my cat brought a stoat in the other day. It was a baby one but I thought cats were supposed to be scared of stoats and weasels. Unfortunately it was still alive and once cat had dropped it, cat decided he didn't want to hang around anymore - yikes! However I had never seen them around my area before...

I'm in a similar situation. Got 2 new girls coming tomorrow (buff sussex). I have had a Doris, Mabel, Nelly, Winnie + current surviver is called Lily.

Shortlist for new girls is:-

Myrtle
Dixie
Ester
Lyla
Lottie
Pansy
Ava
Agnas

I will have to wait and see what they look like.

Lo

Well my husband reckons that after start up costs, cost of pure breed bantams, vet fees, retford fees, eggs are down to £8 each!

Lo

I always use, I think it's called compeed but it is a blister plaster - lets the skin breath underneath whilst the blister is going down - we do a lot of walking and do suffer with blisters and these work a treat?

Lo

Hi Dean

Yes once the treated water is gone - do give them more fresh stuff - they need as much water as they want. When mine were first started on verm-x I took the instructions too literally where it says exclude all other water and my poor chicks went dry for a day or two - whoops.

Lo

thanks to you all for your messages. I will be ringing around tonight to see what is available but I am hoping that I will find 3 bantams to pick up at the weekend. Will it be ok to intrduce 3 news ones to Lily. Last night with introductions we kept them separate for Saturday and Sunday and they all...

Having nursed my little Nelly for the last 3 months because she had constant squits, a dog got to her today and she is no more. At first we thought we had a fox which was still upsetting but at least we thought it was quick for her and some maybe some young foxes lunch. However a lady from around th...

Mine has had constant squits for nearly 3 months. The vet gave Baytril which didn't work, Retfords diagnosed cocci and gave baycox which didn't work. However, colour of watery poo was normal colour of poo and as my chicken seemed in perfect health about from constant squits and not laying I have jus...

Hi all I'm looking for a couple of bantams. I have my eye on some light sussex's this time. However, because of the mareks we had last year we have been told that it's best to get chickens around 20 weeks (as they will have built their immunity up by then). Can you help or do you know anyone that ca...

I have had chickens for nearly 1 year now but they have no where near come to paying for themseves yet. We have had 6 birds, lost 4, spent well over £200 on vet fees and what with all the other potions and disinfectents and spices I have bought, it will take years for my two remaining girls to brea...

Quite annoyed about the calcivet as obviously I had to pay for this. Wonder why she sent this? She does not have that much yoghet, although this week she is having it mixed up with bread and her worming mixture. I will start looking out for some friends for her now as I also think that it cannot be ...

Hi Bluebell Retfords did diagnose with cocci but when the baycox didn't work (after 2 lots of courses) they sent calcivet. Having looked up calcivet on the web I did also wonder how this would help. Re the exams I think I was feeling for anything in the stomach area - hard lumps etc. Didn't find any...

Hi Supersue Despite reading about this I didn't really take any precautions against red mite - thought the Jayes Fluid would do. However, then my hen house got covered in the little devils and I invested in some Poultry Shield. It has to be used quite often as the breeding cycle is quite quick. Afte...

Hi Wendy Thanks for that. Couldn't find the bones last night but when I mentioned to Retfords today about the egg that she laid last week she changed her mind and didn't seem to think this was what the problem was. Re stomach - couldn't feel anything untoward. Retfords have now suggested sending a f...

Hi mine have recently gone onto concrete which I covered with a good base of straw. With the driving rain it was getting a bit wet and didn't look like a nice place to be. Someone suggested Stalosan which is a dry disinfectant and which helps dry things up and kills things too. This is working well ...