Chickens, now she's done it! (cute chick content)
Discussion
An update on poorly chick. After 3-4 days she is perking up a little. We've put her on builders pellets to try and get her weight up, and we've taken her to the vets who have given us some liquid anti bacterial as well as pain killer meds. She's has three golf ball sized scabs from being attacked, and plenty of feathers missing, so we can only give her time. We're both fairly confident she'll battle through it, she's improved immensely this week alone.
Some pictures, and we'll put some more up as she mends.
Some pictures, and we'll put some more up as she mends.
Just caught up with this. Had birds as a kid and with the wife for last 14 yrs. Have as many as 120 at any one time in the past. Used to sell the hybrids and they are very good all rounders. Current flock is 5/6 hybrids and 6 Silkies. Have also hatched and reared some pure black Ayala Cemani which are doing well presently, very strange though with black feathers and skin.
I also cannot recommend the Demaceous Earth highly enough to prevent and treat red mite. I will keep an eye on this and anything to help I will add.
Not sure if elsewhere mentioned but rats can and will be an issue. I have found it best now to just keep baited boxes in the run permanently and this controls any infestation.
On a slight aside and I await the expected abuse there is now seemingly an industry in supplying ex battery hens to people. Whilst I understand where people are coming from with rehoming them they are unwittingly providing battery farmers with another revenue stream or a free avenue to dispose of an end of life product.
I also cannot recommend the Demaceous Earth highly enough to prevent and treat red mite. I will keep an eye on this and anything to help I will add.
Not sure if elsewhere mentioned but rats can and will be an issue. I have found it best now to just keep baited boxes in the run permanently and this controls any infestation.
On a slight aside and I await the expected abuse there is now seemingly an industry in supplying ex battery hens to people. Whilst I understand where people are coming from with rehoming them they are unwittingly providing battery farmers with another revenue stream or a free avenue to dispose of an end of life product.
Her demeanour is what has changed most. On Weds (IIRC) evening she was withdrawn, didn't murmur a noise when picked out from under the bush. Also straight to lying down and resting when in the box. She's been eating loads, and is beginning to talk more.
We're convinced she was only days off had we not spotted her.
We're convinced she was only days off had we not spotted her.
Mikebentley said:
Just caught up with this. Had birds as a kid and with the wife for last 14 yrs. Have as many as 120 at any one time in the past. Used to sell the hybrids and they are very good all rounders. Current flock is 5/6 hybrids and 6 Silkies. Have also hatched and reared some pure black Ayala Cemani which are doing well presently, very strange though with black feathers and skin.
I also cannot recommend the Demaceous Earth highly enough to prevent and treat red mite. I will keep an eye on this and anything to help I will add.
Not sure if elsewhere mentioned but rats can and will be an issue. I have found it best now to just keep baited boxes in the run permanently and this controls any infestation.
On a slight aside and I await the expected abuse there is now seemingly an industry in supplying ex battery hens to people. Whilst I understand where people are coming from with rehoming them they are unwittingly providing battery farmers with another revenue stream or a free avenue to dispose of an end of life product.
Demaceous Earth we have, Morph the cockerel got red mites as a Chick, that's what we used. RE Rats. The perimeter set up is 2 foot deep slabs outside the front, 2 foot deep sheet metal down, then 2 foot slabs inside. To the side there are 2 foot slabs inside, and about two feet of various things like water buts on the outside. To the back it's dug down about a foot with 2 foot slabs inside.I also cannot recommend the Demaceous Earth highly enough to prevent and treat red mite. I will keep an eye on this and anything to help I will add.
Not sure if elsewhere mentioned but rats can and will be an issue. I have found it best now to just keep baited boxes in the run permanently and this controls any infestation.
On a slight aside and I await the expected abuse there is now seemingly an industry in supplying ex battery hens to people. Whilst I understand where people are coming from with rehoming them they are unwittingly providing battery farmers with another revenue stream or a free avenue to dispose of an end of life product.
On the right is a brick sub power station with concrete foundations. The play house is on concrete. Would this stop a rat in its tracks or not (we've seen no evidence of any so far)
Do bait boxes have to kill Rats, or can they just contain them for us to release in to local woods?
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
Do bait boxes have to kill Rats, or can they just contain them for us to release in to local woods?
Poison bait for them is probably the most effective, but not always fully, plus you need to make sure you don't poison your livestock, or other animals around (cats, dogs etc).
I had quite a bad problem with mice in our house. We tried the catch and release method. The problem is, you catch one mouse, and there are plenty more nearby to take its place. It's also a tedious operation, taking little mickey somewhere nice and rural, one by one, far enough away that they can't find their way back, which is a surprisingly long way away (3 miles?).
So we then tried the snappy spring traps, which were supposedly a quick death so vaguely humane, but in my opinion were worse. You'd come down in the morning and more often than not, find a mouse has been half caught and dragged itself around the kitchen spreading blood and faeces everywhere. I'm sure your wife would have an absolute coronary faced with this, especially then having to dispatching the poor thing afterwards. Submerging in a bucket of water worked for me (also saved me a drive out to the fields), though I got a bit fed up with the role of the house's chief executioner, so we ended up with baited poison traps. Never had a problem since, as the mice seem happier crawling off quietly to doe somewhere out of sight.
Unless you have a cat, a terrier, or even a pet snake (quite effective so I have read) that can deal with a rodent problem in a more "natural" manner, I don't think it's really manageable without providing them with a violent or untimely end.
Edited by prand on Monday 23 September 10:30
prand said:
You may or may not end up with a rat problem, if you keep things clean and tidy and not overfeed the chickens you may be ok. But its always a problem around livestock/stables and outbuildings with seed/feed.
Poison bait for them is probably the most effective, but not always fully, plus you need to make sure you don't poison your livestock, or other animals around (cats, dogs etc).
I had quite a bad problem with mice in our house. We tried the catch and release method. The problem is, you catch one mouse, and there are plenty more nearby to take its place. It's also a tedious operation, taking little mickey somewhere nice and rural, one by one, far enough away that they can't find their way back, which is a surprisingly long way away (3 miles?).
So we then tried the snappy spring traps, which were supposedly a quick death so vaguely humane, but in my opinion were worse. You'd come down in the morning and more often than not, find a mouse has been half caught and dragged itself around the kitchen spreading blood and faeces everywhere. I'm sure your wife would have an absolute coronary faced with this, especially then having to dispatching the poor thing afterwards. Submerging in a bucket of water worked for me (also saved me a drive out to the fields), though I got a bit fed up with the role of the house's chief executioner, so we ended up with baited poison traps. Never had a problem since, as the mice seem happier crawling off quietly to doe somewhere out of sight.
Unless you have a cat, a terrier, or even a pet snake (quite effective so I have read) that can deal with a rodent problem in a more "natural" manner, I don't think it's really manageable without providing them with a violent or untimely end.
We are properly rural, there is an 80 acre wood 100 metres away from the chicken run, so that's no bother. I know it sounds soft, but S wouldn't deal with being responsible for any kills, and I'd not be much better. Poison bait for them is probably the most effective, but not always fully, plus you need to make sure you don't poison your livestock, or other animals around (cats, dogs etc).
I had quite a bad problem with mice in our house. We tried the catch and release method. The problem is, you catch one mouse, and there are plenty more nearby to take its place. It's also a tedious operation, taking little mickey somewhere nice and rural, one by one, far enough away that they can't find their way back, which is a surprisingly long way away (3 miles?).
So we then tried the snappy spring traps, which were supposedly a quick death so vaguely humane, but in my opinion were worse. You'd come down in the morning and more often than not, find a mouse has been half caught and dragged itself around the kitchen spreading blood and faeces everywhere. I'm sure your wife would have an absolute coronary faced with this, especially then having to dispatching the poor thing afterwards. Submerging in a bucket of water worked for me (also saved me a drive out to the fields), though I got a bit fed up with the role of the house's chief executioner, so we ended up with baited poison traps. Never had a problem since, as the mice seem happier crawling off quietly to doe somewhere out of sight.
Unless you have a cat, a terrier, or even a pet snake (quite effective so I have read) that can deal with a rodent problem in a more "natural" manner, I don't think it's really manageable without providing them with a violent or untimely end.
Edited by prand on Monday 23 September 10:30
Poison works for me. In my experience the rats will get in anywhere. I have seen them gnaw through concrete. They want food and a water source. You could get a Larson type trap for catch and release but be aware of the disease they carry. They will also quite happily eat your cute chicks. We have lost chicks to them. It is just important any rodenticide is kept contained to protect pets and non target wildlife.
People get all romantic about rats and squirrels. I knew someone similar feeding squirrels and never noticed they were in the loft until they chewed cables and almost burned the house down.
People get all romantic about rats and squirrels. I knew someone similar feeding squirrels and never noticed they were in the loft until they chewed cables and almost burned the house down.
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
We are properly rural, there is an 80 acre wood 100 metres away from the chicken run, so that's no bother. I know it sounds soft, but S wouldn't deal with being responsible for any kills, and I'd not be much better.
Sorry, I should have been clearer. If you are relocating mice etc you need to go a long way away, 2-3 miles as they are know to find their way back. They're not going to stay in the woods down the road when there is a nice source of food on your allotment.A few small updates (and anyone who can feel free to rotate the bloody sideways pics!)
We've had the first egg from one of the (4.5 month old) 'babies'. Comically small, compared to her mother. Oh well, first try....
Dolly, as she's now known - S didn't like 'Rusty' - is mending remarkably well. New feathers beginning to shoot, and the pink sore bits, a fortnight ago they were black scabs. Good girl!
We've had the first egg from one of the (4.5 month old) 'babies'. Comically small, compared to her mother. Oh well, first try....
Dolly, as she's now known - S didn't like 'Rusty' - is mending remarkably well. New feathers beginning to shoot, and the pink sore bits, a fortnight ago they were black scabs. Good girl!
That would be nice. Having no experience of a hen re-growing feathers I would guess more likely a few months (based on current growth rate) but I'd be delighted to be proven wrong. Either way, she'll only go in to the run when she's fully healed. She's been picked on already, and if she's not tip top it's likely she'd be vulnerable again.
I’m not any sort of expert but I suspect she’s missing out on a lot of the social stuff a flock of chickens do. Probably best integrate her as soon as possible. Maybe short spells to start with? If she is getting picked on get yourself a super soaker and target the bullying action whenever you see it. A little aversion therapy won’t hurt.
Introducing a new bird into a flock can be a brutal experience but is a short one. The hen-pecking (literally) is a key part of it, and they quickly sort out their pecking order.
Now that she's healthy and stronger, I'd be looking to do it as soon as possible, and only intervene if it's genuinely life or death (which it won't be). It is unpleasant to watch so best to leave them to it. They are sociable flock creatures so keeping one in isolation is not good for it once it's no longer sick.
Edited to correct hen-pecking, not picking.
Now that she's healthy and stronger, I'd be looking to do it as soon as possible, and only intervene if it's genuinely life or death (which it won't be). It is unpleasant to watch so best to leave them to it. They are sociable flock creatures so keeping one in isolation is not good for it once it's no longer sick.
Edited to correct hen-pecking, not picking.
Edited by CharlesdeGaulle on Sunday 13th October 13:36
Yep, I hear you both. It is, IMO, a fine balancing act. She is extremely timid (when we found her she was hiding under a bush) and ATM there are a couple of Cockerels who are being rather badly behaved. We're not wanting her to be thrown in under a bus until she's back to fuller health. We are also looking to move these two badly behaved males in to their own run, which will alleviate that problem some what.
An update, we've taken on more hens, and 16 ducks 
We wanted firm plans before posting this, which we've now figured out.
The allotment next door, where Dolly was rescued from, is now ours. I won't go as far as saying he was neglectful of his birds, but he didn't give a toss about them.
Problems which we needed to address.
The hens and ducks were all sharing their space, and the ducks muddied up drinking water in minutes, so the hens didn't have constant clean water.
The chicken coop wasn't predator proof. Having no door, and a hole in the side.
Said coop had no straw on the ground, or even in the nesting boxes!
No grit out for any birds.
Lots of scrap around the run.
No fox proofing around the perimeter.
2 hens with hurt legs, hopping everywhere.
A leaky roof to the duck house, with no straw, so eggs laid outside.
In total an additional 13 hens, 3 cockerels, 16 ducks.
The rectifications we have made to date.
We have split the allotment in two with plastic netting. Ducks to the bottom half, hens up top. The hens now aren't inflicted with dirty water, and the ducks can have free reign to food, where before the hens took priority (leaving the ducks watching)
We've put a shed door on the hen coop, blocked the hole, cleaned it out. We've floored the coop wit 2x2 slabs to make it dig proof, and added straw to everywhere. When they put themselves in at night we lock them in, and S lets them out as she leaves for work.
Put bowls of grit around for all birds.
Cleared the scrap.
The perimeter has been secured with 6 foot metal sheeting that comes back on itself at the top, such as this -
The two wobbly hens will be taken to the vet for advice (to check they're not suffering) if they were then we'd have to do the right thing - fingers crossed it's no more than an ailment for them.
Re-felted the duck house roof, and filled it with straw.
Covered outside with straw as it was purely mud. We can buy bails at £1.50 each, so no problems topping this up as much as is needed.
Two used 18" tyres put in with the hens, filled with sand and soil, making dust baths.
One last predicament, we have too many Cockerels across the two runs, three in each (the greenhouse run and the allotment one) The answer? no, not despatch, but we have found a farm/freehold in Leicester who take in any unwanted birds, so I'll be calling him tomorrow to see if he can help. This place - https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/119277916/...
We'll give him the three new adoptees, keeping our three. The troublesome twosome of ours will then go to the allotment run, leaving one (Enzo, a better behaved one!) in the monster green house/ playhouse run. Dolly and the two wobbly legged hens will then go in to our run, leaving a better ratio of 11hens/1 cockerel in our run, and 11 hens/2 cockerels on the allotment.
No joking here, if anyone our way wants some free duck/hen eggs then just say the word, S is currently giving 10 a day away at work, and dogs and hens are eating all the remaining unused!
Pictures so far.
We wanted firm plans before posting this, which we've now figured out.The allotment next door, where Dolly was rescued from, is now ours. I won't go as far as saying he was neglectful of his birds, but he didn't give a toss about them.
Problems which we needed to address.
The hens and ducks were all sharing their space, and the ducks muddied up drinking water in minutes, so the hens didn't have constant clean water.
The chicken coop wasn't predator proof. Having no door, and a hole in the side.
Said coop had no straw on the ground, or even in the nesting boxes!
No grit out for any birds.
Lots of scrap around the run.
No fox proofing around the perimeter.
2 hens with hurt legs, hopping everywhere.
A leaky roof to the duck house, with no straw, so eggs laid outside.
In total an additional 13 hens, 3 cockerels, 16 ducks.
The rectifications we have made to date.
We have split the allotment in two with plastic netting. Ducks to the bottom half, hens up top. The hens now aren't inflicted with dirty water, and the ducks can have free reign to food, where before the hens took priority (leaving the ducks watching)
We've put a shed door on the hen coop, blocked the hole, cleaned it out. We've floored the coop wit 2x2 slabs to make it dig proof, and added straw to everywhere. When they put themselves in at night we lock them in, and S lets them out as she leaves for work.
Put bowls of grit around for all birds.
Cleared the scrap.
The perimeter has been secured with 6 foot metal sheeting that comes back on itself at the top, such as this -
The two wobbly hens will be taken to the vet for advice (to check they're not suffering) if they were then we'd have to do the right thing - fingers crossed it's no more than an ailment for them.
Re-felted the duck house roof, and filled it with straw.
Covered outside with straw as it was purely mud. We can buy bails at £1.50 each, so no problems topping this up as much as is needed.
Two used 18" tyres put in with the hens, filled with sand and soil, making dust baths.
One last predicament, we have too many Cockerels across the two runs, three in each (the greenhouse run and the allotment one) The answer? no, not despatch, but we have found a farm/freehold in Leicester who take in any unwanted birds, so I'll be calling him tomorrow to see if he can help. This place - https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/119277916/...
We'll give him the three new adoptees, keeping our three. The troublesome twosome of ours will then go to the allotment run, leaving one (Enzo, a better behaved one!) in the monster green house/ playhouse run. Dolly and the two wobbly legged hens will then go in to our run, leaving a better ratio of 11hens/1 cockerel in our run, and 11 hens/2 cockerels on the allotment.
No joking here, if anyone our way wants some free duck/hen eggs then just say the word, S is currently giving 10 a day away at work, and dogs and hens are eating all the remaining unused!
Pictures so far.
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Sunday 13th October 19:29
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Sunday 13th October 19:32
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Sunday 13th October 19:33
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Sunday 13th October 19:55
Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Sunday 13th October 20:38
There’s at least three Drakes there. I love ducks. They do lay where and when they want though so you will have to hunt as they won’t necessarily be in the nest boxes. They make a mess of everything. Gravel is something I considered for their water bathing area.
Love that Dotty is getting her strength back. Good work.
Love that Dotty is getting her strength back. Good work.
Gretchen said:
There’s at least three Drakes there. I love ducks. They do lay where and when they want though so you will have to hunt as they won’t necessarily be in the nest boxes. They make a mess of everything. Gravel is something I considered for their water bathing area.
Love that Dotty is getting her strength back. Good work.
A few questions, if I may pick your brains! Love that Dotty is getting her strength back. Good work.
We knew we had at least one drake, but how do you identify them?
Is gravel in the paddling pool to filter the soil?
We weren't sure if they used nest boxes, since we've put straw in their home they've taken to making nest indentations in it.
Tinny detail, poorly hen is called Dolly (bird) Dotty is a white one with black dots in the playhouse run, maybe why the confusion if I've mentioned her before!
Hope all is well.
My mistake re Dolly. Apologies.
I’d put the paddling pool on top of a gravelled area. Just to reduce muck around it. Ducks must submerge their face completely to rinse themselves out as such so the water will always be filthy. But they don’t necessarily need a pond.
The ones with the curled up tail feathers are the Drakes.
They will sleep and nest but mine would rarely lay in a nest box. The hens eggs were always nice and clean and the ducks usually left in the mud somewhere. Best not to scrub them either as you can actually do more harm than good by forcing dirt inside through the shell, just wash before use.
I’d put the paddling pool on top of a gravelled area. Just to reduce muck around it. Ducks must submerge their face completely to rinse themselves out as such so the water will always be filthy. But they don’t necessarily need a pond.
The ones with the curled up tail feathers are the Drakes.
They will sleep and nest but mine would rarely lay in a nest box. The hens eggs were always nice and clean and the ducks usually left in the mud somewhere. Best not to scrub them either as you can actually do more harm than good by forcing dirt inside through the shell, just wash before use.
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