Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

smileyt_2

Hi

I have 3 ex-batts and have had them for 9 months. They have made really good progress and all seem healthy. However this morning when I let them out and cleaned their house I found a 'thing' I have never seen before. I have no idea what it is and wonder if someone on here with more experience would know.

It was a plug of reddish, firm material. I think it may have been something regurgitated rather than coming out of the bottom end (!) because it wasn't covered in poop or any eggy stuff.

I did clean the yard yesterday and the hens had a field day scoffing earth worms from underneath planks of wood. Could this plug be compacted earth worms that have been regurgitated? _pale_

They were all as right as rain this afternoon when I checked them after work. I let them out of their pen and they energetically scratched and clucked around.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be very grateful. I tried googling but it's hard to google for something when you don't know what it's called!

jexygirl

Hey smiley,
bare in mind im no expert, and would certainly take note of better advice from someone like frugal, but it sounds to me like they may have eaten a bit too much and regurgitated as they couldnt "chew it" in a sense - do you feed them grits / crushed baked egg shells?I know mine sometimes pig out, and with not enough grits, they cant "chew" in their gullet so they chuck it out as it were! Sorry to ask, just sometimes with weather etc they cant find their own, so when they eat something they cant chew due to lack of "grits" sometimes they regurgitate it and maybe it scratched the throat? I am assuming / guessing here, I am no expert, and am thinking on my feet of what i would think. I would also wonder about a dodgey egg that was laid / got crushed? I think you could be right on the worms thing for sure

Sorry Im no help, but I am sure someone that knows / has more experience will post soon
Jex

ginnyknit

I think jexygirl is probably right although chickens stop eating when their crop is full sometimes they 'bite off more than they can chew' and chuck it back up. as long as it behaves normally the next day theres nothing to worry about. Every morning I give mine hot water to drink which they love and it seems to hydrate them well.

Basically every morning I check that their crops are empty by just patting their chests then I know we are ok to start filling up. At night i feel if they are full too, although they can have lopsided crops - doesnt seem to be a problem.

If your hens are off colour just nip on a poultry website but don't panic and immeadiately think its a major problem, there seems to be a lot of simple remedies for most minor illness's and as and MSE'er you usually have whats needed in the cupboard - cider vinegar, garlic and honey!

missworks2jobs

I would love to keep chickens if we had our own place (were living with family at the mo so not a possibility). My dad had a pub in the countryside that had chickens and they were no bother, they ate all the leftover food scraps and gave us lovely fresh eggs. It was a bit messy cleaning out the hen house and they did leave their section of the garden like a bog off all the mud and poop but hey its the country - everywhere had mud!!! People with allotments used to actually request the "used" straw off us and use it on their strawberries/potatoes or whatever.

BUT BEWARE.....some old rules in your land registry documents - and searches from when you buy a house, and most contracts for renting ban you from keeping chickens even if you own the property outright. Check first, cos you dont want some busybody from the council coming round and forcing you to get rid of your chicky hens when you've just named them all and got attached!!!

dreamywings1

Hi everyone,
This is gonna sound like a strange question but I have been given a tray of "dirty" eggs and have read that you shouldnt use them coz of the risk of salmonella.....is this true? Please dont tell me I have to chuck them away surely I can wash them before I use them?
Thanks in advance

ginnyknit

eggs = bottoms= pooh, its a fact of life hunny. Just rinse them and enjoy them, they are probably fresher than any you have ever bought in the shops. Most hens are immunised against salmonella anyway.

smileyt_2

Thank you jexygirl and ginnyknit. The hens were all fine and squawking away today for me to come and feed them (they have me well-trained!) so I am not going to worry about the 'thing'. I noticed tonight that their grit tray was empty so I will fill it up again tomorrow. They are incredibly greedy girls so I imagine it was a case of 'eyes bigger than belly' (or in their case, crop). I guess worms are a rare delicacy after the winter we've had so to see so many at once probably addled their little chickeny brains!

Ginnyknit that's a great idea to check their crops evening and morning. I shall have a pat tomorrow when I let them out.

Dreamywings - I have had eggs covered in poop. I just rinse them under the tap and break the shell as normal. I am still alive so I don't think you've much to worry about. The eggs are going to be cooked anyway so that should kill most germs.

Actually, maybe it's good for your immune system - I haven't had a cold all winter since I started eating my girls' eggs.

Just a question - does anyone else find their feet get pecked if they go out wearing shoes with shoelaces lol?

ginnyknit

My girls decided today that my black nail varnish was something tasty, I havent been wearing it lately, think I will give it up as they flipping hurt! Now they seem to sleep all together huddled in the nest box instead of on their perch - can't please some people can you :grouphug:

jexygirl

Ginny - I never thought of checking crops, but did after your post so thank you
I agree they can seem daunting, but as you say, so many things are curable with store cupboards! and this thread!

Missworks - you are absolutely right, it never occured to me to check if i could have hens... but I have lucky circumstances, thanks for the heads up. Also the "used stuff" from the house is composting well, we too have had more requests for muck than eggs!

Dreamy - when you say dirty, I assume you mean the shells. If thats what you mean, then what I have learned is that dirty eggs are even better! No matter what you read, if hens are truly free range, they will lay where they want to, despite you wanting them to do it elsewhere! They sleep where they are happy, and where they decide to, despite your best efforts, and along with that, often poo where they sleep! Mine dont have nesting boxes as such (well they do, and despite moving them to where they laid, we are owned by them, they moved their laying!) so an egg with a bit of muck on it, for us is a happy hen that laid through choice ( believe me they have alot of choice!) They choose where to sleep and lay and i adhere to demands! They are ex free range (which now after research to me is close to ex batts... ) so for me the fact they are even laying is great as its through choice, even tho its about them deciding not me!
I would just cook those eggs, and you wont look back Agree totally with Ginny, if you only ever had shop bought ( nothing wrong in that as long as they were so called free range lol) then they will be the best!
Smiley - GLad all is well, and yes I have everything pecked! regardless! especially my copper bangle, anything dangling, even if it doesnt dangle its colour and needs pecking! I talk to them and bend down and my back gets pecked! Im told the lace thing is like worms, but the rest who knows! they are cleverer than we think and anything is worth a try - but isnt it ace to tell them off (in a lovely way!) whilst smiling at them!
jex

tracyk

When you give them garlic, do you just put a pealed clove in the water or do you crush the clove a bit before you put it in the water?