Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

Been a chilly week here for us and our girls.

Have the quiet elderly ex batt indoors with us overnight at the moment. She is spending some of the day with the others outside but we have noticed that she is not bothering to eat much . Have put her on the lawn for a while and she is not bothering with eat grass either. Managed to get her to eat tonight which is good.

All the rest are behaving like hooligans running around the garden like loonies so they are all ok, old but still ok and enjoying their retirement with us.

Just bought them some porridge which they love in the colder weather. Keeps them active too foraging for all the little bits:).

What's happening with everyone else and their feathered friends?. All ok I hope. How about those with new hens? Still having problems with settling them in? I do hope not. Please let me know how it is all going with them.

Been letting our girls down to nearer the house this week where it is a little warmer for them plus they can munch on the grass whilst down here. I think our ducks are a little envious that we have allowed the hens down here but the ducks keep making holes all over the lawn from sticking their beaks in looking for blooming worms. We will let them down in December sometime but in the meantime shall leave the grass for the hens to eat.

All for now.

Edwink

edwink

Lost our little elderly ex batt this afternoon:(. She was snoozing on a comfy blanket by the stove when she went bless her.

StarShapedPeg

Sorry Edwink. Bless her little heart.x

Dizzy_Ditzy

Sorry to read of your lovely ex-batt Edwink

All of mine are at various stages of moulting. The state of them :eek: they could make a decent sized nest each with all the feathers they've lost!

We've had them for two and a half years and this is their first major moult so I don't think they're doing too badly

StarShapedPeg

Mine are moulting massively this year as well. They’re all totally bedraggled and look like they’ve been dragged through a hedge. I wonder if it’s just this year. I don’t remember a moult this bad or this long before. I’m worried it’s getting colder overnight and they’ll start to feel it. Poor chooks.��

edwink

Mine have been moulting heavily too this year. My Bluebell hen looks as bad as some of my ex batts did when we brought them home here. There is nothing wrong with my Bluebell hen as far as I can see but she doesn't have any feathers on her bib/chest and is missing loads from her back and from her head.

I've been worrying about mine too a bit now the colder weather is coming.

Its not just ours then so that's a little reassuring. They do feather up quite quickly though after the moult so another couple of weeks I'm sure will make all the difference.

Edwink

Beckyy

So sorry about your ex batt Edwink

I decided to take the plunge with the new additions, however I failed to notice they have scaly leg mite until after I had introduced them to our girls. How I do not know, so annoyed at myself as I'm so cautious of mites! Thankfully I had some net-tex spray in the first aid kit and plenty of DE, I've also got some ointment on the way. Hopefully that will do the trick and our older girls won't be effected, otherwise I may have to get the spot on which I'm not keen to do unless necessary.

No wonder the poor new girls weren't laying, I thought it was odd as they've finished moulting and are being treated like royalty and seem to have integrated okay considering.

Any tips appreciated!

edwink

Beckyy wrote: »

So sorry about your ex batt Edwink

I decided to take the plunge with the new additions, however I failed to notice they have scaly leg mite until after I had introduced them to our girls. How I do not know, so annoyed at myself as I'm so cautious of mites! Thankfully I had some net-tex spray in the first aid kit and plenty of DE, I've also got some ointment on the way. Hopefully that will do the trick and our older girls won't be effected, otherwise I may have to get the spot on which I'm not keen to do unless necessary.
No wonder the poor new girls weren't laying, I thought it was odd as they've finished moulting and are being treated like royalty and seem to have integrated okay considering. Any tips appreciated!

Hi

From what you have said in your post I really think you have done all you can at the moment. Has the new ointment arrived yet? Would be interesting to see how that works as well as the other 2 things you are trying. What is the ointment called?

How are their legs looking now? Any improvement yet? So annoying isn't it when those of us that care for their girls so well end bring something in with new hens.

We had a red mite problem that caused us a real big headache here and I swear that it was brought in with some new girl that we purchased. I did check the hens carefully but if it did arrive with them I didn't check them carefully enough and I could certainly kick myself for it. I have to say that we have never brought in any parasites with any of the ex batts we have rehomed with us.

Please let us know how you are getting on if you get the time because it will help others on here should they ever get the same problem with their hens.

Take care

Edwink

Beckyy

Thanks Edwink.

It's doesn't look any worse but not much improvement. I've dipped their feet in veg oil tonight until the ointment arrives as apparently it helps to suffocate the mites.

The ointment is by barrier: https://www.viovet.co.uk/Bird_Barrier_Scaly_Leg_Ointment/c13900/?quick_find=138080&gclid=Cj0KCQiArYDQBRDoARIsAMR8s_SvM8229cjkKYPQXv9eOy_EiOChLYLD064l7JcKjvIYrMT5Ixq_ypMaArEREALw_wcB

My only mite experience so far is red mite when I was quite inexperienced. It ended in such a crazy amount of pressure washing I caved before the wooden hen house did and bought a Green Frog coop. Never had any problems since but have also been very, very vigilant with smite/DE etc.

edwink

Beckyy wrote: »

Thanks Edwink.

It's doesn't look any worse but not much improvement. I've dipped their feet in veg oil tonight until the ointment arrives as apparently it helps to suffocate the mites.

The ointment is by barrier: https://www.viovet.co.uk/Bird_Barrier_Scaly_Leg_Ointment/c13900/?quick_find=138080&gclid=Cj0KCQiArYDQBRDoARIsAMR8s_SvM8229cjkKYPQXv9eOy_EiOChLYLD064l7JcKjvIYrMT5Ixq_ypMaArEREALw_wcB

Thanks for posting the link as I am sure it will help others should they ever get the same problem.


Just a thought if veg oil helps to suffocate the mites how about trying Vaseline. Years ago when we had a dog she had a Tic on her ear flap. We smothered that in Vaseline and that certainly suffocated the Tic because it soon fell off.


Please let us know how you get on.


Edwink