Midder's Bok Boks

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sandy
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by sandy »

I know the rats were after Ginger and friends eggs in Chicken Run but I am sure you wouldve seen some sort of evidence if it was happening in real life? I lost the will to live and have employed a professional rat catcher! Glad the new girls are mingling well, love it when they are bottom but so full of spunk )t'
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/

Thomassio
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by Thomassio »

I confess I haven't fully read your diary yet, but I will after reading this page alone! AMAZING names! I hope I will find their explanations on the previous pages.
Midders
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

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Yep, I think you are right, Sandy, it's not a rat taking eggs, or if it is , it is very good t covering it's tracks and is also fussy as it is only Sportacus' eggs that are missing!!!! I do have a rat, it had made a home under my compost bin because I am in a daily battle with it- I fill the hole, it digs the hole, I fill the hole...... The Big Cheese is yet to
Work it's magic!

So it looks like Sportacus has just gone of laying. She is the only white chook I have and there were some white feathers in the coop at the beginning of the week so I thought she may be starting a molt. She is about 10months old, don't they have a small
Molt around their 1st birthday? Haven't seen any feathers since though but the other girls she shares a bedroom with could very possibly be eating them. She is eating ok but I have to say she looked a bit glum at times today. Not poorly looking but not as Leader of the Peck as she normally does. I'm not working tomorrow so I will keep a good eye on her all day. I'm really loving how the new girls have been accepted into the flock. My next step is to get them all into the wooden coop so as to free up the plastic coop for the next instalment of new ladies- not imminent but inevitable at some point!!! Hehehe love em!
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sandy
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by sandy »

I reckon Sportacus is having a mini moult, they can get very glum with it, hope she picks up soon. Stick some wire wool in the hole you keep blocking up, ratman says rats cant get through it, obviously wedge it in so they cant move under or other it. I am getting broody, now rats gone flooding again tonight }hairout{
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/
Midders
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by Midders »

Wire wool, good tip, thanks Sandy. Sportacus looks chirpy again but still isn't laying. She seems fine though so I a m not worrying about her. And , happily, all the girls are now sleeping in the wooden coop together, no fights, all one happy little family! So all in all, it was a very smooth process which I am very glad about! Just need the rat to toddle off and everything in chicken city will be rosey!
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sandy
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by sandy »

Good luck with migrating ratty! I love it when they all sleep together for the first time, I call them sleepy peas {hug} you are very lucky.
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/
Midders
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by Midders »

Well, a few weeks on and I am
Not sure Sportacus ever stopped laying- I have since found soft eggs in the coop and now suspect she has been laying softies and the girls have gobbled them up before me seeing!

I don't think I bought a very good quality grit and oyster she'll last time I replenished my stock. I have now started feeding the girls egg shells and have mixed limestone flour into their layers pellets (arvo- don't know if this is a good brand). I thought this had sorted the problem, after a few more soft shells and a couple of strange calcified eggs, the girls seemed back on track and laying 5 lovely eggs a day as normal. But this
Morning I have discovered 2 softies in the coop!!!! The softies are spreading!!!!! Eek! What else can I do? My girls are all under a year old but old enough to have been laying for a while. I thought they were really into their laying pattern. Oh, they certainly keep me guessing!
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by Thomassio »

I will be watching with interest. I haven't experienced any soft shells except when one of my girls laid at 9pm instead of the usual early mornings. Fingers crossed they get the routine sorted for you!
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

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Softie update- I have added limestone flour to their pellets, have been feeding them a delicious mix of crushed egg shells, cheese and cucumber, which they lurve!... And have changed to a poultry grit with a lot more oyster shell in it. And, guess what it has worked! No more softies.
Have had a different chicken problem this week, Barchick, who was laying soft shells then went on to lay a massive double yolker which resulted in a prolapse, poor girl. I took her to the avian vet and he put the prolapse back in and gave her some anti
Inflamitories. He told me to watch her for a course of days but if it was still coming out by yesterday then she would have to be put to sleep. I kept her separated from the rest, kept popping the prolapse back in like her showed me and , even though it popped
Out again yesterday I decided , as she was looking happy enough, I would not return to the vet. I haven t had to replace it today, am still giving her the medicine and , although it still looks a bit sore, I am confident that with t l c she will recover. She has laid 2 eggs since without prolapse, it's the poop that seems to make it come out again. I'm not gonna give up on her though, she is bottom of pecking order but a determined little lady with such a lovely temperament, I just love her to bits.
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

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I spoke too soon when I said the softies were gone :( just went to collect the last egg and tuck girls in for the night and there was a softie. Think it might be Sportacus again. Don't know what else to do? They have egg ahells, oyster shell and limestone flour on their pellets :(
Batchick still has a bit of a vent problem. She has a messy bottom now, although the prolapse isn't showing now her bottom feathers are wet, not fluffy like normal and I have had to wipe poop from her a couple of times today. She is a bit smelly now because of this. I will give her a bath tomorrow. She has a few days left of the antibiotics. She seems fine in herself and seems to lay her eggs no problem. I do think it is getting better though and from what I have read it can take a week or so. I also read that I will
HAve to watch her from now on as it is likely to happen again.
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KarenE
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by KarenE »

Oh dear, I hope Batchicks going to be okay. My little gabby had a near prolapse when she got her egg stuck, I had her up to the vet and she had anti inflamatory and painkillers and it seemed to do the trick although I was worried sick about her for days afterwards in case she did prolapse when laying. Give Batchick a stern talking to and tell her to pack in the laying for a week or so. I found gabby got very dirty too at the rear end and I wiped her down with salted water on the vets advice.
Karen
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

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She seems a bit better today, I am on a constant vent patrol to make sure it is still in place- I swear she thinks I'm bonkers , a mad woman who keeps staring at her butt! She is back in with the others and acting normally. I have a few more days of anti inflammatory to give her. Looks like she is going to be ok.
As far as the softies go, I read last night that soft shells can appear when moulting? Anyone know if this is true? If it is , it might just answer my on going softie problem as I think 3 girls are loosing feathers, they are looking a bit bedraggled and there are a few feathers floating round the garden!
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KarenE
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by KarenE »

Good to hear Batchick seems to be ok today.

Softies could be a sign that a moult's on the way, as well as a slowing down or stopping of laying and general misery and unhappy looking chooks. They can also be a sign of calcium shortage - you could give oyster shell grit or limestone flour if you think this is the problem. If they are moulting, maybe just top up their protein as they'll be pumping everything into feather growth - mealworms, sunflower seeds sardines even.
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by Midders »

I think you are right about the moult, Karen- my marigold now has a completely bare bottom and 2 other girls are looking a bit tatty too. Batchick's prolapse seems to be healed but she was very quiet today, stayed away from the others and took herself to bed mid afternoon despite the glorious sunshine. I have checked her over and her vent doesn't look sore or anything, her bottom is clean so it doesn't look like an infection I don't think. I am hoping that she is a bit sorry for herself due to a beginning moult. Is it normal for them all to decide to moult together? Do they kind of get into a moult sync maybe?
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KarenE
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Re: Midder's Bok Boks

Post by KarenE »

I don't know if they do team moults, although my lot did seem to shed a few feathers all around the same time but that might've been coincidence as they were all different ages. I think it also does depend on their age, as chooks moult at certain times in their lifespans if i recall correctly, so it's possible yours may moult together.

if Batchick is moulting at the same time as getting over a prolapse, she has to be the most masochistic chook ever! But it is possible.

Try them on a tin of sardines in tomato sauce - my lot love them and it's a good source of protein (not too often though otherwise apparently you get fishy eggs). Sunflower seeds have done wonders for my little Ronnie, who was going through a really bad moult when she got to me, so much so that she could barely walk in a straight line. She's feathering up nicely now and hardly does her staggering walk at all. If you do have moults coming on, don't be surprised to see very unhappy or sick looking chickens - it really can take it out of them. Ronnie I've already mentioned, and my little Gabby went off her feet, she was practically crawling and sitting down a lot (had me really worried) and she only had a little moult. If they take it bad, add some limestone flour as well as apparently that helps to strengthen their muscles too.
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper

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