Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Dizzy_Imp

smallholding_antics wrote: »

One of our chicks is losing her will to live, she's gasping for air and we've done all we can to help. If anyone reads this tonight, any advice? She hatched late, day 24 but seemed fit and healthy. She was on her back when I found her. I've segregated her and gave her a bit of sugar water for what it's worth? Don't worry if no one gets chance to answer.

Oh no I hope she survives. I know nothing about hand rearing chicks sadly, so can't offer advice but hope she pulls through x

smallholding_antics

Thank you. It's so sad. She's still with us but slowly worsening. The hard side of smallholding

skipton

Sorry to hear about your loss Suki. It is so sad when they die like that. They are such little troopers too, not showing they're ill. I hope yoyr little chick pulls through smallholding.

We were late back tonight so all 7 decided to sleep in one eglu and the little poorly one is in another. They were a bit surprised when I lifted them out and put them in their own houses.

Oh broccoli and lettuce are on offer at Aldi for 29p. My girls will think its their birthday when they have both tomorrow.

Better_Days

How's your little chick today smallholding_antics?

Our hens have been laying quite well recently, 3/5, 4/5 regularly, even occasionally 5/5. However the last couple of days gone to 2/5 and 1/5. This has coincided with opening a new bag of feed. We use the smallholder range. It's happened before that with had a change in laying when we go to a new bag feed. It's very strange does anybody else find this too?

In themselves the girlies of fine. Two are older ex-batts and the other three exbatts we got recently.

smallholding_antics

Hi Better Days. The chick is pretty much the same, I'm really surprised she made it through the night to be honest. I am not sure what could be wrong with her other than not fully developed lungs or an infection. I'll see how she goes through the day. We've had a scare with one of the dogs this morning too. Then a car didn't stop in time on the school run and spun out, thankfully, instead of hitting me. So all in all I fancy a stiff drink tonight.


I'm curious to hear others experience on the feed. We aways use the same brand and haven't ever thought anything of it. Interesting.


We had 3 eggs yesterday from 4. Well it's 3 from 10 but only 4 lay as the others are oldies and haven't started yet. No goose eggs yet.

suki1964

Aww smallholding, this is why I couldn't breed hens, I'm too soft around animals and I'd be going bankrupt in the vets. I won't mention the time I rang the vet in a panic cos my goldfish had a stone stuck in his mouth


Well the 3 new girls are beginning to find their feet and had a wee wander out to the veg patch. They are getting bullied something chronic by Honey, who had been bullied herself but is now queen bee Poor Honey was desperate to lay yesterday but kept finding the new upstarts in the coop which was throwing her off her stride I think. Penny and Cydney seem to have gone on strike altogether as only one egg in two days

I spent most of yesterday in with the new girls yesterday ( told you I'm too soft) picking them up and handling them. They were so tame when they arrived I don't want the bullying to put paid to that. It's mad that during the day they are being pecked and chased, yet soon as night comes they all huddle up together without a murmur


Got to think of names for the new girls

maxie014

Had hens for a few years a mix of hybrid layers and ixorths which I keep the cockerels for meat,the hens for eggs,great hobby a bit of chickenkeeping.

edwink

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

Hey fellow hen keepers
I had a hell of a shock when I went to see my girls this morning. We have a perch the runs the length of the run which is about adult waist height. My bullied girl goes up there when we take greens and corn in, which is fine with me because it means that she'll actually get some munch Today, she slipped at the point where it forks and she fell through the gap, ending up hanging from it by her neck :eek: :eek: That forky bit has been sawn off now. She was ok but I'll keep an extra special eye on her in the next couple of days to make sure she's ok

Hi queenofcheap is your hen still ok. What a shock for you both OMG. Glad you have sawn that bit off so it does not happen again.

Edwink x

edwink

Dizzy_Imp wrote: »

Evening all - popping in to catch up on all the news Had a long thin egg from one of the hens today, which is odd. Does anyone know what causes the shape to change?

Hi Dizzy

That does happen with the eggs sometimes. We have had all kinds of shapes and sizes over the years like elongated ones, soft ones and even a couple not much bigger than marbles.

Often there is no reason for it except that the egg has not formed properly. Maybe the hens do not have enough energy in their bodies for the eggs to be formed fully. Like often when they are moulting they will stop laying. Moulting is an assault on their little bodies and they need all their energy to grow new feathers so that's why egg production often stops then. If it is a soft shell you need to keep an eye on the hens and make sure that they are getting enough calcium as that can cause their eggs to be laid soft and wobbly. I hate handling those really soft ones.:eek:.
Edwink x

edwink

skipton wrote: »

hi all
6 eggs from 8 girlies. My little white leghorn is poorly again.....softie eggs. I don't know what to give the 2 older girls. They already have baked egg shells, shell and grit mix, milk in their porridge and a bit of yoghurt now and again, broccoli and cauliflower leaves. Anyone have any further suggestions please. It makes them so ill when a softie is on the way.

Hi Skipton you could get them some poultry tonic and see if that helps at all or some poultry cider vinegar. The poultry tonic we get for our hens is called "VIT BOOST by NETTEX". It comes in a bottle that has a measuring dose bubble at the top. The poultry cider vinegar you put in their fresh water so they take that in when they have a drink.

To be honest when one of my girls lays a softie she is not poorly at the time. We just occasionally find a soft shelled egg in with the others that have been laid. so we don't actually know who has actually laid that one.

Edwink x