Does anyone know ... This morning there are some droppings on my lawn .. at first I thought they were rabbit droppings, current like, three or four small clumps. Then started to wonder if they could belong to a fox - does anyone know if they are likely to be anything more suspicious than a rabbit? N...

I also got my woodchip from b&q but it's only the really large superstore type branches that seem to stock it.

hi thanks - I've got diamateous earth down in the coop and in the bedding and have been using poultry shield when I clean out. The coop is new and i've not seen any sign of any nasties in there altho I will be doing a big clean tomorrow and will have a microscopic look. I wondered if its because the...

I'm a newbie so not had any really horrible weather yet, but up to now (touchwood) I've found that keeping the run on a good layer of wood chips, raking it over every couple of nights when their in bed and sprinkling stalosan around frugally .. I've had no smell and no more flies than in any other p...

I think they're just peculiar sometimes - I've one in bed at 9 oclock prompt, number two messes about for about another hour, in and out and shaking it all about, and then number three seems to like having a bit of time alone in the run quietly contemplating life and the universe and then goes in as...

Hi, I've only had my ex-bats 2 weeks so still new to it all. Mine are fed layers mash cos that's what they were used to, but I've started to mix pellets in to try and wean them off the mash as it does make a lot of mess. The first couple of days they didn't really understand what other food was, but...

Well I've had the ex-bats a week today and managed not to kill them and actually think I helped a poorly one with the help of you good people. The thing that's amazed me is how tame they've become in just one week - I always thought chickens were supposed to be a bit on the dim side but it didnt tak...

Just to say all back in together - she's not laid the last couple of days but they all seem to be getting on fine - touchwood. Ta for your help

My new ex bats, up to now wont look at fruit but they go absolutely mental for cabbage and brocolli hung up in the run on a string. I gave them a sweetcorn cob hung up and they ignored it for about 4 hours, then someone must have been brave and tried it, and they demolished it in about half an hour ...

Quick update - she's much brighter today - I noticed the egg she laid yesterday had a thin shell - I've added grit and shell to her food today and some poultry spice to try and up her calcium levels. (I havent got the limestone flour by itself will have to order some) Everything at the vent end look...

Quick update everyone - got in at 730pm and chicken looking quite perky. She's laid an egg and there's some bloodstains on the egg but no sign of any external bleeding anywhere. She's in a wired dog crate in the garage at the moment, so I've put it next to the chicken run for a couple of hours (i'm ...

She was standing up this morning and drinking - the vent looks clean and i've bathed it again in salt water. I've left her in the garage in the dog cage as I'm off to work soon with water and some mixed corn (the chicken not me). She had passed faeces ok but hadnt laid an egg. Her vent still looked ...

Thanks Steve, I cant believe I was a bit dubious about picking them up Saturday and tonight I've had the poor thing tucked upside down under my arm with my finger were it shouldn't be! Oh well I'm doing my best.

Thanks I've done that - was in a panic and put it in the wrong place

I'm sorry I posted about this earlier but in the wrong section of the forum in a panic so now i've found the right place. Got three ex-bats - only on Saturday (my first chickens) Came in from work tonight and one hen in the hen house and the other two wouldnt let it come out - saw spots of blood in ...