Trials and tribulations of keeping chickens

I have committed mistake no 1. Ok, I hear you say, mistakes where bound to happen. This is the first time I've had chickens to look after. So how bad can it really be you ask?

I almost starved my hens to death!

Tragedy averted now I hope. Its been really wet here for over a week but I have diligently gone down to the bottom of the garden twice a day and fed and watered my three hens.

As instructed when I bought them, I have been giving them layer mash and scratch mix. They didn't seem to like layer mash. I gave them fresh stuff but they didn't eat much. I gave them scratch mix - I tossed it down on the straw in the bottom of their coop and they scratched away merrily.

All good so far.

Today, one week after I brought them home, I cleaned out their straw and replaced it.

That
is
when
I
realised....

We raised the coop off the ground a little so the timber wouldn't rot.  There is heavy mesh on the bottom to fox proof it.

But, the feed had fallen/been pushed through the straw, through the mesh and underneath.

Too
low
for
them
to
reach
and
eat!

So today I have changed the system. I have put a plastic box lid under the feed tray to catch any stray food. Temporary measure, I'll do something better when I find something that fits well in the coop. I have mixed warm water and milk powder into their mash and they have eaten it all up. And I have given them some spinach leaves from the garden.

Phew!

What a fright that gave me. So I will be more careful now.

Poor little girls, this is supposed to be a chicken holiday club not a boot camp.

Now I vow to make it the ritz!!