I cried today....

[Lumpy]

Thank you all for your kind words - the virtual support has been a brilliant thing to have.

Anyhow, the girls...well they now seem to be in charge of my daily routine.

I was really worried about Gert, the skinny little oven ready as she keep on freezing when one of the others went anywhere near her. However, I think that now they have settled down as a family they are getting on really well.


Gert even has some feathers appearing on her back and belly - I'm relieved because she might not be so cold over winter.

We have had eggs everyday - a couple of them have had deformed bits of shell and I call them franceneggs. The BHWT said it was normal when they get a change of diet that includes more calcium and protein.

[Nicos]

So glad they are doing well!
Nothing like a bit of love, care and pampering is there?

Any chance....just out of interest...of piccies of the unusual eggs?

[Bill HH]

Oh god! Why are they bald?
I stayed off eggs for a year when I went fully vegan but have started having a few lately, I think this has put me back off them.
I thought as a farmer you would look at your stock and think oh that one is loosing its feathers, Ill take it to the vets. Obviously not.
Well at least you have took 3 out of the hell hole that has been their home for god knows how long. x

You have to remember these birds have been working hard laying eggs for 12 months or more, egg quality goes down compared to the lovely pullet eggs they first layed. In my opinion they need to malt, have a rest from laying eggs and then come back fully feathered and refreshed. I can't quite remember how we brought on a forced malt but it involved feeding low protein food (just mixed corn). When malting they look truly awful for a while but they deserve a rest.

[bussinspain]

Well done you and good luck. I am sure they will thank you soon. Keep us posted with some "in progress" photos please

[veggiechicken]

Mrs Pebbles - White, now 2 years old, is moulting at the moment. Every time she shakes more feathers fly out. She's also stopped laying. All this is quite natural and I'm not worried about it. Whether she'll end up as bald as Lumpy's I don't know.

[Lumpy]

Thankfully ours are not losing any at all - Gert has a very distinct stubble on the back now. Maud's back seems to be thickening up and there small fluffy feathers are now pure white. I'm not sure if thats the food or the fact they roll around cleaning themselves.

[jackarmy]

I took on 4 three years ago Lumpy, one of which didnt make it.
I worked my little butt off to make them a cracking home etc and within a fortnight they were diferent birds, venturing down the steps and into the kitchen, a complete joy.
Unfourtunatley i fell ill not long later and was unable to care for them through the winter so sadly had to give them to a friend. although they are still happy .

One of my first jobs when i get my lotty will be a chook house if at all possible and a couple more can retire in peace.

[Lumpy]

They do make me laugh as I watch Gert trying to chase a fly, Maud standing on a log trying to look like a weather vane or Elsie eating.

Talking about Elsie and her eating.....she just does not stop. She is beginning to look like a feathery football with a beak and increasingly bowed little legs.
I have no idea how to limit her eating but the OH did suggest super glueing her beak together for a day or two. He was joking!

This is how they looked this morning



We have had a couple of Frankeneggs. I think it's Elsie again who appears to lay every other day. She probably thinks its a waste of grub time.

We have had a few worse than this one but they were tasty no the less.