Keeping hens and ducks chat.

laurenh1 · 14 September 2017 at 8:49AM

Thanks so much for that advice, I think hubby and I had decided being indoors is the best option. We have a utility room which would be perfect for them for the night actually.

They love sweet corn. I regularly walk down to Tesco in time for reductions and buy reduced items like cabbage for them (when there is nothing wrong with it, obviously) and that keep them happy

edwink · 16 September 2017 at 4:29PM

Lost another of my elderly girls yesterday:( They are all getting old for ex batts bless them.

My neighbour cut her lawn this morning and brought it round so my girls are diving in looking for anything that looks tasty to eat in between eating the grass too:D They will miss the grass when it is time to stop mowing the grass. But, I've got lettuces still growing at the moment and the kale and cabbages we grow will hopefully see them through to Jan or Feb.

How is everyone else getting on and their girls and boys? Hope all good in your neck of the woods fellow hen and duck keepers.

Edwink

ali-t · 17 September 2017 at 12:42PM

Sorry to hear of your loss Edwink. It's always sad to lose one. Xx

CAFCGirl · 18 September 2017 at 7:29AM

So sorry to hear that Edwink.

Roost in peace Feathered Friend xx

edwink · 18 September 2017 at 11:32AM

ali-t wrote: »

Sorry to hear of your loss Edwink. It's always sad to lose one. Xx

CAFCGirl wrote: »

So sorry to hear that Edwink.
Roost in peace Feathered Friend xx

Thank you both of you. It is always nice to get support on our thread.
I know for sure I am going to get more losses especially over the winter months because my ex batts are getting on a bit now

. I am giving them the best life possible here and spoiling them rotten. Some of the more quieter ones are even getting to sit on my lap for a while for strokes, cuddles and a warm place to sit

I can only do my best for them eh?

Sun is shining here today so I can foresee a spot of sunbathing going on with the girls. They prop themselves up against the West facing soil retaining boards we put up. You should see them all in a row of maybe 5 or 6 at a time during late afternoon flopped to lean on it with legs poking out from underneath and one of their wings spread out to take in the warmth. And best of all with their eyes closed without a care in the world :j

Edwink

jim-jim · 22 September 2017 at 9:59AM

Hi everyone, had to have a chuck PTS on Tuesday. She had been going (dying) since Friday but was taking to long. She could only move her head and neck, flap her wings but not actually move on her own. So in the daytime she came in the house in a box, then back into the coop at night. I thought nature would take over but no. So had to take her to the vets.

That as easier than said, 2 local vets said we dont do livestock, nearest ones are approx 15 miles away. I know that, I use them for my horses but only on a call out visit.
So after much pleading saying she was suffering the vet agreed as a one off. Kerching £38.00 please. ouch but at least she is not suffering any more. On a plus side she did get her moneys worth, as she had to have 2 lots. Little thing really was a fighter and didnt want to go.

x

edwink · 22 September 2017 at 3:14PM

jim-jim wrote: »

Hi everyone, had to have a chuck PTS on Tuesday..... That as easier than said, 2 local vets said we dont do livestock, nearest ones are approx 15 miles away. I know that, I use them for my horses but only on a call out visit.
So after much pleading saying she was suffering the vet agreed as a one off. Kerching £38.00 please. ouch but at least she is not suffering any more. On a plus side she did get her moneys worth, as she had to have 2 lots. Little thing really was a fighter and didnt want to go. x

Aww so sad what a little fighter as you say, bless her.:( Always sad when we loose one of them.

And yes definitely ouch at the £38.00 charge. That's private health care for pets I suppose. We had one of ours PTS at the vets a couple of years ago and if I remember correctly that was around the £30 mark too.:(

How many hens do you have now? We are down to 11 and I am sure we will loose more ex batts over the Autumn/Winter months as they are all so old now.:(

Edwink

vjm63 · 22 September 2017 at 6:34PM

So sorry for you both, Jim-Jim and Edwink - losing the girls is always hard. They give such fun and are truly therapeutic I think, so when one goes ... there is a hole.

On the brighter side, I am pleased to say our Rhodebars are now starting to lay properly - although there are a couple of issues I need to seriously discuss with them soon. One is that someone is a true maverick, and just lays out in the middle of their run - obviously the memo about nestbox use missed her each time it was issued. I am glad they are in a contained run (although the sight of me clambering in and crawling towards the egg is probably not a sight that should be seen!) else that lass would be laying eggs all over the garden, never to be found!

The second issue is size. I know newbies lay smaller eggs. Currently they are mostly about 38 to 40g, so small, but should improve with time. However, one we had last week was 21g ! Come on, a wren would be embarrassed with that! It was perfectly shelled, full yolk inside, just hardly any white at all.

Crazy girls...

orangecrush · 22 September 2017 at 8:33PM

Hello everyone,

May I please join the thread? I've been lurking for a long time but thought it time to join in.

I was reading about all the sad losses recently. We just lost two hens in very short succession. One was severely egg bound, for the second time. Warm bath and olive oil treatment did no good. The vet was able to remove the ENORMOUS egg, but felt another mass in chuck's abdomen. She was so ill, we had her PTS.

The following week, we went to check the remaining two girls and found one dead in the coop. It looked like she just went to sleep and didn't wake up. They were both just over a year old, both commercial hens. I know they aren't raised for longevity, but we didn't expect this. So sad.

We have one remaining hen who just stands around looking lonely, it's like she's forgotten how to be a chicken (she was bottom of the rankings). Picking up two friends for her tomorrow, slightly worried about the introductions, but hopefully this is for the best long term.

We're trying to keep our solo hen entertained in the meantime, she has a mirror which she loves, and some peck bars to jump for. She is a chunky monkey and just charges into any perch we make for her, and flattens it!

Anyway that's enough rambling. I've enjoyed reading about all your hen-ventures, and hope to be able to contribute

jim-jim · 23 September 2017 at 8:33AM

Morning,
thanks Edwink.
I've now got 6 left, 2 from my very first lot, 2 from last year and 2 from this year.
Not sure when I'm going to get some more, as the hen rescue has just had an adoption day. I would like to do that instead of buying them as point /lay.

Mr jim did get the new coop finished, but not sure where to put it. As the red mite hotel is still in place until we can burn it. So we took the side of the big shed what the chucks were using as a temporary home, put it in there, side back on. Now they have a shed in a shed:rotfl:

Remaining chucks are now moulting so eggs between 3 -5 a day

I will try and pop in more for a chat.
X

Keeping hens and ducks chat.

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