New girls are real chickens! lol

[lettucegrow!]

Surely they are settled with you now,Sheena what's another two!!!
I have to disagree with you Buffs on this one. I had my time off work to police the settling and tried all those things and it was carrying on and I was so worried about the damage that was being caused that I resorted to the spray. I couldn't be there and the spray did work. It smells horrid but it did the trick. They are now OK.
Back to yours Sheena can they not stay with you? You've done all the hard work and they are happy ,it would be sad to move them again.

[sheena]

I agree with you lettuce, i'd love for them to stay. But they were never intended to stay and I was a stop gap until my friend got a run. However I haven't seen or heard from them since and they had asked if they could pop round and see them. That was almost 2 weeks ago!
So i'm guessing they might be here for the long haul, fingers crossed x

Feeling a bit mother hen'd out at the mo, 3 of my girl's have all gone down with problems and all similar. Hubby thinks the new girl's may have passed on something to them, but they have never shown any signs.

So far we've had 2 bloody vent's and Baldy popped out an egg (good job it was soft shelled) but it must of burst on exit as the shell was still hanging from her vent. I removed this as gently as I could and all 3 have had bath's.
There's no swelling as far as I can see, #1 spent last night indoors and had perked up by this morning so have placed her back in the run. That was when I found #2 and she looks the worse one. Vent is quite bad and bloody and she's just resting in the box next to me.
Baldy (my ex-batt) is looking brighter but gonna make sure she's ok still in the next few hours. She's currently running around the living room when she's not being fussed by my son.

[sheena]

Sadly #2 didn't make it, but #1 is fighting fit again and Baldy is plodding around but still not 100% just yet.

[Suechooks]

Just a thought - could the new girls be vent-pecking? A nasty habit that can get out of hand.
Really sorry you've lost her though.

[sheena]

I've not noticed them doing it, although #1 and the new girls had a bit of a scrap this afternoon. #1 looks like she's either moulting or been picked on at some point, around her head there are quite a few missing feathers. But she let rip into the new girl's today cos she wanted to get out the house and they had both perched themselves on the ladder.

She took one of them off the ladder by her neck feathers and pinned her to the floor, if she hadn't of stopped I might of intervened, but it was over as quick as it started. But i'll keep an extra watchful eye.

[Stepping Hen]

New keeper

hi all. I am enjoying reading your posts and am a first time hen keeper. coop run and hens expected by may 10th.Am excited!

[MaureenHall]

Welcome to the Vine and Chookaholics anonymous Stepping Hen Please post some pictures when you get your girls - we all like to be nosey and have yet another chance to "oooo" and "aaahhhhhhh"

[sheena]

Welcome to the Vine and Chookaholics anonymous Stepping Hen Please post some pictures when you get your girls - we all like to be nosey and have yet another chance to "oooo" and "aaahhhhhhh"

I'll second Maureen's welcome and notion... be prepared to be addicted!
Always make sure you got room for at least 2 more when you get your run, as you will get more than you planned to in the end! lol

I know we've all gone cluckers when it comes to our girl's (and boy's for some).

[dexterdoglancashire]

'The Haynes' Chicken Manual!'

You are pulling my leg arent you? Having looked at various motorbike and car Haynes manuals over the years - is there really one on Chook Keeping? Please can you let me have the ISBN no?
Thanks in advance
Bernie

[sheena]

You are pulling my leg arent you? Having looked at various motorbike and car Haynes manuals over the years - is there really one on Chook Keeping? Please can you let me have the ISBN no?
Thanks in advance
Bernie

I just googled it and well... you could knock me down with a feather

Chicken Manual: The Complete Step-by-step Guide to Keeping Chickens (Hardcover)
Product details
Hardcover: 200 pages
Publisher: J H Haynes & Co Ltd (4 Feb 2010)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1844257290
ISBN-13: 978-1844257294

[dexterdoglancashire]

I just googled it and well... you could knock me down with a feather

Chicken Manual: The Complete Step-by-step Guide to Keeping Chickens (Hardcover)
Product details
Hardcover: 200 pages
Publisher: J H Haynes & Co Ltd (4 Feb 2010)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1844257290
ISBN-13: 978-1844257294

Thanks for that!