Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[satay]

Some of the latest hatchings off to the brooder. Most are Millie Belgians so far but lots of marans pipping.

 

[Teila]

Aaaaw satay soooo cute! It has been 19 months since we have had any chicks here and everyone's pictures of bubbies are not helping!

PS. Do not tell Cilla I said that, she will take it as a hint to step up the 'I want babies' routine

 

[sjturner79]

More questions : !!!   Sorry      

Mandy Welsummer, who is on anti-inflammatories atm from the Avian Vet, is better but not near 100%.   She stands and walks reasonably well in slightly longer bursts, but still prefers to retire to her night time bed, for  parts of the day.   And she still sits outside ( when outside )  - but not as often as before.   So that's an improvement.  

Thing is, the weather has been utterly horrendous here this past weekend and onwards - - and before.   Very very cold, loads of rain and huge continuous winds that blacked us out for 20 hours early Sunday arvo into late Monday morning - and prior to that winds that caused big explosions at the front of our house when severely  bent tall trees rose up again and hit the wires .... fireworks and fire.   And everything went out then for 6 hours.   .... so the girls have been largely locked up for their own protection from rain and cold. 

Being locked up here and there,  I don't believe is the problem - never has been before.   Although the return of  freezing cold winter type conditions may well be.

Mandy and Molly RIR, both are squatting and both have beautiful healthy red combs.   Both should be laying and were, but very spasmodically.   Neither of them are now .... they haven't laid an egg between them, for over 2 weeks.   .. And Molly has taken to sitting next to Mandy ( but only when outside ) ... on the ground, with heads in the same direction.   For all the world, it looks like she is copying Mandy.    

Q :  So - bottom line is - do hens imitate one another - for any reason.   And can one stop laying if the other one does.   Bearing in mind these two are inseparable and live together. 

...........

As for Mindy Araucana ?? .... She has laid 3 soft formed shells ( and eaten the yolk of them ) in the past 10 days - other eggs have a little hollow in the top, which does not break the actual membrane around the egg. She continues to lay daily, and has laid 3 perfectly formed good eggs as well.   She has free take oyster shell grit which she has eaten a little of only  .. ... and tomorrow I am giving her some finely ground up chicken egg shells mixed in with some rice, and other goodies including some Anitone.  

They are all getting ACV in their water.  

Short of poking some oyster shell grit down Mindys' throat, I don't know what else I can possibly do.   I would imagine that would not be a good idea though !!   

When I have finished or tapered off the anti-inflammatories for Mandy, those two will also be getting anitone squirted onto small amounts of Mum's mash, twice a week.    Anything Mandy might lay ( big doubt ) ... cannot be eaten ( again ) for 3 weeks after finishing the anti-inflammatories, which is 1/4 of a tiny tablet twice a day.   She is still eating and drinking extremely well, and all else is normal.   Stands to eat her layer pellets - sits ( on ) the mash to eat that.   At least that way she makes sure she gets her fair share, as Molly will push her out of the way to eat the lot, if possible.

 Would be grateful for some ideas on all this.   .... It is all so very strange.  

Cheers ........     

Sorry about the late reply,
Yes hens will sometimes follow what someone else is doing including stopping laying because someone else is.

If you having egg shells problems it is a good ideas to stop using ACV in the water for a while, one of the possible side effects is to reduce or prevent calcium absorption.

Some other additives that might help are turmeric and cayenne pepper.

If you have any chick supplements they wouldn't hurt either.

It is possible that giving them some starter for a short while might help, especially the steroids in it. Just don't give them too much as you don't won't to give the a protein overload.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Some of the latest hatchings off to the brooder. Most are Millie Belgians so far but lots of marans pipping.

Congrats Satay! A brooder full of happiness

Teila, very sorry for your friends loss, she's gone through such an awful lot, poor woman I hope Cilla's broody rehab continues



Following my Ada's soft shelled, crunchy egg, she has laid another normal one again today, with a lighter smear of blood on it. Not much, but I'm thinking maybe the sharp shell of the soft one caused a small tear. I'll continue to monitor her and see how it heals. She's otherwise fine, eating and acting normal. She might need some soluble vitamins for a little while, if that was the cause of the soft shell, and not age, though that could be a factor.

 

[peep peep peep]

Some of the latest hatchings off to the brooder. Most are Millie Belgians so far but lots of marans pipping.

So cute!!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Sorry about the late reply,
Yes hens will sometimes follow what someone else is doing including stopping laying because someone else is.

If you having egg shells problems it is a good ideas to stop using ACV in the water for a while, one of the possible side effects is to reduce or prevent calcium absorption.

Some other additives that might help are turmeric and cayenne pepper.

If you have any chick supplements they wouldn't hurt either.

It is possible that giving them some starter for a short while might help, especially the steroids in it. Just don't give them too much as you don't won't to give the a protein overload.

Steroids ? What chick starter are you using ?

 

[satay]

Omg gosh i spoke to soon. I now have to add to my crazy broodies 11 that i counted this morning in the main pen. A very broody bida... My first broody Belgian. She is sitting on eggs but i doubt they are fertile as i don't think BB is up to the task right now but i guess we will see in a few weeks.. I also have 3 pekins on eggs in the bantam pen as well. Anyone want some free broodies

 

[LuckysMum]

Teila So sorry to hear about your friend. Such a hard time for her.
Congrats on the nomination, and yes let us know.

Satay Beautiful babies. I think broodiness may be catchy too. I now have 4 australorps and a silkie huddling together I’ve blocked the nesting area but they all huddle on the ramp.
I am going to fence an area for them on the weekend. I’m running out of room. My teenage girls need a coop and run now too, the one their in just doesn’t have enough room.
I am going to have to advertise this week I think.

I hope the weather is being kinder to everyone now.

 

[sjturner79]

Steroids ? What chick starter are you using ?

All the barrastoc and laucke mills starters except for the duck and goose contain the steroid lasalocid sodium which helps with muscle growth and repair. It is added as the anti cocci drug.

 

[Anniebee]

Sorry about the late reply,
Yes hens will sometimes follow what someone else is doing including stopping laying because someone else is.

If you having egg shells problems it is a good ideas to stop using ACV in the water for a while, one of the possible side effects is to reduce or prevent calcium absorption.

Some other additives that might help are turmeric and cayenne pepper.

If you have any chick supplements they wouldn't hurt either.

It is possible that giving them some starter for a short while might help, especially the steroids in it. Just don't give them too much as you don't won't to give the a protein overload.

Thank you sjturner79 .... for your advice.

I don't have any chick starter at the moment, but could buy a small bag at the Stock and Produce store, if things don't improve. Am hoping they will improve though.

The turmeric and cayenne pepper sounds great - will try that - and thanks also to Fancy for the turmeric suggestion too, some posts back. Tomorrow is a new day with new additives to consider, especially the turmeric.

I have removed ACV from Mindys' water - and will keep her for approx. 7 days only on laying pellets at this stage, as that should give her the calcium she needs ( considering she has little if anything of the oyster shell !!

) . She pigs out on "Mum's Mash" when offered, ... which I will not offer until mid next week, now. Meantime, might coat a teaspoonful of raw oats to absorb the Anitone ( which hopefully will help her ) ... and risk an out of control chook ... running amok !!!

.... She's as nutty as a fruit cake at the best of times.

She did NOT lay today, which I take as good sign in fact. She sure has put in the hard yards in laying recently - 1 day / 1 egg of various quality ( mentioned before ) .... which would have used / be using, all the calcium she has available - with not 100% success.

Fascinating creatures are chickens. ... I believe each has their own limits and tolerances, much the same as we do. The trick is to try and figure out what is best for them, for whatever might ail them. And frankly, I don't trust that they don't 'bung it on' at times for attention, and TLC. .... The more I attend to Mandy Welsummer ( on anti-inflammatories at present ) the more she responds. Not just to give her the twice daily 1/4 weeniest of tablet in a tiny bit of warmed / squished cheese, but also taking more notice of her - petting her, giving her a scratches for squats ( which she does with no discomfort whatsoever ) ... and getting her to move more, with my attention ( & from the leaf rake as well !!) .... She can be normal if she needs to be - other than that, it is still a mystery, .... Lazy ??? ... Obsessed with her night time bed ??? ...Trying out a new form of domination ??? .... but definitely uncomfortable at times, for some perhaps unfathomable reason, barring the thought of simple arthritis ?

Also - as regards the inseparable two - who are not laying ... your advice that they can copy or follow another hen, makes total sense to me now.

All 3 are 4 years old now, and lessening of egg production must be expected.

Thank you and cheers ........