LHR REGARDING WEEKEND RESCUE

4th Pekin egg today

3rd pekin egg and 11 hen eggs

2nd Pekin egg

Our 1st tiny Pekin Bantam egg!

BLOOMING SNIDE NEIGHBOURS

Went to Bearts yesterday

Next Hen rescue, Feb 28th

**100 eggs already in February**

Olive has been pecked

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

The "Miracle Cure" to everything for your Poultry

How to give ACV to chickens.

The prem baby guinea pigs are doing well

Joan has joined Rita overnight

Maps for hen collection

It's blooming snowing again.....

Joan is ready to live with Rita (we think)

NEW Sutton Bridge hen collection point

The hens we brought back (+Lizzy update)

GREEN VEG WANTED, also a pallet

Eggs, chickens, veggies etc...

LITTLE HEN RESCUE YESTERDAY

Cautious hens in the snow

BIG HEN Rescue this weekend

Meet our new friend Mollie

4 Snails going to a new home

We've reached 100 eggs this month already!

Was hoping to make the Pekin run......

6 eggs today

New web shop for LHR

100 eggs already in February