Helen's Hentastic Adventure!

[manda]

Aww lovely

[juilly]

This week marks 5 weeks of having our girls and I really can't believe the time has gone that quickly!

They have settled down into a lovely little routine, we average about three eggs a day between the five of them and the eggs we are getting from the babies are getting a bit bigger everyday... most of them can down go in our egg box without falling through the hole now. Its really amazing watching them get bigger and develop their own little personalities, they have all changed so much in such a short space of time.

All in all we are totally in love with our little fluff bombs!

[sandy]

They really are the most fascinating pets aren't they? Chickenitus love has struck again

[juilly]

They really are, and they are so so easy to keep.
I was really worried before we got them that they'd be too loud and too messy and would all get eaten by foxes within 10 minuets and could take too much time and work to keep but I really couldn't have been more wrong.
They are good as gold, they are all really quiet and the run is dead simple to clean out. We have a cube and a walk in run which is covered in Aubiouse - it soaks up the smell and dries out the poo lovely so it only needs to be picked every 1-2 days.

I love it... just got to convince the OH to make and extension and get some more!

[juilly]

Today is terrible.

I’m so so worried about my little baby Holly, the last few days have been a bit of a learning curve putting into practice advice I've read from others here about broodiness, hen pecking, wounds etc.

Holly has been broody, has had a dirty bum and has been a little hen pecked so spent the night indoors after having a nice bath and blow dry. She’s been eating and drinking loads but last night she passed this



Part of it I’m sure was a lash with a softie. All the information I can find about lashes is about older girls who are going out of lay but Holly is only 22 weeks old.

I feel terrible and like I really don't know enough. if anyone know anything I put a topic up on health problems too. I really hope someone has some ideas

[jemberelli]

Her body is probably just getting used to all that is going on - it takes a while for them to settle down to laying (eggs will get larger etc as time goes on). Don't panic, just keep an eye on her, I'm sure it'll be fine

[KarenE]

It looks more like a badly formed softie than a lash. She may not have been broody but instead trying to lay this, it would explain the mucky bum and perhaps even the pecking. Try not to worry, it's not unusual especially in young ones whose gears may be wonky still. Just keep an eye out in case she needs another bath. And give them the egg thing, they'll love it

[juilly]

So I thought it was time for a little update...

Chicken keeping sure is an adventure. I feel like we have been through so much with our girls in such a short space of time that we must have seen the vast majority of chicken illness by now (touch wood!).

Here is a summary of events:

1. We had Holly going broody, that was ok and was really a tiny intro into what was to come

2. We had Betty with flystrike (2 weeks indoors and now fully recovered).

3. Next was Molly who was egg bound, that was a dash to the nearest chicken vets - 25 miles away at 1am, she was really poorly by the time we arrived and the vet didn't think he could get her through but after a GA, a forceps egg delivery, followed by a crop feed, some subcut warm fluids and some oxygen she was all fixed and all ok again.

4. Holly went broody take two. Straight into the dog crate this time and the broodiness was broken in three days.

5. Our poor darling Dolly, the top hen and such a beauty. We let them out in the morning and noticed her bum was dirty. Got her indoors and gave her a bath and pretty quickly realised that she had a nasty prolapse. Off to the vet we went but unfortunately there was too much damage... the vet thinks that it had all happen in the few hours before we let them out and that the others had been attracted to the wound. She said that because there were too many structures involved and a lot of necrotic tissue the chances of a successful outcome were pretty much nil, even if by some miracle she did come through it all she'd have needed an implant to stop her ever laying again. She was straining constantly and the vet said that the kindest thing to do would be to let her fall asleep. It was heartbreaking.

We asked the vet at the time what we were doing wrong. We went through all their feeds, the times we let them out/shut them in, treats we were giving them, poo picking and cleaning regimes, everything and she said that we had just been really unlucky.

For the last three weeks everything has been good. No sickness, no problems, one or two funny softies but the three little ones are still only young. A few days we've even had 5 eggs from 4 girls!

They all seem really happy and content so fingers crossed we have come through relatively unscathed!

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi, You are right in thinking you have been unlucky.Hopefully all settle down . I think if you have two girls left , maybe best to get another one to make a threesome. Can get them easy enough from Fresh start for hens 2.50 pounds of pure pleasure.
Again not what you do but more often how lucky you catch things not quite right.
Bob

[juilly]

Hi Bob, we still have four girls left. We were considering getting some extra ones but the ones we have left just seem so happy and settled at the moment I can't bring myself to disturb the peace!! Maybe in the spring we'll think about expanding the flock again! :)

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , unfortunately there are always plenty of girls looking for homes .
Have a good day and enjoy them .
Bob