4 month old Cream Legbar still not too happy She is bottom of pecking order.

[marchharefrance]

Thank you, I will try everythg you sugest.
thanks.

 

[MontserratChick]

Firstly Bonjour from another English speaker with little French living in France!

Secondly, I generally just let our chickens out of the coop and run to free range. Even with the littlest ones who had never gone out before, they all go back in themselves. I've noticed that no bullying at all goes on when they can just run around where they please. And they go back in the run to lay eggs. Except for 3 naughty girls who we have to search for before they get enough eggs in a nest to sit. We're starting to let them out in the late morning or early afternoon so at least most of the hens will have laid.

Also I agree that she doesn't sound very well. A box with some straw in the kitchen and a little bowl of treats nearby could give her the rest and relaxation she needs. We nearly always have some sort of injured or sick or young bird living in our kitchen!

Good luck!

 

[marchharefrance]

Bonjour, Thank you for the information. I am desperate to let them free range but thought I should add my new 8 week olds to the flock first and they don't arrive till next week.
Anyway, although I am a bit disenchanted because I truly am doing everything right and apart from one chicken looking poorly, I never thought it would happen so soon.
I will do as you say and bring her in. At the moment, the big bully Malines ( huge!) and only 4 weeks older than the others, is in a big dog cage watching them in the run. The attack on the little Legbar was vicious this morning and I think it was because she was ill. I have had a bit of bullying early on when I first got the hens but then it all stopped until today. These are my first hens and I have wanted them for years! They made me smile every day until the little one got ill.
She does seem alot better this afternoon, but I am not sure how long I should leave it before visiting the vet. I am there all the time with my other animals anyway. All rescue pets but I thought I would start at the top with the hens and get really nice breeds from a good breeder. I just hope they don't all get ill now!! I don't like the sound of Mareks disease, but as she is eating and drinking a bit and other than the wonky leg,she has no other symptoms.

Anyway, I am truly greatful for you help you have made me feel a bit happier.
Many thanks. M.H.F.

 

[MontserratChick]

Chickens are a law unto themselves!! Doesn't matter if you do everything perfectly, they'll still find a way to damage/kill/hurt themselves or the others!

In my experience I'd let the others get used to free ranging and returning to the coop before you introduce the new ones. If you've got some bullies, this will also give you a chance to lock the new ones up in the daytime when you get them so that they can get used to the run. Even better, put a little run inside the big run and keep them in there for a few days so that they can acclimatise before being in with the flock properly. We got a little foldable run from a garden centre for that and it works really well.

I find that aggression only really comes out when hens are bored, and if they can free range they're never bored. They don't even seem to go very far, but it seems to be the principle of it that counts for them!!

I'm also a complete sucker with poorly animals and am always bringing them into the kitchen to live. A while ago we had 9 baby quails in a box with a heat lamp on top of the log box, a young pigeon roaming free in the kitchen (he lived indoors for 8 weeks after being horribly attacked as a baby - even drove 9 hours to Paris with us once!) and two sets of mother hens with chicks who came in several times a day with their cockerel boyfriends to rest in the warm when they were getting chased by the peacocks!! My husband just rolls his eyes now

I'm afraid I probably wouldn't pay for a vet, however much I love my birds. I just do my best to treat them and then let nature take its course. Unless you get a disease going through the whole flock - then it's worth doing. Also we did go to the vet to get miticide when their legs all went scaly, but it was pretty cheap and we could apply it ourselves.

Anyway I'm rambling now but I hope you feel a bit more confident in dealing with your lot!

Amy

PS We're in Ardeche - where are you?

 

[marchharefrance]

Once again, thank you. I have taken your advice and brought her inside and she is happier on her own. She is better in herself but her legs are still not strong and this only happened this morning, Someone mentioned that her legs may be painful and to give her a half of a children's aspirin. After checking it out that it wouldn't harm her, I have done this by putting it in water and giving by syringe this afternoon but nothing has changed. She is still talking loudly at me from her box, still eating and drinking and the poop is normal. I can't understand it.
I will re think things in the morning if there is no change.

I will do as you say with the little new chicks, the run is large and I can keep them seperate but I also think I will free range the other 2 for an hour or two before bed tomorrow and then increase this each day. I hope they find their way back, I am looking forward to my first ever egg!

Thank you so much for taking the time to advise me . Hazel.
P. s. we live in Mayenne.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

It may take some time for her leg issue to resolve itself if there is some injury there. There has been a lot of good advice offered and you seem to be doing the best you can so keep her under observation and see if she gets better/worse. over the next 48 hours. As long as she is eating and drinking enough water then her situation is not too dire. Best wishes!

 

[marchharefrance]

Thank you for you encouragement and good wishes. As you say I have had great feedback from good people for which I am truly grateful.

I am afraid after very little sleep last night, I "chickened out" and went to the vet. First question was is she a young chicken?
I have been given BIOCALPHOS which are minerals. There are no broken bones but she is still not able to control her legs too well although fighting fit otherwise.
they knew instantly what the problem was when I explained what was happening and told me to give it to the rest of my hens too for 8 days.

I am hoping they were right and it works!
Blossom is bright as a button shouting at me to let her out with the others but she is in a run on her own( she is wjth them but contained.) until I see some improvement.

Everyone on the site has been AMAZING, Thanks to you all, I am regaining my confidence knowing you are all there.

 

[azygous]

I envy you. So many of us have no access to an avian vet, or even a vet who knows poultry. Let's hold positive thoughts the minerals will do the trick!

 

[kajira]

Since she's being picked on - even if you get her healthier - she may still get picked on when she's integrated back into the flock. Since you seem attached to her, have you considered having her in the house or making a small, separate run just for her to keep her "next" to the other chickens for company, but not where they can get access to pick on her?

One like this is under 100 dollars, and you can move it around too, so she doesn't destroy a small section of yard.

​

 

[marchharefrance]

To be honest, I do not know if she is and Avian vet, she is French and keeps chickens herself. There are also birds in a big cage in the reception area. There are 5 vets in the practice. I have been with them for 6 years now and as I keep rescue animals, some not as young anymore, I visit alot. They are always kind and insist on doing the best for the animal and they never seem to give up.

My French is not fantastic but she speaks a little English. From what I could understand, Blossom seems to be suffering from a form of Rickets it may well be that she will not completely recover but there is a chanch that the legs will get stronger.
Here's hoping.
Best wishes to you and thank you for your e- mail.