NickySpink
Chirping
- Apr 30, 2021
- 18
- 74
- 71
Hello, I am new to this forum but would like to introduce myself and tell the story - so far - of my hens.
I have had a little flock of 4 hens for the last 2 years. I bought them from a local dealer - two copper blacks and two Suffolk pieds. So 2 brown and gold and 2 grey and white. They were young pullets when we got them but when they reached 16 weeks or so we found our first egg (such excitement!) Their house is 9 ft by 5ft and 5.5 ft high - which I bought second hand but in very good condition. We scrubbed it and cleaned it throughout and put on a new roof whilst also covering as many surfaces as possible with dust mite powder. At first I was very worried about them being taken by the numerous local foxes - but to date none have ever seemed to take any notice of the hens. I made various hap-hazzard enclosures for them by stretching netting around points in my garden so as to keep them in. However I slowly got more relaxed about their freedom and started to let them out into our three quarter acre garden during daylight hours. At first they would stray out onto the lane we live on through our open fence - so I bought chicken wire and attached it along the whole length. There is still a gap they can get through at the gate - but on the whole I have managed to train them to stay within reach of our house. A shake of a plastic pot filled with wild bird seed and calling them brings them running back to me
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Our grandchildren each named one - so I will never be able to dispatch them I fear. However one of the greys suffered a small prolapse which I managed to replace - but she has never laid an egg since then. The two browns lay regularly - nice strong brown eggs but the second grey tended to lay thin bubble type eggs or with very thin shells. I have grit out where they can all get hold of it but it doesn't seem to be of benefit to the her.
About four weeks ago a dog, off the lead, jumped the fence and chased the hens, catching the laying grey and flattening her! I thought the dog must have killed her but found her very shocked but still with us. She just seemed to shut down and didn't want to move at all. I put her in isolation for the next 2 nights but she was not eating and I thought that she must eventually die. However by giving her lots of cuddles and feeding her by hand she very slowly rallied. She just spent most of the day sitting huddled down in a warm spot. She could not put one of her feet down and was obviously in pain - but I couldn't find a break anywhere. At one point she seemed to relapse and felt very hot and I really thought I would have to put her down. However, since then she has slowly got stronger - almost hopping on one foot. Now today, almost five weeks after the attack she is walking almost normally, holds her head and tail up and is scratching quite happily along with the others.
So I suppose what I am saying is that animals can sometimes heal themselves. However she hasn't laid a whole, unbroken egg yet
I have had a little flock of 4 hens for the last 2 years. I bought them from a local dealer - two copper blacks and two Suffolk pieds. So 2 brown and gold and 2 grey and white. They were young pullets when we got them but when they reached 16 weeks or so we found our first egg (such excitement!) Their house is 9 ft by 5ft and 5.5 ft high - which I bought second hand but in very good condition. We scrubbed it and cleaned it throughout and put on a new roof whilst also covering as many surfaces as possible with dust mite powder. At first I was very worried about them being taken by the numerous local foxes - but to date none have ever seemed to take any notice of the hens. I made various hap-hazzard enclosures for them by stretching netting around points in my garden so as to keep them in. However I slowly got more relaxed about their freedom and started to let them out into our three quarter acre garden during daylight hours. At first they would stray out onto the lane we live on through our open fence - so I bought chicken wire and attached it along the whole length. There is still a gap they can get through at the gate - but on the whole I have managed to train them to stay within reach of our house. A shake of a plastic pot filled with wild bird seed and calling them brings them running back to me
Our grandchildren each named one - so I will never be able to dispatch them I fear. However one of the greys suffered a small prolapse which I managed to replace - but she has never laid an egg since then. The two browns lay regularly - nice strong brown eggs but the second grey tended to lay thin bubble type eggs or with very thin shells. I have grit out where they can all get hold of it but it doesn't seem to be of benefit to the her.
About four weeks ago a dog, off the lead, jumped the fence and chased the hens, catching the laying grey and flattening her! I thought the dog must have killed her but found her very shocked but still with us. She just seemed to shut down and didn't want to move at all. I put her in isolation for the next 2 nights but she was not eating and I thought that she must eventually die. However by giving her lots of cuddles and feeding her by hand she very slowly rallied. She just spent most of the day sitting huddled down in a warm spot. She could not put one of her feet down and was obviously in pain - but I couldn't find a break anywhere. At one point she seemed to relapse and felt very hot and I really thought I would have to put her down. However, since then she has slowly got stronger - almost hopping on one foot. Now today, almost five weeks after the attack she is walking almost normally, holds her head and tail up and is scratching quite happily along with the others.
So I suppose what I am saying is that animals can sometimes heal themselves. However she hasn't laid a whole, unbroken egg yet
Glad you joined.
Hello and welcome to BYC, You found an Awesome poultry Forum to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members who are more then willing to jump in and help you with any questions you may have. 
