Keeping hens and ducks chat.

beautiful_ravens

Hi all

Are everyones chickens back to free ranging now?
I was allowed to let mine out earlier as we were in a safer zone.

I did think I might lose one of my two hens, she got bubbly eyes, a swollen face and a messy bum, and she was just sitting under bushes and couldn't see ... I thought it might be the end, though shes had this before -not as bad- and recovered.
I almost took her to the vet, then I almost decided to end her suffering but I waited a bit longer and tried one last thing.

I made up a mix of a various treats like cheese/sausage/natural yog/scrambled eggs/peas, and gave her a large dose of this WOW! food every other day and lo and behold she started to get better! She began joining the other hen again, and then the swelling started to go down and she is pretty much back to normal now.

Which makes me want to ask, are layers pellets enough for an old hen? Shes stopped laying now, she might be about 5 or 6 and I give them layers with a bit of grain as the other hen is young. I dont think youre supposed to give a lot of protein but it certainly seemed to make her better.

As for the loose dutch bantam, she went broody and sat on a clutch of 11 eggs in the garage for ages, poor thing, but gave up on her own and thankfully hasnt started a second nest like last year.

Sorry to hear of chicken losses and bad accidents x

affordmylife

Thanks Edwink

I think Aylesbury and no idea of sex.

I'm a bit doubtful due to size of area. I can let them out to free range but I don't really want poo everywhere!!!

edwink

affordmylife wrote: »

Thanks Edwink

I think Aylesbury and no idea of sex.

I'm a bit doubtful due to size of area. I can let them out to free range but I don't really want poo everywhere!!!

Mmm!! that's the only problem with ducks I'm afraid. I would choose hens over ducks now I have had experience of having them both. That's just me personally as others may think differently. Its the mess for me. Don't get me wrong they are wonderful to have about and a great experience for any small poultry keeper but I wish they didn't poo so much. We clean the ducks hut out once a week in the winter and twice a week in the summer because of flies etc. For example the hens nesting boxes can just be cleared of poo and more unibedding added but with the ducks the whole lot needs too be cleared as even though we add fresh bedding every night it become thick with mess. Mind you we do have 7 and at one time we had 9 so they would make a lot more mess than say only 2 would.

I just had a thought that if you did decided maybe to just have 2 ducks they could sleep in the hens nesting boxes overnight if the boxes where big enough. But, then the nesting boxes wouldn't be clean enough by the morning for the hens to go in and lay their eggs. Maybe not a good idea now I think of it unless you are happy to clean out the boxes daily.

Difficult one really isn't because as I say the experience is a good one if they were not so blooming messy. After we have spent the whole day and I mean worked hard all day cleaning the ducks pond out and refilling it I have personally watched a duck waddle in to the pond when it is still filling up and just poo in the clean water. I just used to think why just do that knowing you like to swim in the same water. I don't know really maybe they don't have any real control over when they need to do it. Its never made sense to me seeing them do that in their lovely fresh clean pond.

Just thought it was best to be honest how I felt about the mess they can make. Maybe someone else with ducks will pop on here and give you their experience of keeping them. I wouldn't change them for the world now I have them but I just wouldn't get any more ducks from now on. Unless somebody is in desperation to have one or two rehomed that is because I just can't say no because I know we can give them a lovely retirement with us here and have always said the more the merrier. Hee hee hee.:rotfl:

Edwink

ali-t

Sad news to report here. A fox got in ,ast night and killed 10 of our hens. 5 bodies were left and the remaining 4 are doing lots of squacking but seem physically unharmed. I thought our area was pretty fox proof but obviously not. We had been pretty lax about putting them away with the longer nights i was sleeping well before they were and now im worried the fox will be back for the other 4. I have locked them in the coop with a run attached and its on concrete slabs so hopefully they will be fine u til i can sort out their area tonight.

rest in peace hennys.

CAFCGirl

Oh Ali-t,

I am so sorry to hear that.
You, and your girls are in my thoughts.

xx

StarShapedPeg

Same thing happened to my mums neighbour three weeks ago, except the fox killed all 19.

So sorry Ali, it's devastating.x

edwink

Ali that is so sad for you. I hope the other 4 will be ok. As you say you have locked them in so hopefully all will be ok.

Best thing you can do now is to get/collect some male urine and pour it round the boundary of their coop and keep doing that as much as you can. That will put a male fox off of coming round at least as he will think there is another male in the area and foxes don't normally go on to another males territory. Also soak an old cloth in male urine and drape it over their coop somewhere that will also put a male fox off. Another thing you can do is hang a piece of clothing over their coop/hut that has been worn by a male because that will also do the same. If it rains you will need to keep repeating this. A male fox will get the message and no longer come.

Always worth others doing too if they are concerned or suspect there is a fox about. We back on to woods where we are and have seen the odd fox so we do this when we are concerned.

My brother lost 5 of his hens to a fox and he was left with 1 traumatised hen and the Cockerel. They are ok now but at the time it was awful for them.

Do take care Ali you must be so upset that this has happened. Sending you a big ((((HUG))))

Edwink x

ali-t

Thanks everyone. I have heard before about using hair round the area as it has a smell that puts the foxes off. I'll have to get the man of the house to start peeing in bottles that I can pour round the edge of the enclosure.

CAFCGirl

Having some concerns about on of the ladies.

She's hiding in the coop again. Similar to what she did when she was being pecked by the others but they appear to just be leaving her alone. She's on the roost bar and not nestling in the nest box so I don't think she's gone broody. I've been taking her some water and food in there. She seems 'well' no marks, injuries, etc, vent all clean, she's just staying in.... I'm not sure if I should turf her out and shut the coop up to encourage her out or what?

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Having some concerns about on of the ladies. She's hiding in the coop again. Similar to what she did when she was being pecked by the others but they appear to just be leaving her alone. She's on the roost bar and not nestling in the nest box so I don't think she's gone broody. I've been taking her some water and food in there. She seems 'well' no marks, injuries, etc, vent all clean, she's just staying in.... I'm not sure if I should turf her out and shut the coop up to encourage her out or what?

How is the situation with your little hen now? Any change? It is really difficult to know what to suggest to be honest. If you get her out and stop her from getting back in she could well get picked on again. On the other hand if she stays in even with a little food and water she will become weak.

I would be inclined to get her out but keep a very close eye on her to see how the others react. There may be a bit of pecking initially but that could only be temporary when she is first back out.

What is happening at the moment with her? I do hope she is ok!!

Edwink