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Post by debbiem on Apr 25, 2008 9:42:06 GMT 1
I bet the other three scoffed it down though! ;D
Is she drinking?
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Post by emseypop on Apr 25, 2008 9:48:42 GMT 1
I bet the other three scoffed it down though! ;D Is she drinking? They sure did, they couldn't believe their luck. I haven't seen her drink, was tempted to fill the syringe the vet gave me with water and try that. I put 1mg of anti bi in the syringe twice a day for her, it really seems like a lot of liquid in one go, can chickens choke, am I the only one who thinks that sounds rude? I'm more worried about this hen that I was with the kids chicken pox  |
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Post by debbiem on Apr 25, 2008 10:07:37 GMT 1
Are you going to put her out on the garden today? Maybe just have some water nearby if she wants a drink.
Or ring the vets and ask his advice?
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Post by emseypop on Apr 25, 2008 12:01:21 GMT 1
I've put her out in the run again, and she can go in the cat box if she wants shelter, the weather isn't too bad. Just gave her some cat food, she's ate that. The other girls arn't impressed as I didn't have enough for them. (the cats leftovers) I took a vidio for AF tube.  I've been watching Duckie from the window. Sometimes she just lowers herself slowly to the ground and sits on her bum with her legs in the air.  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Apr 25, 2008 12:11:37 GMT 1
I think you'll have to reconcile yourself to the fact that she isn't a well chook and see if she gets about OK, manages to eat and drink and isn't being picked on by the others. As long as she seems happy and you think she's not in pain or discomfort - that's about the best she'll have. If she'd been in the battery farm she would have been culled very quickly so you are still helping her achieve a quality of life she would never have had.
I just wondered if you had checked her legs to see if she has any mites or something similar under her skin....have you seen her taking a dust bath at all? Chickens need access to somewhere they can give themselves a good shake up to cleanse their skin and feathers. Mine used to disappear off into the polytunnel and find a bit where it was bone dry and have a good old ruffle about. A little hollow filled with some sun warmed play sand might encourage her to move her legs to improve her mobility - just a thought though - don't rush out and start digging holes in the garden Emsey! ;D
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Post by emseypop on Apr 25, 2008 15:17:27 GMT 1
I think you'll have to reconcile yourself to the fact that she isn't a well chook and see if she gets about OK, manages to eat and drink and isn't being picked on by the others. As long as she seems happy and you think she's not in pain or discomfort - that's about the best she'll have. If she'd been in the battery farm she would have been culled very quickly so you are still helping her achieve a quality of life she would never have had. I just wondered if you had checked her legs to see if she has any mites or something similar under her skin....have you seen her taking a dust bath at all? Chickens need access to somewhere they can give themselves a good shake up to cleanse their skin and feathers. Mine used to disappear off into the polytunnel and find a bit where it was bone dry and have a good old ruffle about. A little hollow filled with some sun warmed play sand might encourage her to move her legs to improve her mobility - just a thought though - don't rush out and start digging holes in the garden Emsey! ;D The hens like to dust bath in the patches they've created in the boarders : Duckie Cant get to them ATM as i'm keeping her apart from the other birds 'just in case' but when the anti bi's run out i'll just have to let her take her chances, they were ok with her before I separated her. Hopefully she will be improved by then. She's eating more today which is good. |
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Post by debbiem on Apr 26, 2008 8:32:05 GMT 1
She really does sound as if she's on the mend - fingers and everything else crossed for her. |
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Post by emseypop on Apr 27, 2008 7:45:48 GMT 1
It was dark when I got home from kew yesterday. Suprisingly Sean had made sure the hens had got safley to bed, but he'd put Duckie in with the other. I can't keep them apart forever I suppose. When I opened up this morning, 3 ladies darted out slowley followed by Duckie! While the going was good I decided to let them out into the garden early, and she even had an amble round there! She is sensibly under shelder in the ran ATM haveing a peck at some pellets. (the other girls are scrathing about in the rain. She is slow and fluffed up, but I think she will be ok! |
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Post by debbiem on Apr 27, 2008 8:02:51 GMT 1
Great! That's brilliant news. ;D Do you think the antibiotics did the trick?
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Post by emseypop on Apr 27, 2008 10:08:47 GMT 1
I really don't know? |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 4, 2008 19:33:08 GMT 1
I really don't know? I like your signature Emsey! ;D My old girl, Hilda, has had such a good weekend - cos I've been working in the vegetable garden she's been following me round faithfully and chuckling away as I turn over the soil. It was so nice to hear her enjoying herself and she pounced on every goodie - it was lovely. I do like chickens |
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Post by emseypop on May 4, 2008 22:07:31 GMT 1
I really don't know? I like your signature Emsey! ;D My old girl, Hilda, has had such a good weekend - cos I've been working in the vegetable garden she's been following me round faithfully and chuckling away as I turn over the soil. It was so nice to have hear her enjoying herself and she pounced on every goodie - it was lovely. I do like chickens It must be a joy with one, its a bit worrying with 4, I'm scared i'm going to take somebodys toe off! I've taken to digging at 6.30 in my p'js! I do dig around the compost bins 'for fun' with them when I have the time. I've let them into the GH to turn that over for me, they are great at filering out the sones  |
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 6, 2008 9:17:56 GMT 1
Emsey, I've been meaning to suggest this to you, bit late now sorry!
Someone who keeps chickens has found that an old metal hanging basket over a plant stops her chickens pecking the new shoots as they are protected by the dome. She says that by the time they have grown through the wires, the chickens aren't interested. It could be worth a try.
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Post by debbiem on May 6, 2008 9:59:45 GMT 1
That's a great idea Myrtle! I've used sieves and colanders before but they don't let in the light so that's a perfect solution. |
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Post by emseypop on May 6, 2008 10:05:10 GMT 1
Emsey, I've been meaning to suggest this to you, bit late now sorry! Someone who keeps chickens has found that an old metal hanging basket over a plant stops her chickens pecking the new shoots as they are protected by the dome. She says that by the time they have grown through the wires, the chickens aren't interested. It could be worth a try. Top tip! I'll give that a go! I've three sunflowers in, they are about 1 ft high, just a few pecks on the one leaft so far, I've put a wire edging thing around them. |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 6, 2008 10:06:43 GMT 1
It's a good way of stopping cats ruining a Catmint plant too... I looked at a Chicken link on the advert's first thing as one of them was in Cambridgeshire, not far from me. They are selling POL RIR and White Sussex hens for £12.50 each....I am soooo tempted........the last time I bought any hens they were only a couple of quid each.....is that the usual price now? |
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Post by debbiem on May 6, 2008 10:14:52 GMT 1
Ours were £9 each 4P, that's the Speckled Sussex, Copper Marans and Welsummers so I don't think that's a bad price at all. RIRs and Light Sussex are both such lovely breeds too, docile, brilliant characters and good Mums too. OH GO ON!!!!!!  While they've still got some. |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 6, 2008 10:19:53 GMT 1
Ooh don't...stop it at once........ ;D
But what about the rodent hordes? They've been a lot less bovver since Hilda moved into the goat house.....I do miss them all roaming about being pretty though (the chickens, not the rodent hordes ;D) P'raps I 'll see what OH says........
I wonder if I could persuade OH to put an extension of the goat shed so they could all live together........hmmmm.....I'd only need a leetle extra bit for them to roost and some nestboxes......then the goats could have the extra bit of ground where the hens run is......double hmmmm........
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Post by 4pygmies on May 6, 2008 10:20:59 GMT 1
AND it would a lot less of an upset for Hilda if they were all in the goat house with her wouldn't it? Hmm........
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 6, 2008 10:29:28 GMT 1
AND it would a lot less of an upset for Hilda if they were all in the goat house with her wouldn't it? Hmm........ You know you want to........ ;D They would be company for Hilda, she could be 'mother' to them all. |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 6, 2008 10:42:21 GMT 1
AND it would a lot less of an upset for Hilda if they were all in the goat house with her wouldn't it? Hmm........ You know you want to........ ;D They would be company for Hilda, she could be 'mother' to them all. I do want to......but so I'm skint so I might have to raid my 20p bottle......and what if Hilda turns out to be a wicked stepmother? It's so hard to make a decision...... |
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Post by debbiem on May 6, 2008 11:49:48 GMT 1
You know you want to........ ;D They would be company for Hilda, she could be 'mother' to them all. I do want to......but so I'm skint so I might have to raid my 20p bottle......and what if Hilda turns out to be a wicked stepmother? It's so hard to make a decision...... Ooooh no it isn't! ;D Hilda'll probably throw her weight around to start off with but I can't see anything but a rosy glow around all this in the long run. Even if they all roost together you have so much room for them all so they've got space enough to get away from her until they're all used to each other, it's not as if they're all going to be confined to a small space. Why not ring the number and see what they've got? |
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Post by debbiem on May 6, 2008 12:09:24 GMT 1
And you never know, you might just get some expert ratters amongst them. Now just think about that! ;D
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Post by emseypop on May 6, 2008 20:26:01 GMT 1
Think of the eggs! I'm sure your grandchildren would benefit too. I know you like your posh birds but there is always the ex-bat option, they ask a minimum of £1.50 per hen, which is what they pay the farmers. You could have a look to see when your next local rescue is. Either way, I think it would be an investment  ;D www.bhwt.org.uk/adopt_some_hens.php www.bhwt.org.uk/adopt_some_hens.php |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 6, 2008 20:41:59 GMT 1
They're not posh Emsey, they are rare breed or very old breeds ;D Sadly I don't think ex-bats would be a good idea here as they would have to rough it with the goats and I doubt if they would have the temperament really..if you keep chickens with other livestock ideally they have to be there from very young, I think. The poor things might be terrorised by rats too........ OH wasn't very keen on getting any more when I spoke about it tonight. I shall have to get him in a better mood - he was too busy steaming about the stupidity of Health and Safety officers on the site he working on : |
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;D