Sandy's Pink Ladies

[sandy]

The girls are not liking this heat , Ruby climbed out of the cube at dusk to have a drink of water then climbed back up. Blanche-Beryl still scared of the girls, Beth of course is immediately below her, never known a bottom hen just submit to a newbie. BB has not even pecked Beth, Beth just seems to assume that is her place. Olive joined them for awhile, she told BB she was boss with just a good peck them wondered off but BB wouldn't even walk by her, hmmm this is going to be a long job especially as the heat has warped the doors so I have to brick up sections. Red mote back in cottage, dust and spray every night and every morning, girls are fine though. Star had her last spa yesterday, so pleased her wound has mended very nicely, was worried maybe I should have saved some baytril but its healed over lovely and her red comb is a joy to see. Not a lot else has happened, lots of cold water, melons and ice cubes and they will hate me because worming starts monday!

[lancashire lass]

Whats this? Bet Lancashire Lass will jnow


Onions?

Sorry, only just noticed this post - I'm surprised you haven't guessed that it is the wheat seed from the feed that has germinated LOL I've got it growing all over the allotment plot where I have dug in the chicken poop and bedding - as poop picking in the main run usually involves scooping up a bit of soil at the same time, some seed that I scatter around the run gets picked up as well. I'm not too bothered and they are easy to pull up, and in empty beds, hoe them in like a green manure to rot down.

[KarenE]

Yes, let it grow Sandy, it'll save you a fortune in mixed corn costs I've had allsorts sprouting around my garden - ears of corn, wheat stalks and even some sort of pumpkin thing I didn't plant!

Congratulations to you and olive of course for your triumph in the competition. I thought her acceptance speech was very dignified, as befits a celebrity diva.

How's BB coming on? are they any closer to integrating? And is poor little Beth okay too - it sounds like she's having a tough time lately what with Gwen's Disciples.

[sandy]

The mixing went a little better yesterday though only when I am in with them or within sight. Started the worm pellets yesterday morning but had to give them some mealworms and blackberries tonight as felt quilty so late home. Stuck in the lovely heat in a carjam, journey that takes 15 minutes went on for 90 Hence no mixing but did give BB and Beth an extra room to play in. Felt so mean yesterday, while mixing Beth had disappeared at 7.45, bless she had gone to bed in the cube and naughty mummy took her out! Having to clean the cottage every other day at the moment re red mite. Gone over to straw for bedding, not seperating it so I can move it easily and replace. Costing me a fortune! Had to stop using it when Elsie and Amanda-Jayne were around as they would eat it. Gave Star another spa too as although sore cleared up she will do runny poo all down her. Iris not being as loopy as normal so quick checkover noticed her comb and large wattles sunburnt. Both Olive and Iris has some vaseline covering but as Iris's wattles are so long they stuck together. Poor girlie(did look funny) had to rub a bit off on the inside of her wattles. Working to 3.00 tomorrow so hoping for some quality time of mixing again. So I am growing corn, whooppee

[sandy]

Has anyone seen Tremors? Well Blanche-Beryl seemed to adopt the position of the man who got up the top of the pylon and wouldn't come down! She joined in the scrum for blackberries and grapes then back up the perch! Deirdre had the protection of no nonsense Betty and Amanda-Jayne was just one brassy girl so their one of the rest intros went very well. New tactic may have to be adopted on saturday I think, she is a Pink Lady now so she needs to get on with the other girls, so grateful to the wonderful Beth who is a gem with her. For the first time overslept this morning in years! Girls got their food chucked at them and had to wait until this afternoon for their fresh water and poo pick Elsa was standing about a lot, checked her over and as with iris and Olive needed a bit of vaseline on her comb, very well tonight, very late again helping me put the food away and pack up the eggs. My neighbour and I have decided to battle through the brambles that are over taking our path to one another's hen houses as have never seen so many huge blackberries!

[Ladylil]

Poor old BB, she she'd still be her sisters if she wasn't such a noisy madam! Glad to see she's ok x

[KarenE]

Sandy, what has happened to Miss G Hen? Has she been poorly? I'm using my amazing powers of ESP as obviously I haven't read it on any other diary posts whatsoever

[sandy]

Laura, Blanche-Beryl found her voice today but still very low on the decibel scale upto the rest of her new family.
Karen, you haven't been reading The Henpals Diary
What do you do when you little Captain wont move, her vent and crop are fine, no way does she have worms or mites and she puts herself to bed in the middle of the day. You bring her up the house and give her another good check over. Her chest felt a bit crackly, her voice is always one big crackly sigh so that must be the problem or why would she be acting like she was doing. Huge drawback, no avian vets on, both on hols, was offered an appointment with Briony in the Thornbury practice 4 miles away but far too hot to take her that far when unwell. After a lot of umming and aahing realised Gwennie needed some meds so booked in to see any vet determined to come away with at least baytril.
Packed Gwen up and was seen by a nice young lady named Julia. The last time Gwen went to the vets was April last year and she was classed as a budgie! Obvioulsy Julia had been informed it was the chicken lady coming in with one of her babies as she was not surprised to see Gwen. Gwen stood stockstill while I informed her my girl had a rattly chest and needed baytril at the very least. Julia checked her all over gently, remarked what a pretty girl she was and agreed her chest was 8 out of 10 good as there was no liqiud in her lungs so the infection had been caught early. Came away with baytril and the pinky stuff which thank goodness has worked
Millie,Star and Silkiebabe have 5 new companions, guess who was left to show the newbies the way to bed, only took 30 minutes!
This morning Elsa

was doing the 'I have a softie" pose so she came up the house for a nice warm bath. As soon as she went back she got in the nestbox, a few minutes later she was eating her softie.

My grand plan to stop Blanche-Beryl to settle down was to put Iris and Gwen in with her and Beth, oh dear Iris made a straight run for her so swapped iris with Olive. Yes I know Olive is a pyscho, but bless she went upto BB to do her OCD pecking and BB squealed and ran so of course Olive chased her. Then Gwen chased Beth who just runs and then comes back so she chased BB who was up the plank again!
Olive and Martha-Joans, MJ along with Beth and Elsa celebrated their first anniversary today


As the plan didn't work decided on plan B, new girls to go with Beth and BB. Really would have liked to rehome some more batties but have to consider my present batties, BB and any new batties so decided on the only bird place open on a sunday and came home with an amber star, a bluebelle and a light bluebelle. OMG Beth did NOT shut up, she and BB stood together and howled. Beth then chased the newbies, chased mind you no attacking or pecking. This went on for hours, the howling that is, reminded me of Abbie's howl when Alice died. Eventually after an investigation by the neighbours I agreed to let Beth go back in with the ginger ninjas(twatty girl back to bottom hen) while BB got some bottle and fronted upto the bluebelle who backed down and went off for a dustbath!
Not Jack, Howling Mad Beth(you need to be of a certain age)

Spent time in with newbies, oh lovely they have their little pecking order but no violence and so I could spend time with lap sitters MJ and Elsa. Mj really does have lovely long eyelashes

Olive has been doing a lot of preening recently, I suppose a girl needs to keep up her appearance!

BB yesterday climbing upto safety

Beautiful Blanchie

And introducing Maureen Sheila(after my dad's sisters) the amber star and Megan MOO

Where are you these days Tammy????? As promised my first bluebelle would be called Violet Vera

Maureen such a gently girl just like Star Ped



Look at that mouth on Beth!


Well I am sat here now with a bandage on my arm, took 45 minutes to get my girls to bed and nextdoors, put next door's 3 stragglers in the duckhouse as blood pouring from my arm! Megan caught me with her claws when I popped her in the cottage! After the 3 new girls were put to bed BB howled for ages! All now quiet just so happy BB is not scared of newbies and her confidence will grow as will the new girls, Violet is going to be a very big girl so final integration should be much better when it happens. Bummer is the girls have just finished worming and now there are 8 new girls that need worming

[sandy]

Well after the Beth howl to get back into Abbie section yesterday we had the Beth howl to get into Alice section because she wanted to lay in the cottage. Carelessly I left the dividing door open and Beth got in and straight up the ladder. This then caused Violet to stomp about and try and lay in a washing up bowl after she could stand it no longer she got up the ladder and joined Beth who usually takes a good 40 minutes to pop out her egg. Had the day off so big clean outs and time with the girls. This also involved clean out in Ped house as there are now 8 of them! At 2.30 gutted the cottage and sprayed redmite liquid all over and then of course Blanche was stood at the top of the ladder waiting to get in to lay After a hasty wipe and new straw, def the way to go at the moment with the every other day cleaning, BB rushed in and produced one of her little white eggs. Violet did the tiniest egg, bet it wasnt her first one as her comb is quite grown. The pecking order in Alice section is established although noticed number 2 Violet and number 4 Maureen sit together a lot.
The newbies


BB has really come out of herself, but is getting noisier all the time, reckon she must have been top hen in her previous home

Maureen, or Mo, so friendly just like an Amber Star always is, well Amber and Ped Star were/are




Megan, lovely frame, very aerodynamic




And the 'old' girls had a good day too, no one has yet sumo wrestled against the wires???
Ruby and Martha=Joans

The lovely nightowl Elsa, she enjoyed some lap time, I put a little stool between the dividing door and she was straight up

Iris had a bit more vaseline on her burnt come, she will throw herself all over the place, desperate for a tan

Even after she had laid Beth was starting her nonsense to go see BB


Iris likes to pose, bit green over Olive I think


Martha at her fav hobby

Gwen managed to spit half her baytril out this morning, but she is such a good girl to carry

Ruby's coat is as soft as it looks

Vi and MO

I am going to be in trouble with egg orders this week. I can now tell Violets and Blanche's eggs but everyone elses is a nightmare and as Beth is on baytril having to junk them back to the girls!
Played Benny HIll tonight with Ped girls, 3 were on top of the duckhouse, 'hello Mr Fox come get me' everytime I got one in and went for the next the other would get out and get back on top of duck house! After a good 10 minutes I hurried up and it was now very dark and got them all to stay in. Had to put Meg and Mo in the back door of the cottage as Violet sleeping on top of the ladder and I was too tired to play another game!
Beth was in the office so had to put her in the backdoor of the cube, phew!
At least everyone in all houses were fine, they got some yoghurt, grapes and toms this afternoon along with tons of blackberries. Work tomorrow so wont be there to hear the Beth morning howl!

[sandy]

Violet laid another baby egg, caught Ruby laying in the office so have 2 'good eggs' I cannot use the other 4 laid today as one of them could be Gwens! Everyone happy when I got home, Beth as I thought is squeaking, lost her voice bless her just hoe her throat isn't too sore. Maureen was on the roof of the cottage and Violet and Megan on the outside perch. My apart from Maureen they really don't like being picked up so another dodge of bloody arms and with the 3 stragglers nextdoor too. Getting confused with the flub pellets, my new girls should finish on monday and Ped newbies thursday So glad Plan B is working , Blanche seems such a relaxed happy girl now

[KarenE]

Poor beth, she won't know whether she's coming or going. I hope you've got some honey for that poor throat of hers!

Hope Gwensie is better?

Your new girls are all gorgeous - Megan especially is a very fine girl. What breed is she?

And new PED girls as well? You do have your work cut out! 2 is hard enough, never mind entire flocks of new girls

[sandy]

Kare Megan is a bluebella, they have obviously mated a bluebelle with a white hen! Gwen is better but it seems she is as Skesis pointed out a Typhoid Mary. My girls and nextdoors are all being treated for mycoplasma
On thursday I noticed Millie Ped was very quiet, on closer inspection I spotted bubbles in her eye. Booked her in for the afternoon , still avian not really sure vet Julie. She had read all about Millie's symptoms and gave the verdict. Tylan had to be ordered. Thursday evening Iris was sounding like a very happy cat purring. Sneezing and coughing. Friday morning Martha-Joans was the same and Megan was sneezing. I phoned from work on saturday and luckily the tylan had arrived so started everyone on it from saturday afternoon. Informed neighbour NOT to change his girl\s water, aha like he does daily. MJ was not only 'snotty' but limping badly. I did my best to check her legs but didn't want to stress her too much with her breathing, couldn't see anything but sprayed it purple anyway. Limp or not she was leaping up onto my lap so obviously not hurting her. This morning her limp seems to have gone but Iris and Elsa looking sorry for themselves. Iris came up the house for the very last bit of baytril I had left squeezed onto a digestive as didn't fancy chucking anything down her throat as I did the day before and she just chucked up all over me.



She ate the biscuit down like a good un and became totally rejuvenated when put back into the run. Elsa is showing not signs of 'purring' although she frequently breathes so you can see it on and off. Checked her all over and couldnt find anything she came up for some egg and dunked in biccie and wouldn't touch either so popped her in the greenhouse where she had a good scratch around


She is still quiet so maybe the myco is affecting her in a different way or she has some problem I haven't met yet? She did have a good run around for the ample huge blackberries just now. Of course all this tooing and frowing had to be done in horrendous rain! Millie Ped has lost the bubbly eye and she seems great but poor old Star Ped was 'purring' so up the house she came and really enjoyed the treat Elsa rejected



So all in all a very stressful time. Was hoping to do a few intros this weekend but that is right out of the window now. Violet,Megan and Maureen are sleeping on the hight perch in the run and I have let them as they are out of sight of the two new fox cubs that are gamboling around. Poor Blanche-Beryl has the cottage to herself. Of course I am also changin the bedding in the girl's houses every other day in fear of red mite. Cant even have a as awaiting a liver test!

[aishakali]

You're having a time of it Sandy, with yours and next doors hens. Hope things improve soon x

[KarenE]

Sandy, you aren't having that brilliant a time yourself are you?

So sorry to hear the girls have caught myco - it does make you wonder how these things come in in the first place doesn't it? I think I've got it under control in mine now everyone's been on a full course of tylan - I'm treating over 10 days, the vet's suggestion. It could be the stresses of intros I suppose makes it flare up, maybe the same with the bumblefoot?

Casper's bumblefoot could be general misfortune due to digging in the garden. She may have even come with it - I remember thinking she had big pads but I didn't really check which of course I wish i had now as that was the bumblefoot starting. Or she could have nicked herself on some of the rubbish (bits of stone, allsorts) left lying around as their run was being built. Again the stress of intros could have lowered resistance to any infection. Perhaps the weather is also something to do with it? Who knows.

Chicken keeping is certainly a roller coaster ride! Hope your girls are on the mend now you have the tylan

[sandy]

Thanks girls, lovely to see you Lyn hows your Tattly Sal?
Right down for another check on the girlies