Louise's Chicken Diary

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Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi everyone. Hope everyone and their critters are doing well and keeping safe and warm. It's been another age since I last posted. Don't know where the time is going. The weeks are speeding by and that's even without me going to work!! I am touching wood as I write this as I don't want to tempt fate, but we are all OK. I give old Violet cod liver oil and I am sure this is doing her the world of good. She practically flew down the garden today with the other girls and it does my heart so good to see her like that. We still have an issue with Vera and her pecking behaviour. She is not aggressive in the least, but I think she really does like the taste of Aggie's neck feathers. I keep rubbing vaseline on poor Aggie, who is wondering to herself what's this all about and why does no one else get lashing of vaseline around their necks. Just been on line to order some of the purple spray and am hoping this will do the trick. I have got some anti pecking spray, but it really doesn't seem to be doing much good and it certainly doesn't deter Vera. Very cold here to today in Stockport and it is threatening to snow so I have got the girls cleaned out and their beds topped up with straw so at least they can have a cosy night. I am also dying to give Ivy a bath to get rid of her mucky bum. I have cut down on their greens so I really don't know what causes her mucky bum, not that she seems to care in the least. Hope everyone stays safe and well.

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kitla
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by kitla »

I hope your chooks are appreciating your efforts, I've lined my lots beds with extra straw too & extra NE wind protection in the run. Feather pecking can be due to protein craving. My Bonny once had an absurdly long broody spell & came out of it feather pecking like mad, I gave her lots of mealworms & things and she stopped doing it.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

Good to hear all well with your girls, my Madeline had no neck feathers but they have now grown due to the passing of Myfawnwy who only pecked feathers fro Madeline!
Its weird, both Abbie and Olive pecked feathers its quite hard to deter }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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

You are right Sandy, it does seem hard to deter. I have noticed both Vera and now Agnes eating feathers that have fallen on their run floor. They have lots of mealworms and I worry that I am giving them too many. I have just come to the conclusion that they enjoy the taste of the feathers - how weird!!
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

How is it going CC? You know when you think about it, feather eating is almost cannabilistic yike*
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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Sandy and everyone. This feather pecking business is still a huge issue. Poor Agnes now has a bare neck that is covered in purple spray (and so am I!!). I have tried everything from vaseline to anti peck spray and the purple antiseptic spray. I Nothing seems to deter Vera!!! I took drastic action yesterday as my husband felt so sorry for Aggie and said we should separate them to give her quills time to recover and regrow. They are all out in their run together during the daytime, but I think most feather pecking goes on behind closed doors. So I thought and thought about it and decided to put Aggie with old Violet (who has given up pecking at the babies and now just can't be bothered. Aggie and Vi went in together at lock up time and Ivy and Vera went in the other coop together. Well I spent all night worried sick about them all. Would they go to bed, would they peck each other because they were with different room mates??!! I had no idea so got up before the crack of dawn to check everyone was in bed. What a relief, everyone was still in bed until it got light and when everyone got up they were all still alive. I think, hope, this may be the way forward and I will keep it up for a while. If Vera decides to take a bit out of Ivy, she will get a good peck back and it may make her think about biting anyone else - that's the theory anyway. Hope everyone else and their animals are all keeping well. If anyone's got any other suggestions regarding this feather pecking business, I would love to hear. I have increased their calcium with supplying more of the oyster shell and they have crushed egg shell every day. Take care everyone.
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi everyone. Hope everyone and their animals are all OK and doing well. I am having a bit of a worrying time at the moment with my Ivy. Yesterday she would not come down from the nest box. I brought her down and she was very bewildered. She was hardly moving and just kept looking around as if everything was very unfamiliar. The day before she was absolutely fine and running around the garden. Don't these things happen so quickly with chickens??!! We wondered if she was going blind or maybe a stroke. We syringed water into her as she would not go near her bowl and I gave her some sardines (which she ate). I have brought her down again this morning and she has had some more fish and gone to her bowl to drink water. She seems very confused, but I am glad she is drinking for herself. I am keeping everything crossed that she will be OK. Has anyone got any ideas? Thank you.
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

Oh CC not been able to get on here until now >coc< How is Ivy doing now? is she making any strange noises at all? wondered if she may be broody?
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/
Gwenoakes
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Gwenoakes »

Hi, CC.
Sorry to hear about your lady and got to admit my first thought was 'broody'. I hope you get to the bottom of it soon, but good news she is drinking for herself.
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Sandy and Gwen and thanks for your replies. Ivy is not doing too badly at the moment. She is eating and drinking on her own and enjoying a peck around her run. This morning was the first morning she actually came down on her own from the nest box. Although we are having a little bit of improvement, she still seems confused. She is not making any strange noises. It is just as if her personality has changed literally overnight. Still we are moving in the right direction, thank goodness. This is a real funny one and I can't put my finger on it. I think these chickens will be the death of me!!!! The good thing is that she doesn't seem distressed in any way and has even been having a dust bath. I am keeping everything crossed for her. Thanks again for your input. Friends on here are priceless when it comes to this chicken keeping lark.
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

Hi CC )wav(
Sorry so lax on here, glad all well your end x
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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi everyone. Well I still have this problem with Vera feather pecking (poor Aggie is still bald). I am having to separate her at times as she has started to pick on Ivy now as well. Ivy's sight is not good now, but she is still doing her own little chickeny things. So Vera has to be separated when I am not around to oversee things. She even has to go to bed on her own as I put Aggie in with Ivy and Vi. She seems happy enough, but it makes me feel guilty and then I think of the damage she has done to poor Aggie and I know I must do this. Don't think I will get to the bottom of this one. I have never had this problem before. Tried everything including anti peck spray, buckets of mealworms (too many I think). Hope everyone else and their pets are doing well and enjoying this more Spring like weather.
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

i know it sounds like im teaching you to suck eggs but do you have food bowls plus one for each of them? Try putting veg etc in wire bird feeders hung up and a mirror?Poor you I had this problem years ago.
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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Sandy - Food and water bowls all over the place and fresh veg every day. Vera will even have a go when they are all out in the garden when there is plenty to do. It's just a really bad habit I think. Thanks for your ideas Sandy. I am always open and appreciate everyone's ideas and advice.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi keep well and I am slowly catching up .
troublrs all round ,but we all get it sorted .
Bob

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