Just as I was complaining about territory issues with the fox, a stray cat started coming in beating up my girls! I cat rescue, so Im sympathetic, but this guy is not starving (may even have a home) and sneaking in and beating up my cats is not how to ask for refugee status around here! I said...
Oh Im so sorry. Ive got a new thread going cos the blighter came back and got into the shed, tried to take Abbey again.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/945155/fox-came-back
At the beginning of breeding season (about 2 months ago) I tracked her daily to collect her eggs and I only got 4. She lays such tiny narrow eggs, I dont think its easy for her. Theres still at least 2 months of warm weather left but the girls are clearly over it. In her favourite nesting spots...
Heres the calls taken just now
Leelus really starting to look like she's molting. I think the boys look fat.
Here is Stormy (Leelus daughter) showing off her rolls
She looks FAAT to me!
Heres Ephinny, one of the big girls
Oh I forgot about treats, they get kitchen scraps. The ones who get the most are the pekin girls, they stand at the back door waiting for my daughter to throw out sandwiches she doesnt want. If my daughter doesnt like something (she's 3) she will say "PUH-Leeze put it in the chickens!"
So...
Hello! Im going to try and answer all your questions.
She has always liked to go off by herself, generally after being let out in the morning she disappears for a few hours. My first clue something was wrong was she did not reappear at breakfast (they get let out at about 8am and breakfast is...
She may be molting, I have thought of that. Ive just never seen it hit a bird so hard and she wasnt this bad on her last moult. She hasnt done any more moping since the day I tracked her down and forced bathed her, but Im suspicious of that because I think she is just trying to keep me from...
Hmm ok I wormed them. There arent instructions for drenching poultry with this stuff only pigs but I usually hand drench so I KNOW they got a dose. If I put it in the water they wont drink it. This is the stuff I use
http://www.vetsense.com.au/product/vetsense-kilverm/
And there are some...
Here she is today
She's just had a swim and she's doing the little wing ruffles I only associate with very happy birds (any species) the 3 big girls look rough and you would easily say Syanne the pure pekin looks a lot rougher than Leelu, but she copped a real beating from the drakes. I...
Thanks for jumping in! Leelu's 'mate' is a drake that I have been assuming since I got my little flock was the mother duck
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/938715/the-call-duck-mystery
And you can read about that little mess there. She has even shunned his company recently. She loves to go...
Hmm you got me worried now.
Here is Abbey
Looking brilliant. Im so happy with him. Occasionally he looks a bit lumpy at the base of his neck but I still feel its just local swelling. In the second pic thats my problem drake Thorne giving him the what-for, Abbey's answer seems to be...
Sorry Im talking about a different duck now! Abbey's looking really great, I'll get some pics up tomorrow Im flat out today. This morning he looked a bit swollen but it goes down quickly. He's very happy and shiny.
Leelu's doing lots of normal duck things but her feathers are very dull and...
He actually looked a bit lumpy today, but he's so very happy Im not too worried. I keep a close eye on him but I think because the neck is so mobile he aggravates it a little when he's foraging and such.
Im starting to worry about Leelu a bit. She's always gone off by herself but lately she's...
By this afternoon bedtime, it was even smaller. I know its there, so Im looking for it, but I think to anyone else it would be non existent. He is very active and happy, but he has this kind of worried edge to his expression now, and goes bananas if he cant find his friends Stormy and Que. My...
Okay....Holy crap. sometimes that 'learn something new everyday' is a real cracker isnt it? I thought they just stayed afloat from their oil! Wow!
Took these this morning
It seems much better. Last night when I put him to bed it was much smaller. Ive decided against the vet for now just...
Okay heres the swelling today I do not like the look of it
I just took these a few minutes ago. Its worse than it was last night. He has less pain, he can stretch out and lift his head, all that no problems, he's only taking little sips of water and nibbles of food. I think that if he had...