emmat Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hi all - I'm after some advice.. I got 2 new gingernut rangers in the begining of November. They were 20 wks ish when they arrived. One of them, Peggy, has blossomed! She's huge! She has a lovely red comb and has put on loads of weight and has been laying for about a month. Doris - the other one - hasn't grown at all. She has no comb and is so light when I lift her... She eats and drinks well and seems happy. She's also a bit daft... she isn't quite as alert as the others and hangs around on her own a bit more. She looks healthy but should I be worried about her? I've got 3 ginger nuts last summer and they all grew at the same rate. I feel sorry for little Doris - though she doesn't seem to mind. Anyone any ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I have one hen who is tiny compared to the others (Nugget). Maybe they are from the same family! She cam into lay about a month after the other girls that I got at the same time. Does she free range? It might be worth worming her. Also, don't over do it with the treats....keep her mainly on layer's pellets, to give her optimum nutrition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Doris could be younger than the Peggy? When I got my first 3, Babs was the oldest, then Laverne and Shirley was at least 8 weeks younger. She spent most of her time alone, had no comb and didn't lay until 3 months after the other two. I'm sure she will blossom soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Maybe she is just younger then... I just assumed they were the same age as they looked identical when they came. They do free-range sometimes - usually just when i am in the house so i can keep an eye. I've been letting them do that during day light but on Saturday I was upstairs and looked out the window to check on them and saw a fox stalking the land next to my garden. I have never moved so fast in all my life! I got them locked away then went to see where it had been and it was still there! Bold as brass he just looked at me! I got quite close before he legged it. My girls have always been safe during the day but it looks like we'll have to stay out with them whenever the free-range from now on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Yes...better safe than sorry. It will encourage you to do a bit of gardening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Lord knows my garden needs it after a winter of the ladies scratching around and kicking their wood chips about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 One of our two girls (Dora) hasn't grown as much as the Peppa, she's the shy one and hangs back where Peppa is straight into anything she takes a liking to. Dora also came into lay later and lays fewer eggs. She seems perfectly happy and healthy so I'm not worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 HI there I'm afraid I had the same problem last year. A beautiful gingernut, quite different to the others I've seen. She ate but never put on any weight and most of the time was active. I took her to the vets (spent £50!)etc. Then one day she just wasn't right and fell over the nasturtiums. Next morning she had passed away. I have to say, although sad, it was a relief. Being my first chickens I feared it was something in the ground. However, I then got 2 more gingernuts, care of omlet, who were fab, and its been great. Peppers, the existing one, had obviously been quite affected by whatever had been troubling gingers - lots of soft shelled eggs, easily scared etc but now its brill. I think the only thing you can do, sadly, is to watch her and give her a good life. There is always a chance that she will pick up. Westie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I'm afraid I had the same problem last year. A beautiful gingernut, quite different to the others I've seen. She ate but never put on any weight and most of the time was active. I took her to the vets (spent £50!)etc. Then one day she just wasn't right and fell over the nasturtiums. Next morning she had passed away. Well there's a post to cheer you up and make you feel better about your situation emmaturner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I'm afraid I had the same problem last year. A beautiful gingernut, quite different to the others I've seen. She ate but never put on any weight and most of the time was active. I took her to the vets (spent £50!)etc. Then one day she just wasn't right and fell over the nasturtiums. Next morning she had passed away. Well there's a post to cheer you up and make you feel better about your situation emmaturner. Surely it's best to know all the possibilities? The harsh fact is, chickens sometimes die despite all our care - they are good at hiding illness and often don't show any symptoms until it's too late. I lost two of my first four chickens soon after I got them, through heat exhaustion and relocation stress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmat Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 I keep a special eye on poor Little Doris due to her size, I'll keep doing that and hope for the best. Maybe she's just petite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Sorry, wasn't trying to be depressing on a Monday morning, perhaps a bit ham fisted. I just know how I felt with gingers not growing, being incrediably light and you just feel helpless, and that you are doing something wrong to cause the problem in the first place. I of course hope that she perks up and that perhaps she is just a little younger than the others. Westie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
