UK Members Please Say HI

[Rudies Roost]

@Athaid Welcome to the thread...most useful and hope you find as many hints and help as I have.

@timon How's the injured hen going on? Did you brave the stitches in the end?

Thought I'd share that this time last week, I was at an Oktoberfest beer festival in Birmingham town centre, all glammed up, dress, heels...even a touch of lipgloss.....this Friday evening, I am scrubbing water and feed containers, in my wellies and jeans, outside in the chucks & ducks pen with the aid of a spotlight. Oh.....the glamour!! I do hope a Chinese take out and a stiff Gin and Tonic is on the cards, it's getting cold!

 

[timon]

Hi there I'm Natalie in Daventry UK

Hi Natalie, they look super cute.
#veryjealous

 

[DancingWthDucks]

@Athaid Welcome to the thread...most useful and hope you find as many hints and help as I have.

@timon How's the injured hen going on? Did you brave the stitches in the end?

Thought I'd share that this time last week, I was at an Oktoberfest beer festival in Birmingham town centre, all glammed up, dress, heels...even a touch of lipgloss.....this Friday evening, I am scrubbing water and feed containers, in my wellies and jeans, outside in the chucks & ducks pen with the aid of a spotlight. Oh.....the glamour!! I do hope a Chinese take out and a stiff Gin and Tonic is on the cards, it's getting cold!

X2 I hope that your hen is doing okay, @timon. It's a pretty nasty wound- I wonder what caused it?

Talk about the cold! Up here in Cumbria it's just raining loads All of the duck poops on my patio froze over night, and there is nothing worse than slipping on a frozen poop and landing head first into the ice cold duck pond, as I did this morning!

 

[timon]

How's the injured hen going on? Did you brave the stitches in the end?

This time last week, I was at an Oktoberfest beer festival in Birmingham town centre, all glammed up, dress, heels...even a touch of lipgloss.....this Friday evening, I am scrubbing water and feed containers, in my wellies and jeans, outside in the chucks & ducks pen with the aid of a spotlight. Oh.....the glamour!! I do hope a Chinese take out and a stiff Gin and Tonic is on the cards, it's getting cold!

Sounds like a top night out !!

So... if anyone's read a bit further up, yes my rescue hen got slashed by (I think) my juvenile roo who's a bit clumsy to say the least, and twice their size, plus rescue hens are quite small, and while some of them are looking very fluffy and neat with brand new short feathers, some others just haven't grown them back again yet.

When I found the poor little lady she was very still, but after separating her she was still eating, drinking & pooping. It was evening and I checked for a night vet that takes chickens ... no joy there. So I decided to brace it myself.

A friend held the little lady; towel in place, and with plenty of salt water I washed the wound. It was much cleaner and still slightly bleeding. 7 stitches later and the wound was pulled together. Bless her - she didn't even flinch.

Popped her in the kitchen in a box with plenty of straw, and hoped she'd last the night.

The happy news is she's alive and seems very well. Has a distinct limp which is lessening - it's been a couple of days now. She's stopped hopping everywhere and started to walk. The wound is scabbed nicely, and I'm hoping to take the stitches out on Sunday before I'm away for work next week.

If anyone wants to see I'll pop a couple of pics here.

 

[timon]

This is how her wound looks today

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Hi Barabara

Thank you for the congratulations on the new award, not what I was expecting at all when I saw the awards
Oh I hope your back is ok? I really do know just how you feel Fingers crossed it's nothing too long term and you are back to full working order very soon. Especially with the winter regime just starting! I've decided this week that Harry is going to be coming in on a night from tomorrow. He's looking very miserable of a morning and I think he's missing the nice cosy bedded up stable of a night. I'm dreading Sunday morning though and the puffy legs but I'm sure once he's back into a routine he should be fine. He's usually back in on a night by this time in the year but with the weather half decent I pushed it a tad further. It seems a catch 22 as being out stops him stiffening up as he's walking it off but then I think the bit of chill is catching up with him.
Is Cora feeling better for the trim? That's so handy being able to do it yourself but with out the back issue of course!
Woolly monster here too with Harry but just going to take his front end at first then a full clip as his last clip before spring next year. Not looking forward to all that hair going everywhere!
How's the birds? All good I hope and your eggs that are being sat on? How long before hatch again?

Hope your having a lovely evening and catch you soon.

Kim xx

Hi there I'm Natalie in Daventry UK
New to chickens and just got 3 chicks last week who are doing fab, one Polish bantam called Kylo Ren, and two Light Sussex called Rosemary and Thyme

Hi & the thread! Super cute chicks you have there, especially your polish I have a certain addiction to those
Good luck for the future and enjoy them.

Thought I'd share that this time last week, I was at an Oktoberfest beer festival in Birmingham town centre, all glammed up, dress, heels...even a touch of lipgloss.....this Friday evening, I am scrubbing water and feed containers, in my wellies and jeans, outside in the chucks & ducks pen with the aid of a spotlight. Oh.....the glamour!! I do hope a Chinese take out and a stiff Gin and Tonic is on the cards, it's getting cold!

Sounds like a great weekend all glammed up but reality soon sets back in Sasha! Give me wellies and jeans any day
That Chinese is making me hungry

Talk about the cold! Up here in Cumbria it's just raining loads All of the duck poops on my patio froze over night, and there is nothing worse than slipping on a frozen poop and landing head first into the ice cold duck pond, as I did this morning!

That sounds chilly! Not quite been frosty here but close.

So... if anyone's read a bit further up, yes my rescue hen got slashed by (I think) my juvenile roo who's a bit clumsy to say the least, and twice their size, plus rescue hens are quite small, and while some of them are looking very fluffy and neat with brand new short feathers, some others just haven't grown them back again yet.

When I found the poor little lady she was very still, but after separating her she was still eating, drinking & pooping. It was evening and I checked for a night vet that takes chickens ... no joy there. So I decided to brace it myself.

A friend held the little lady; towel in place, and with plenty of salt water I washed the wound. It was much cleaner and still slightly bleeding. 7 stitches later and the wound was pulled together. Bless her - she didn't even flinch.

Popped her in the kitchen in a box with plenty of straw, and hoped she'd last the night.

The happy news is she's alive and seems very well. Has a distinct limp which is lessening - it's been a couple of days now. She's stopped hopping everywhere and started to walk. The wound is scabbed nicely, and I'm hoping to take the stitches out on Sunday before I'm away for work next week.

If anyone wants to see I'll pop a couple of pics here.

This is how her wound looks today

That's looking good You did so well getting her patched up. Have you thought about taking the cockerel out so he can't do it again? Or you could try some hen aprons on them. Should help protect them while they don't have many feathers.

 

[DancingWthDucks]

This is how her wound looks today

That's looking a lot better! Maybe try one of those hen saddle/ aprons for when she joins the flock again to keep it protected from the other girls?

 

[Rudies Roost]

X2 I hope that your hen is doing okay, @timon. It's a pretty nasty wound- I wonder what caused it?

Talk about the cold! Up here in Cumbria it's just raining loads All of the duck poops on my patio froze over night, and there is nothing worse than slipping on a frozen poop and landing head first into the ice cold duck pond, as I did this morning!

Oh gosh... we've been very lucky here (The Midlands), weather has been ultra kind compared to what you describe, so I mustn't complain about a little chill! Though frozen duck mess isn't anything I'm looking forward to after last year. Sorry but did have a little chuckle thinking of being head first in the pond!

@timon Wow! That wound looks 100% better, think I may call on your services next time my young Roo gets too amourous with my ladies. The saddles are great, I have 8 hens with them on after having their backs scalped and they literally save their skins.

@Yorkshirecoop I finally got my G&T and my O/H kindly took me out for dinner after this evening's efforts.....my feeders and waterers are gleaming now! Just got a massive clean and huge DE dusting to do tomorrow morning and that's the birdies dealt with for a few days....oh, and a load of flat pack furniture being delivered for my Daughter's bedroom to deal with this weekend. What fun....Pub night out with mates tomorrow night to look forward to so I might drag out some more lip gloss.........

 

[rebrascora]

@timon

Wow! What a fantastic job you have done on her.... Really, really impressed! I hope she continues to improve, but keep a close eye on the wound for any swelling/change in colour that might indicate infection. Keeping fingers crossed she makes a full recovery. Certainly looks and sounds positive at the moment.

That sunburn looks very sore too. Might be worth putting some Sudacreme or something on to sooth it and keep the skin supple if you haven't already thought of that. Poor girl really has been in the wars. It will take her longer to feather in with that skin damage and she might even not feather back in on the really burnt bits. The problem with a chicken saddle/apron at this time is that it will be uncomfortable when her new pin feathers start coming through.
I too would suggest penning the young guy separate. Those ex bats have had a lot of change to deal with in a short space of time and a rampant young rooster is something they really don't need right now.

I know what you mean about there always being something new to deal with every day. The more chickens you get the more chicken problems you experience and you are on a particularly steep learning curve at the moment....I can assure you it will level out a bit but the experience you are acquiring is not only helping you but others on this site through your insightful posts....please keep them coming.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[rebrascora]

@Yorkshire Coop

Hi Kim

Major flag waving required!!!.... I rode out twice yesterday and delivered a load of manure. Took MeMe out first and she was absolutely good as gold. Came back, groomed her down and then got the worst of the mud off Rebel, tacked up and off we went. He was also very good although he shouted a couple of times whilst we were out....I think he is still a little apprehensive of being away from home on his own after his trip to the hospital earlier this summer. He did some awesome extended trot work on the way home....I'd forgotten just how much ground he can cover like that. Also had a couple of little canters that could well have turned into full on gallops if I hadn't been firm with him and one little jump.... it was extremely enjoyable and I was very proud of both of them.

Hope Harry doesn't swell up too much when you bring him in. My sister has the same problem with Jack's legs for the first month or so after they come in. My lot never seem to suffer from it but they all get fluid pockets under their bellies, which doesn't seem to bother them but it worries me. Hopefully this year I will get them exercised more regularly and that will keep it to a minimum. Must try to get Rascal out for a ride today and some more manure delivered. Thankfully my back is holding up despite it's protests the other day. I haven't finished trimming Rainy's feet though and that will put more of a strain on it than the other stuff.

Chucks are all OK thanks although I am still battling the red mites, believe it or not. Thought I had it cracked but yesterday I found some on the poop board again. Thanks for that info. I'm a bit wary of these predator insect treatments..... you can get them for varroa mites in beehives too. I'm nervous of introducing an imbalance of another species when I already have an imbalance. It is an interesting concept but my gut feeling is caution.... that said, I've had to resort to chemicals which I really don't like either. I'm toying with dosing the chicks with ivermectin to see if that does the trick as I have to assume that some are living on the chicks and that's how re-infestation is happening.

Eggs were set 2 weeks tomorrow, so just over a week to go. I haven't tried to candle them with them being dark marans eggs. I'm useless at candling anyway. Tash knows what she is doing and if they are fertile she will hatch them. My flock are looking terribly ragamuffin. Some of them are having particularly hard moults and look dreadful and I'm lucky if I get 2 eggs a day from the main flock. Thankfully the marans and pekins down at home here are helping out in that respect though. I'm really impressed with how well the pekins lay when they are not broody.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Barbara