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[adrian cobb]

I was so happy that my girls saddles arrived today. I got 3 for the most bald bats. The others seem to be fluffing up quite nicely.
But I'm worried that they're too big... they don't lie flat on their backs. Still, I'm hopeful they'll be protected.

Less limping today, and unless you knew about the war wound I'm sure no one would notice from a cursory glance.

What living arrangements do people create when they separate Roos from girls? I've got a greenhouse, but was hoping it'd be a temporary home for an occasional visitor, rather than a more permanent roo-separation staycation !

I have fenced off about 30" square in the main run. Converted an apex into two room hen house, insulated against the cold nights we are having now. I used a fine mesh and doubled it over, as they tend to fight through the fence. This just stops any physical contact but allows them to interact and get use to each other.

I think I will wait until they have good feathers and are fit and strong before I allow them to join the others.

Im sure some of the more experienced members can give better advice.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi
Hope everyone is doing well? All birds ok I hope

@rebrascora

Hi Barbara

Hope you and all your beasties are doing well? Hope you have managed to keep up with the riding, it sure sounded like you were doing well last week. I'm afraid I've been bad again and not ridden at all. To be quite honest I'm a bit worried about Harry horse at the moment and if he does not improve I'm going to get the vet out I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong but it's something. He seems to have lost his spark at the moment. I don't know if it's the change of weather and coming in on a night, his arthritis, age or something else. He really is morbid, moping about and not even excited to go out in a morning like he used to be. It's like dragging a seaside donkey to the field in a morning. He's eating and drinking as normal but his coat is looking a bit off :/ I know he goes a bit greasy when the thick winter coat comes through but he just isn't right. Maybe some blood work will show something up? Either way he has until Sunday to perk up and if not going to get them out next week. I just have that feeling something's wrong as I'm sure you understand. Fingers crossed it's just the change in the various things right now

How did your hatch go? Cute little fluff balls added to the flock
I finally got the picked on hen back on with the others, she was very wary when I actually popped her back in but she's got some confidence back and is settling in well again. Was a long job getting her in as I was letting her out of the little jail coop so she could potter about around their run. They were not impressed with her being out and them in but they shouldn't have attacked her like they did! Hope all is well in your flock?

The delivery job is going ok, just trying to get used to the route and to be organised with the parcels in my van. Some houses are hard to find though, especially when they have the house names hidden on tiny plaques in their hedges! Or there is no one home or there are big dogs running loose in the gardens! Until I started this job I didn't realise how many hazards were out there for delivery folk!

Hope your having a fab week Barbara

Kim xx

 

[Rudies Roost]

...

Hi
Hope everyone is doing well? All birds ok I hope

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hiyah! It's been quiet on here lately. I have mixed fortunes....I have many bald hens and plenty walking around like hedgehogs with their pin feathers, bless them, lots of moulters but still a good 5-8 eggs a day so I'll not complain.

Unfortunately, I've had another hen go down to the dreaded Mareks. My Splash Marans is currently holed up with it...I thought Marans were disease resistant?...it appears not.

My Partridge Wyandotte has yet again gone broody...she's firmly parked in my ducks bed, I have no idea how she and her eggs don't get trampled by them at night....there is 5 of them and they're pretty raucous!. I really don't want any chicks just now but after the Summer's brooders sat on a ton of eggs which amounted to nothing (I ended up buying them some chicks to rear), I'm fairly confident nothing will come to fruition.

So all in all, a fairly mixed bag here. My daughter is loving secondary school so that's a massive relief....though all these different after (and before) school club finishing times are driving me mad...I can't keep up. I feel like I'm clock watching all day long! Half term next week so it'll be nice to catch up with her!

Hope everything with everyone else is not quite as rubbish as it is here!!

Sasha xx

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Oh Sasha, sorry to hear about the mareks That sure is pants! I hope she can pull through it

Yes lots of molting going on here too, all of a sudden my white crested blacks are dropping feathers like no ones business! With how many feathers are on the floor and in the coop they should be bald but they don't actually look too bad. A bit ratty yes but not bald.

A broody hen You never know because your not expecting anything to come of it you will end with chicks!

Great to hear your daughter is enjoying school, wish the same could be said for Charlie! He used to go to a few clubs after school in the first year but the novelty soon wore off with him. He will do anything to spend as little time there as possible now. He's very much looking forward to next week off

Hope things pick up for you soon

 

[Rudies Roost]

Oh Sasha, sorry to hear about the mareks That sure is pants! I hope she can pull through it

Yes lots of molting going on here too, all of a sudden my white crested blacks are dropping feathers like no ones business! With how many feathers are on the floor and in the coop they should be bald but they don't actually look too bad. A bit ratty yes but not bald.

A broody hen You never know because your not expecting anything to come of it you will end with chicks!

Great to hear your daughter is enjoying school, wish the same could be said for Charlie! He used to go to a few clubs after school in the first year but the novelty soon wore off with him. He will do anything to spend as little time there as possible now. He's very much looking forward to next week off

Hope things pick up for you soon

Thanks @Yorkshirecoop I don't hold out much hope for my Marans, I've brought one back from it before but they just succumb to it again. I'll give her till Monday then it may be a PTS...it's too long and drawn out otherwise in my opinion.

I really dont want chicks!! She is also sitting on a duck egg...I def don't need anymore of them!

It does surprise me how the birds all moult differently....Lola, my hybrid legbar literally sheds everywhere she goes...if I didn't know different, this morning, I'd have thought an animal had attacked the coop with all the feathers! My Welsummer is also having a harsh one yet my Sussex, my Pencilled Barred Rock and my mutt of a cockerel have been quick and effortless.

Rain has held off here really but I'm sure it's due.....wellies at the ready!!

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi all....thought I'd post a few snaps of a few of my moulters. I've still got quite a few to even start yet (Silkies in particular) They really are feeling sorry for themselves, I'm sure they'd be devastated if they new I was sharing them at their worst!!!:

"Summa" The Welsummer with our Cockerel "Maiya" on the right and "Sienna" The Swedish Flower Chicken on the left who's not having too bad a time of the moult (next doors cheeky Pekins photo bombing too!)

"Dakota" our Black Rock, half way through:

And now....are you ready for the worst one? No...she is not a rescued battery hen, she is "Lola" a hybrid legbar that lays beautiful green eggs! She had a harsh moult last year too:

The Salmon Faverolle in the background is showing off her nice new feathers and her fluffy bum! Any one else got a worse moult pic??!

Have a great weekend all....Sasha x

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Oh those pics are great Sasha! Sharing them on the net though, if only they knew!

I'm sure there will be a molt picture contest soon, you should enter them. Will post a link to it for you when it starts

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Hi Barbara, could not wait for Sunday and Harry so got the vet out today. She could not find anything specific as I couldn't so she took bloods. She's just called me back now and they have shown he is anaemic and is getting over something. He's also being tested for cushings disease but that result won't be back until Monday/Tuesday. Once that result is in we can move forward with treating him and the anaemia. His heart murmur is also quite pronounced so has def got worse than when it was first diagnosed. I'm hoping the Cushings test comes back negative

 

[jessfn]

Hi all, I'm new to BYC, just to say hi from South Yorkshire.