karen's chicken diary

[sandy]

They look so happy running around Bless Ronnie with the wind buffeting her. How do you manage to keep your nails so nice lovely

[KarenE]

My nails?? They're all split and cracked and chipped, suppose you can't really see it on the video. Must've been the way I lighted the video

[Thomassio]

Love the video of Ronnie, she looks like she's starting to doze off with the tickles!

[KarenE]

Haven't posted on here for a while. I think Remie has been keeping everyone up to speed with our goings on - I assume so as i of course am not allowed to look on their diary.

Had to get Ronnie up to the vets today, the poor little thing has been looking out of sorts for a couple of days, taking herself off to bed early and I noticed yesterday her poo was a very yellow colour, and she was shaking her head. So of course EYP springs to mind, especially as she looks quite bulky under there now that she's got her feathers. Not EYP thank goodness but definitely an infection of some kind, the vet reckons localised and possibly respiratory so she and Remie are both on tylan now. I wonder whether it's something that's been lurking round for a while as Nugget died of one a few months back (still miss her every day). The vet said Ron was her second chicken of the day with a respiratory infection so maybe it's the season for them.

Ron didn't like the trip at all, she got extremely distressed, panting and beak wide open breathing. She's settled back down now she's back in her garden, and thankfully has been drinking her tylan water- I guess having a temperature helps - so hopefully that will start to kick in. I'm going to go give them some sardines to make sure she's getting some protein as she seems to be avoiding pellets (but was loving some mealworms)

Remie is perfectly fine although more than a little lonely as Ronnie isn't the most sociable of chooks even when she's well. We've definitely got to get some mates for remie, so we've finally ordered the chicken wire and wood so hubby can start on the super run. We'll definitely rehome some ex batts but stupidly I didn't reserve some from next weeks FSFH rescue so we'll have to wait for the one after

Remie definitely a lap sitter, and a shoulder and head sitter too when hubby shows up. She is a bundle of energy and bombs round the garden, coming down to stare through the kitchen window at us until we go out to play with her. She even ventured into the house the other day (she may have been slightly enticed in by a treat, I couldn't possibly confirm that) but generally sticks to the top step of the utility room and calls for treats. Yesterday she was super brave and ventured into the kitchen doorway which paid dividends as she found a chili tortilla chip that had been dropped there. She scoffed it straight down so must like spicy food

I have some photos of Ron and her lovely new feathers - she is looking smashing lately, so I'll post them when I've uploaded them to PB.

[Linda S]

Aw Karen I have a lovely image of Remmie demanding the attention that a chik of her stsnding rightfully deserves.,
She has certainly get her human slaves trained very well its a good job she can,t work a keyboard and get on here or she would be a formidable force to deal with tutoring other chiks in espionage and goodness knows what else

Lots of Love and Healing thoughts to lovely Ronnie I bope she is soon back to full health and enjoying life Lindaxx

[KarenE]

Tell me about it Linda... she's just been 'helping' me plant out some sweetcorn, tomatoes and pumpkins by helpfully pulling them out of the holes I dug and eating the leaves At least Ronnie is well behaved, even when she's in full health!

[sandy]

Karen what is going on with the girls! Come on Ron, you get better soon girlie your mummy has been through enough this year. We are sending the Ron lots of . We are also hoping Remie will not be sharing her new dietary preferences whith ay other girl

[HenPen]

Poor old Ronnie. Glad you got her checked early - hopefully she will be back to full health soon. Can't wait to see photos of her now she is fully feathered and gorgeous.

Remie sounds like such a character!

[aishakali]

How is Ronnie Karen?

[KarenE]

Hi everyone

Ronnie's about the same, thanks for asking Lyn. Very slow and bumbly, did lots of sitting down yesterday but I think less today. She's still not great though, hardly eating (not that she gets much chance with Remie) but is pecking the odd bit of grass and mealworm and sunflower seed. Her comb seems a bit purply today but it's only day 2 on the tylan so hopefully that will kick in properly tomorrow. Little beggar is going to any water source that isn't her medicated water though so I have to keep picking her up and taking her to the water. They aren't let out till the afternoon though so she's on tylan water all morning and the only other source of water in the garden (apart from the drops that gather on leaves etc) is also medicated.

She wouldn't touch the sardines I gave yesterday or the mash I made up today so I may have to try her on scrambled eggs today. Bloomin Remie has scoffed all my sweetcorn leaves - my own fault as I didn't tie the gates on after putting chicken-keep-out panels around my newly planted out veg.

Here's some pics of Ron, taken before she became ill

Preening, just because she can!



Nearly a fluffly bum



Now that's what I call a fluffly bum!



And finally - waiting for the chimenea to be lit

[HenPen]

Wow Karen, she looks amazing. Definitely an Eggbox Model!

I hope she is fully better soon

[sandy]

Isn't it just so annoying when they will drink from muddy pools, bird baths anywhere but where they should do! Day 2 of tylan is very early so do not worry too much for now(oh so easy to say) once again we are sending Ronnie so much
Lovely photos of her, bet Lyn will enjoy those bloomer shots

[aishakali]

Hope Ronnie responds well to the Tylan Karen. Sweetie was on the soluble Tylan for 10 days with no improvement :-(. Then she was put on Baytril but I had to give her it with a syringe. She did improve but it still chesty and noisy breathing. Just taking it one day at a time now. Fingers crossed It works on Ron bless her.
Love the bloomer shots. Haven't had a fix for ages! X

[KarenE]

Yes, Remie has the softest fluffliest bloomers - I can't resist giving them a tickle whenever she passes by and she's very patient and doesn't seem to mind a bit.

My name is karen, and I'm a hen fluffy bum addict...

Ron trotted off to bed early again today. She's on tylan for 7 days so there's a fair time to go as you said Sandy. I hope she starts picking up soon, I shall feel so guilty if anything happens to her, as I rehomed her to give her a better time than she was having with her former flock. Plus she's quite a sweet girl, she reminds me of my Cassie, who also used to love snuggling up next to me much like Ron does - or did till I took her to the scary needle (wo)man, and keep taking her away from her favourite puddle water.

Sorry to hear tylan didn't work so well with Sweetie Lyn. i really hope it works on Ron. I really really wish I had got Nugget to the vets as soon as I noticed it, but the tylan didn't work at all on her by the time we got it into her, maybe baytril might have kept her with us a while longer. Hope sweetie's on the mend soon

Just saw the next FSFH rescue is 19th july and got all excited until I remembered we're away on 27th july I daren't leave new hens and old together after only a week! Looks like I'm fated not to get any rescue girls any time soon

[sandy]

Stop right now NO GUILTY FEELINGS! You should know by now none of us can control our girl's health, we do not give them eyp,tumours,entititus or any other kind of infection. Ron is so so lucky to have landed a home with you