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[Gge23]

Fingers and toes crossed....Just remembered that tuna has worked well with my poorlies (after you mentioned the sardines!). Will try to think of a name...my neighbours Lavender Pekins are named after Downton Abbey characters but I don't watch it!

@Gge23

Might be the best thing to relieve yourself and the ducks of some drakes....they do seem to have a voracious sexual appetite! Some Harkers can only help incase of Cocci....try get some food in her if you can...my ducks love warm porridge (made with water not milk). Good luck xx

Yes I am going to send a drake and a duck to the next sale I think, then I should have 1 drake to 3 girls, a ratio I much prefer the sound of. I would love to try giving them an alternative to their usual breakfast, though I'm sure my parents wouldn't be too happy with me taking their porridge for my ducks! I should imagine that's quite amusing to watch though as well ^_^

 

[Gge23]

Hehehe.....look what arrived in the post today:

I've set 6 Welsh Harlequin eggs, 5 of which are already on day 9.

@Yorkshire Coop, how do you add water to the water wells? Do you just have to open it, and remove the egg trays to add water every couple of days?

Yay for Welsh Harlequins! ^_^ Good Luck and I hope they all hatch!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@Yorkshire Coop


Hi Kim

Really great photos of Charlie. He does look so grown up and he's obviously quite at ease holding the baby. Is he still set on the army or can he be side tracked into game keeping do you think? I guess the problem with the latter is limited options/opportunities. 

Will have a look at the article writing contest when I have more time. My little friend has been outside for most of the afternoon in a cage next to her palls and has managed to eat a small scrambled egg and about half a slice of bread in warm water throughout the day so I'm reasonably happy. Wound is looking nice and dry but I'm trying not to handle her too much as her breathing becomes laboured when she starts to struggle and then the wheezing and rattling starts. She is still pooping so that suggests that the impaction hasn't affected her gizzard. Just a question of time and keeping fingers crossed that her breathing improves and she continues to eat.

I'm having problems with my computer so if I'm not online for a few days don't worry, it is hopefully just a technical glitch.

Best wishes

Barbara   

Hi Barbara

Fingers crossed she stays on the road to recovery I do hope she is strong enough to get over the lung problem as she seems a spirited little thing and that she has fight in her.

Thankfully Charlie has not mentioned the army career thing anymore and I know it's awful to say and selfish on my part but I am glad! It's all very honourable serving queen and country but goodness it filled me with dread. Right now (this may change) he seems pretty set on a job in the shooting industry. Gamekeeper or gunsmith maybe. We have a couple of agricultural colleges quite near, Bishop Burton that's Hull way out and Askham Bryan that's York way out. I went to Askham Bryan and did horse care when I left school and it was good then but it depends what they can offer Charlie on the shooting industry side. I'm hoping he may be able to get an apprenticeship with this estate he's beating on and where he's going on work experience and just go to college part time but we will see.

How's the computer holding up? Such a pain when they start playing up

Hope all is good today Barbara and she is doing well, I thought about the moniker of "Peggy" for her?
Catch you soon
Kim xx

Yes, I would start her on the Harkers.

Hehehe.....look what arrived in the post today:

I've set 6 Welsh Harlequin eggs, 5 of which are already on day 9.

@Yorkshire Coop, how do you add water to the water wells? Do you just have to open it, and remove the egg trays to add water every couple of days?

OMG! I'm jealous

Yes you will need to lift out the egg trays to add water. But if you can get some silicone tubing and a syringe you can put that through the egg tray and just syringe the water in to the wells. As your model is the advance you should have a little hole with two drops of water on the lid. Marked in red here ~

This is the usual entry point for water when using the pump and evaporation pads but you could feed tubing through avoiding the fans into the wells to add water. This would eliminate the risk of dropping the trays of eggs as you lift them out.

 

[Gge23]

Well I've checked her this morning and she seems to have perked up, no more blood around her back end and no bloody poop that I could see, hopefully she is ok now though. She has always been a bit hit and miss with her egg laying, she went off for about 3 months over summer, so I'm guessing she may just be feeling a bit sorry for herself and stopped laying. I ha e noticed that she is limping a bit as well, but I'm putting that down to the boys being a bit rough with her. My dad says he will keep an eye on her today for me whilst I'm at work, but I think she is ok, she came out of the coop happily and was running round with the others. Fingers crossed there's nothing else happening on the inside I don't know about

 

[rebrascora]

@Gge23

Great to hear that she is has perked up overnight. Hope it continues.

Delighted to report that my little girl has picked up too. Thanks for the name suggestions by the way....I really like both suggestions, so I am going to kind of combine them into Vippy.... What do you think?
Her breathing is so much better today (HUGE RELIEF!!!)and I've been able to put her outside for a few hours in the sunshine and even risked putting her in the pen for 10-15 mins with the others, which went without a hiccup and she had a drink, which I was pleased to see. At the time I had just filled up the feeder which had been empty for a couple of hours so they were all clamouring to get food....you would think I starved them!!... and there was only Frances who even noticed she was there. I was ready to intervene if need be, but there was no aggro. I didn't dare leave her unattended though so she is back in her adjacent cage. She refused to eat fermented feed and picked at the few grower pellets I put down for her but got very agitated when I gave her palls some soaked grains, so against my better judgement, I let her have some, which she polished off in no time. I then headed off to make her some scrambled egg and mixed in a little bread and she is happily picking at that now. I feel like a harassed waiter with a difficult customer, running back and forth to the kitchen to find something that she will approve of! Little Madam!;

Sadly I lost my oldest hen, Henrietta, my only RIR last night. She has had a recurring respiratory infection for the past 2 years which has not slowed her down or prevented her from maintaining her position at the top of the pecking order. She was a very stoic bird. I think not being able to get out in the fresh air to clear her lungs with the lock down has eventually taken it's toll. She has been sneezing and croaky for weeks but never stopped eating or looked unhappy, so it was quite a shock to find her dead. She was over 5 years old...I got her from a friend 3 years ago and she was a mature hen then. She hasn't laid for the past year and a half but she seemed to think she had a fully paid up retirement plan, so I went along with that although I saw no paperwork from her previous employer! She had a near miss with a fox last year, but I chased it off and got her back with just a bit of feather loss and she took it all in her stride. She liked to play auntie with any chicks that were hatched. Never went broody herself and never intruded with the broodies even though as top hen she could, but was always first of the flock to check out the chicks and hang around near them and sometimes offer a tit bit. I feel sad that she died confined to the coop because of this stupid bird flu, instead of out in the grass and open air. RIP Henrietta. May try to do a post mortem exam in the next couple of days if I get a chance. Will be interesting to see if she just ran out of eggs or had some reproductive issue...although she never showed any sign of it.

Think that is all my news. Thanks so much to everyone for their support and sending well wishes and positive vibes for Vippy's recovery. I must try to get a photo of her operation site so you can see how well she is healing. I haven't dressed it since the surgery and after trying to put a dressing on it and her wriggling out of it each time, I gave up and just left it open. Of course she is still no out of the woods, but I'm feeling so much more positive about her chances today.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Rudies Roost]

@rebrascora Vippy sounds like a great name! So glad she is on the mend...all thanks to you. Sorry about your RIR hen, I have a few approaching retirement and dread the passing of the old favourites. I'm sick of these restrictions too, my pen is a swamp, my birds are filthy and I'm always covered in mud....only a few weeks to go....well, hopefully, as long as they don't apply further confinement.

@Gge23 Good news about the duck. Must've just had an "off" day. Glad she's all better today xx

 

[Gge23]

@Gge23


Great to hear that she is has perked up overnight. Hope it continues.

Delighted to report that my little girl has picked up too. Thanks for the name suggestions by the way....I really like both suggestions, so I am going to kind of combine them into Vippy.... What do you think?
Her breathing is so much better today (HUGE RELIEF!!!)and I've been able to put her outside for a few hours in the sunshine and even risked putting her in the pen for 10-15 mins with the others, which went without a hiccup and she had a drink, which I was pleased to see. At the time I had just filled up the feeder which had been empty for a couple of hours so they were all clamouring to get food....you would think I starved them!!... and there was only Frances who even noticed she was there. I was ready to intervene if need be, but there was no aggro. I didn't dare leave her unattended though so she is back in her adjacent cage. She refused to eat fermented feed and picked at the few grower pellets I put down for her but got very agitated when I gave her palls some soaked grains, so against my better judgement, I let her have some, which she polished off in no time. I then headed off to make her some scrambled egg and mixed in a little bread and she is happily picking at that now. I feel like a harassed waiter with a difficult customer, running back and forth to the kitchen to find something that she will approve of! Little Madam!; 

Sadly I lost my oldest hen, Henrietta, my only RIR last night. She has had a recurring respiratory infection for the past 2 years which has not slowed her down or prevented her from maintaining her position at the top of the pecking order. She was a very stoic bird. I think not being able to get out in the fresh air to clear her lungs with the lock down has eventually taken it's toll. She has been sneezing and croaky for weeks but never stopped eating or looked unhappy, so it was quite a shock to find her dead. She was over 5 years old...I got her from a friend 3 years ago and she was a mature hen then. She hasn't laid for the past year and a half but she seemed to think she had a fully paid up retirement plan, so I went along with that although I saw no paperwork from her previous employer! She had a near miss with a fox last year, but I chased it off and got her back with just a bit of feather loss and she took it all in her stride. She liked to play auntie with any chicks that were hatched. Never went broody herself and never intruded with the broodies even though as top hen she could, but was always first of the flock to check out the chicks and hang around near them and sometimes offer a tit bit. I feel sad that she died confined to the coop because of this stupid bird flu, instead of out in the grass and open air. RIP Henrietta. May try to do a post mortem exam in the next couple of days if I get a chance. Will be interesting to see if she just ran out of eggs or had some reproductive issue...although she never showed any sign of it.

Think that is all my news. Thanks so much to everyone for their support and sending well wishes and positive vibes for Vippy's recovery. I must try to get a photo of her operation site so you can see how well she is healing. I haven't dressed it since the surgery and after trying to put a dressing on it and her wriggling out of it each time, I gave up and just left it open. Of course she is still no out of the woods, but I'm feeling so much more positive about her chances today.

Regards

Barbara  

@rebrascora Vippy sounds like a great name! So glad she is on the mend...all thanks to you. Sorry about your RIR hen, I have a few approaching retirement and dread the passing of the old favourites. I'm sick of these restrictions too, my pen is a swamp, my birds are filthy and I'm always covered in mud....only a few weeks to go....well, hopefully, as long as they don't apply further confinement.

@Gge23 Good news about the duck. Must've just had an "off" day. Glad she's all better today xx

I agree, Vippy is a fantastic name! I am sorry to hear about your RIR, it's not nice to wake up to that when you don't expect it.
Thank you for all the advice yesterday, made me feel a lot better and she is happy enough today

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Vippy sounds a great name and I'm so pleased to read she is a tad better today. Great that you were able to get her outside and that she has eaten and had a drink of water Love the anecdote of an harassed waiter and difficult customer All worth it the end though if she's getting better.

Sorry to hear about Henrietta How very sad for you and the flock. Did she have a deputy who will now take the over as flock leader? She was a good age which I'm sure is testiment to your flock management and care.

How did it go with your car? Fingers crossed it got through the MOT ok!

@Gge23

Great to hear she is better today

 

[rebrascora]

@Yorkshire Coop

Hi Kim

Delighted to report that car passed it's MOT and I saved myself the best part of £300 by tracking down that part and fitting it myself, even if it was a lot of aggravation, so that's another huge relief. And the poly tunnel had it's first visitors today. I let the welsummer pen chickens out into the poly tunnel this afternoon which they really enjoyed. There are 4 of them....a cock bird two hens and a cross bred pullet that laid her first egg today, that have been cooped up in a tiny hen ark with barely enough room to squeeze past each other and they have been so well behaved despite the cramped conditions, it was soooo nice to be able to treat them. I'm reasonably confident I've got it strapped down tight but a little concerned that the cover is just fastened on with little Velcro tabs and some of them are not even long enough to reach and wrap around the frame so I've put cable ties around the frame and fastened the Velcro loops to that....not ideal but hopefully it will hold during the coming storms.

I've taken a few photos of Vippy tonight after I brought her in so you can now visualise who you are sending good wishes to...



OK, I admit it's not the neatest operation scar in the world because I didn't stitch it closed but I'm happy with the way it is progressing and now that her breathing is a bit better I feel happier about handling her and dressing it. Thinking I might use some Camrosa ointment on it as it is good for dissolving granular scar tissue and keeping the skin elastic. I have a tub of it somewhere that I bought to treat the horses for sweet itch.

Pleased for your sake, to hear that Army talk has gone quiet and Charlie is focussing on something nearer to home. Fingers crossed the work experience and beating goes well and perhaps paves the way for an apprenticeship.

Must head off to do evening stables and hopefully have an early finish tonight.

Best wishes

Barbara

PS. I loved the cartoon pictures you posted a few days ago. One of my foals went to a livery yard that was run with such military precision. It was a converted dairy farm and everything was immaculate and top quality. I'm afraid I would do your head in as I'm terribly haphazard! Love the Zebra hip replacement. Is it ok to forward that on to my friend in Australia if I can figure out how to do it....she would definitely find that amusing.

 

[PaulaMc]

@Gge23

Great to hear that she is has perked up overnight. Hope it continues.

Delighted to report that my little girl has picked up too. Thanks for the name suggestions by the way....I really like both suggestions, so I am going to kind of combine them into Vippy.... What do you think?
Her breathing is so much better today (HUGE RELIEF!!!)and I've been able to put her outside for a few hours in the sunshine and even risked putting her in the pen for 10-15 mins with the others, which went without a hiccup and she had a drink, which I was pleased to see. At the time I had just filled up the feeder which had been empty for a couple of hours so they were all clamouring to get food....you would think I starved them!!... and there was only Frances who even noticed she was there. I was ready to intervene if need be, but there was no aggro. I didn't dare leave her unattended though so she is back in her adjacent cage. She refused to eat fermented feed and picked at the few grower pellets I put down for her but got very agitated when I gave her palls some soaked grains, so against my better judgement, I let her have some, which she polished off in no time. I then headed off to make her some scrambled egg and mixed in a little bread and she is happily picking at that now. I feel like a harassed waiter with a difficult customer, running back and forth to the kitchen to find something that she will approve of! Little Madam!;

Sadly I lost my oldest hen, Henrietta, my only RIR last night. She has had a recurring respiratory infection for the past 2 years which has not slowed her down or prevented her from maintaining her position at the top of the pecking order. She was a very stoic bird. I think not being able to get out in the fresh air to clear her lungs with the lock down has eventually taken it's toll. She has been sneezing and croaky for weeks but never stopped eating or looked unhappy, so it was quite a shock to find her dead. She was over 5 years old...I got her from a friend 3 years ago and she was a mature hen then. She hasn't laid for the past year and a half but she seemed to think she had a fully paid up retirement plan, so I went along with that although I saw no paperwork from her previous employer! She had a near miss with a fox last year, but I chased it off and got her back with just a bit of feather loss and she took it all in her stride. She liked to play auntie with any chicks that were hatched. Never went broody herself and never intruded with the broodies even though as top hen she could, but was always first of the flock to check out the chicks and hang around near them and sometimes offer a tit bit. I feel sad that she died confined to the coop because of this stupid bird flu, instead of out in the grass and open air. RIP Henrietta. May try to do a post mortem exam in the next couple of days if I get a chance. Will be interesting to see if she just ran out of eggs or had some reproductive issue...although she never showed any sign of it.

Think that is all my news. Thanks so much to everyone for their support and sending well wishes and positive vibes for Vippy's recovery. I must try to get a photo of her operation site so you can see how well she is healing. I haven't dressed it since the surgery and after trying to put a dressing on it and her wriggling out of it each time, I gave up and just left it open. Of course she is still no out of the woods, but I'm feeling so much more positive about her chances today.

Regards

Barbara

Sorry for your loss of Henrietta Barbara. What a brilliant 'retirement' you gave her -you should be proud. She sounds like she was a fantastic lady. RIP Henrietta. xxxx

Big hugs and lots of love for Vippy You are so brave. I would go to the vet. Very well done. Am sure you have done a superb job as she seems to be doing superbly. Well done you x