Recent content by richardeblack

Hello All I am currently down to one egg a day from my three young hens and am getting soft shell eggs as well. I have a fourth, Holly, who is fairly old and I don't think she is laying at all now. I have had two of them losing feathers and found an infestation of red mites which I am just about...

Interesting. I had him from a chick and he was always happy with me round the girls, even happy with me stroking them, it was just if I tried to pick them up with him there. I'd love to know how you trained your cockerels to let you handle his girls with you there although I don't think I'll...

We had our first cockerel, Inkey, with our hens for about about 6 years and he wasn't aggressive without cause. He attacked me quite badly a couple of time, one causing me a trip to A&E, not serious but just precautionary, and attacked my wife a couple of times. The point was that in every...

No sign of Holly being poorly and no more lash eggs yet. The other poorly one, Buffy, is much better . Unbelievable recovery for hen at deaths door. Thanks for all the advice. Richard.

Well, not sure what happened but Buffy spend a lot of the intervening time being poorly but still wanting to eat so I just looked after her as well as I could. One day she just perked up and went from strength to strength. She is now better than she has been for ages. I have no illusions that...

Thank you very much. Yes, I've got Holly with this problem and you'd have no idea. She seems very happy. My other old one, Buffy, has water belly and I've drained her a couple of time and thought seriously about having her euthanased but decided to let nature take its course and she bucked up...

Sorry for taking so long to report back. I have checked Holly and she has a slightly bloated abdomen which is hard. Also the other three hens who are using the coop are all laying. We haven't had another lash egg but there are signs of white discharge round her vent. I will give her a soak in...

Thank you again. I will have a check in the morning when I let them out. Buffy, the old one who had suspected bumblefoot has had a very distended abdomen but it has just been fluid which I have drained a couple of times. I think it isost likely to be Holly as you stay it is unlikely to be one...

Thanks again for such a quick reply with so much information. Is it normal or common to get a perfect egg one day and a lash one the next day? It has occurred to me that it might be one of my old girls, Holly, who hasn't laid for about a year. I guess that as it is just puss this might be...

I've just been reading about baytril and it looks like I won't be able to use the eggs for 28 days or for the hen's life! I've no quarantine run so even if I can tell which one it is I can't treat her separately. Is there any other treatment anyone knows about. Thanks for the link. Very helpful...

Thanks for the quick response. I was worried that might be the problem. Would you expect it to manifest itself so quickly? Wouldn't you expect the poorly one to be off colour? Will it be obvious which one it is by looking at their vents? Is it safe to eat the eggs we got yesterday? Is it likely...

Hello All No sooner has one worry receded and another crops up. One of my hens (no idea which one) has laid a truly horrible egg. It is huge with a rubbery shell which has split apart to reveal a solid interior. Only 3 of the 5 I have lay as two are too old and haven't laid for ages. I had 3...

I really don't like to question such a nicely written, well intentioned and caring article but I think it is important to clarify the difference between the effects of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is definitely painless and quick but is difficult to do and...

Thank you very much That is pretty much what I have been thinking. I just wanted to be sure there is nothing I can do. She isn't badly bloated since we only drained her last Friday and she hasn't filled up much at all. I wonder if her eyes closing is an indication of anything? She isn't panting...

Thanks again Eggcessive, My update is that I have drained her again as the first time was a great success and she perked up no end. I'm not sure if I have harmed her but don't think so but she is quite poorly now. I have posted a new thread describing how she is here...