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Speckled Sussex, approx 1 year old. Symptoms: Head-shaking, loss of balance, sitting back on "haunches"; after handling, unable to get up for a while, lies on side but head up and looking around. Bird is clear-eyed, alert and eating well; comb and wattles red and undamaged. No discharges...

After laying my three girls stand in the duck pond for a few minutes - this happens regardless of temperature or weather. They're not brooding the eggs just laying and leaving them; they don't drink the water nor bathe in it. They'll go in as far as the knee joint and don't get their plumage...

Hi all After laying our Norfolks stand in the duck pond for a few minutes. The water comes halfway up their legs but there's no attempt to bathe. They very rarely drink from this either, preferring proper water bowls. Anyone else seen this behaviour?

Since December last a fox has decimated our chickens, royally screwed this year's breeding program and generally made our lives miserable. I've spoken to the mayoress and she has called in the local hunt and a trapper. In pursuit of other advice I have pee'd myself into near-dessication around...

I live in the Correze in central France, which is relevant to this story. Going out out at dusk the other day to chivvy slackers to their roost I spotted something by the fence separating the field from the vegetable garden. This is a favourite haunt for the girls to stare longingly at all the...

A bit of advice, please, for a novice...we've two females sharing nesting duties on a clutch of eggs. We've candled the eggs and seven are fertile. Firstly, assuming they hatch, could there be trouble as there are two females, both of whom are claiming the eggs? Secondly, will the male respond...

I have a problem with at least two of my Indian runners in that they can not swim. Of the six, a drake and a duck are unable to stay afloat - I've not tried the other four as yet. The drake I was able to reach but the duck needed full immersion on my part to rescue. Before coming to us they had...

I found a broken-necked Coucou de France hen in the same nest-box as a RIR. This bird has no eggs of her own but she's been broody for days and covering eggs laid by other birds. I've been taking them off her as the box is not in a good position for brooding. I've tried moving her with the eggs...

Came back from an Orpington-buying trip to discover a power cut had taken out our electric defences. Johnny the Fox had seized the opportunity in all paws. Roozilla, our massive Coucou-Maran cross, had saved the flock but sacrificied himself in the process. He wasn't the nicest of roos nor the...

Chatting with the mayor yesterday; she asked if we had any problems with foxes. No, I said, buzzards cause us grief but we've not seen a fox. Got home and there is Renard dragging one of our Coq de Peche hens across the lawn. Abuse was hurled, hen was abandoned, ****y was off through the woods...

I have one chick out of an incubator-hatched batch of nine that isn't growing. Its siblings are thriving. They are four to five weeks old and with a foster mum.; they were put with her a couple of days after hatching. She's one of our ever-reliable Coucou de France hens so hasn't slacked in...

Well, well, well, Mr Buzzard messed up today. (This is the European buzzard buteo buteo, by the way). The Limousine ladies were head down in a pile of freshly-swept leaves when he arrived. But what he took to be a quick 'n' easy take-away wasn't to be. Watching over his girls from the comfort of...

We bought five Dark Faverolle chicks: four female, one male. One female subsequently died and one other turned out be male. OK, two cocks, two hens. Now they've matured we have one Dark that is a dead-ringer for the bird pictured on the BYC breeds page - except his comb hasn't grown. He may be...

A buzzard killed one of our Barred Rock cockerels this morning; he was taking an early sunbath under the pines when the jerk dropped straight through the branches. What infuriates me is they're a protected species. Why? There are hundreds of thousands of the bloody things, for ****'s sake! I...

Brit abroad in France, seen a few UK posts but none from here - apologies if I've missed someone. Anyone focusing on French breeds?

Into the woodshed last evening to collect the day's offerings: greeted by churrs, trills and much fluffing of feathers. In the gloom a grey head peered over the edge of the nest-box; one of the four Coucou de France girls was sitting again. I think they wait until the end of the day before...

A recent survey (http://www.france24.com/en/20110802-france-world-most-depressed-nation-who-study-research-headlines-antidepressants) had my fellow countrymen the most miserable nation on earth. Hmm, not sure on that but the most hypochondriac - well, hands down winners. I'm x-ing my fingers and...

We got home from shopping to discover the chicks had found a small gap in the netting and the six smallest had made a break for the great outdoors. Unfortunately this was a neighbour's field: she has two or three unpleasant dogs, depending on whether her harpy of a mother is there, and the voice...

There's something out in the woods this evening. The cats have clattered through the flap, tails like bog-brushes, glaring back into the dark. Deer, boar, badgers - who knows? I guess I'll be doing some torch-lit wandering tonight. So long as it isn't that darn long-ranging Labrador again. I'm...

Hi One of our neighbours says we should pee round the coop to deter predators. I'm not convinced, as an Englishman in rural France I suspect a p*ss-take. But, having lost six hens and four guinea fowl to something vicious in the woods, I'm all for upping the ante. Anyone know if it works or not...