The didn't have any limestone flour in stock where I normally get my chicken stuff from locally so I've just ordered some Calcivet online which should come in a couple of days. I'll try some ground egg shells in the meantime. Thanks everyone - oh they are a worry sometimes wouldn't be without them t...

Thanks for your help guys. Panic over I think as after a lot a straining she's just laid in the middle of the lawn. Do you think this was a 'one off' or she may struggle again tomorrow?

I'm at work and my hubbie has called me to say there seems to be a problem with one of our girls. She's our livliest and most friendliest girl but he said this morning she seems really lathargic and keeps closing her eyes. We just wondered whether the wind had kept her awake as it was really bad her...

Since Christmas our girls have had free reign in the greenhouse which has been a godsend during the cold winter months. We took a pane of glass out and added a little opening so they could get straight in from their run. However, we've had a few warmish and sunny days this week so we decided it was ...

They look very 'chilled' I love trying to creep around to the run so I can see what they're up to before they see me. Their ears must be supper sensitive though because they hear the slightest noise and then start the 'get me out of here' dance

I know what you mean about the veggie patch grandmaeileen, ours was shortned so the girls could take up residence and now I've trying to persuade hubby to extend the run which will take off a bit more They're worth the sacrifice though

Hi Manda, yes they were wormed last month with Flub and they have Vermex every month. Bluebells had a runny bum on and off since we had her, sometimes it's worse than others. I was talking to a vet at the weekend at a show who advised giving her ACV for a couple of weeks in the water although they h...

Hi Alun, one of our girls has a bare behind at the moment too which we thought was just moulting. She also has a runny bum and so her feathers became matted too which made her look even worse. We gave her a bath last weekend (which she wasn't keen on although other people say their girls love it ). ...

With regard to the savoy cabbages I put half in the run at the beginning of last week on a stick stuck into a piece of wood that I also put a broccoli head on for them. Anyway, the savoy cabbage sat there for three days without being touched so I thought they didn't want it. Took it off the stick an...

Hi Mike, someone's just posted that their girls don't like Lavender but my girls love it. They strip it bear and then trample all over it for good measure When we got the girls last year we had a lot of hyssops in pots and they were completely back to bare sticks within a couple of weeks

Hi Jackian, I love looking at all the piccs I've taken of my girls but this little devil's always into everything and this makes me smile

I don't know whether this comes under the 'silly questions' category but my girls currently have access to the greenhouse and love to dust bathe in the fine soil in there. I've read on previous posts about putting mite powder into the dust baths but I'm worried about putting it down in there because...

One of our girls has a bare neck too, we thought she was just moulting. One of our others has been moulting around the bottom area and now has quite a bald patch. I wasn't unduly worried about either of them and they are both still active and laying

Hi bettythebass, me and my hubbie dream of doing that all the time. We'd love to give up our jobs and have a smallholding with chickens, pigs and a goat. I'd then have lots more room to rescue some ex-battys and the time to spend with them. All a dream at the moment though The amount our girls have ...

We have a Bluebelle who's had a runny bum pretty much since we got her last August. Sometimes it's worse than others but she she seems to be happy and healthy. Although I worry about whether she's ok it doesn't seem to bother her apart from having a mucky behind so I wonder if that's just the way sh...