Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[hilda-and-evadne]

Bumper bits arrived from Wernlas this morning. I looked again at pictures of hens wearing them and noted the tips in the invaluable little "tutorial" on this forum - made all the difference to being able to fit a bit on a hen by yourself - the suggestion about putting the bit into hot water first to make it less rigid is brilliant.

 

I was in a fever to do this - although she is spirited and alert, Evadne does not appear to be eating enough, now has no fluffy knickers to speak of and has lost tail feathers too recently, whereas Hilda is a large and luxuriantly-feathered red hen. I wrapped Hilda in a towel (another forum tip), sat down on a step in the garden with her between my knees, the bit in a mug of very hot water beside me with a teaspoon ready to lift it out. Hilda was not at all distressed, although of course she tried to avoid the bit.

 

It took a few minutes to achieve it, opening her beak with one hand while with the other sliding the bit in, the tongs above and outside the beak. No idea how I managed the last part, putting the tong ends into the right holes in her beak, it's a bit of a blur. I put Hilda back in the run where Evadne followed her around into all the corners, saying What's that on your face, and Hilda appeared to be saying in reply that she'd been honoured with a medal. Two hours later, the bit is still on her.

 

I do hope that the bit doesn't get in the way of Hilda eating but I had to do something to protect Evadne.

 

Anyway, now I can plan the additions to my flock. Wernlas sent a price list - apparently, they can arrange delivery by specialist courier - so-o-o-o what shall I have ...

[Laura&Sean]

Really good to hear you managed to get the bumper bit on by yourself I hope it is still on now and having the desired effect.

I hope I never have to resort to one but if I do reading this will help me a lot, thanks!

[Jules.]

Well done on fitting a bumper bit yourself, I am most impressed.

[Gallina]

I find it easier to put on a bumper bit on a hen by myself than with help: I know just how to hold the head still now.

 

I had four hens delivered by the Wernlas courier, and they were beautiful. When I found that the delivery charge was £50 regardless of how many hens you ordered, I decided to go for four instead of two. They tend to sell big gentle beautiful hens.

[hilda-and-evadne]

I hope it is still on now and having the desired effect.

 

The good news is that the bit is still on Hilda's beak this morning. The bad news is that she seems to have decided to "compensate" by stepping up the bullying of Evadne in other ways: from the off, after I let them out of the eglu today, every time Evadne put her head into the grub Hilda stopped what she was doing and ran across the run to push her away from the grub.

 

This is just intolerable. So, there and then, in the pouring rain, I covered three sides and top of the (large) dog crate with the heavy, clear plastic sheeting that had been around a new mattress, wired a spare glug and grub to the sides so they could not be knocked over, put in the smaller part of a set of roosting bars, and moved Hilda into it. The dog crate is placed near the run, so they can still see and hear one another.

 

As I may have to do this - take Hilda out of the run - for some part of every day until I acquire more hens, I wondered if someone could tell me if there are the times of day when hens do the most eating. I mean, I want to be sure that if there are "peak" eating times, they are separated then so that Evadne can eat in peace. I don't think the dog crate is suitable for keeping Hilda in it all day long.

 

Edited for clarity.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Guest

[hilda-and-evadne]

I had four hens delivered by the Wernlas courier, and they were beautiful. When I found that the delivery charge was £50 regardless of how many hens you ordered, I decided to go for four instead of two. They tend to sell big gentle beautiful hens.

 

That's interesting - and confidence-inspiring!!

[hilda-and-evadne]

Well done on fitting a bumper bit yourself, I am most impressed.

 

Ithenku I meant to add that, when I was holding Hilda between my knees and wrapped in the towel, I had her facing away from me; and, although I am only guessing, that might have made it easier for me because harder for her to anticipate what I was going to do next with either hand.

[Barkisland]

I'm also pleased to hear good things about Wernlas hens, because that's where my girls are coming from! We only went down there to do a bit of 'research', but having chatted with Sean and picked his expert brains for advice, we ended up placing an order, it just felt very good to see where our birds would be bred and raised. We are going on holiday first, so having them couriered to us when we return.

Husband is working flat out, in the pouring rain, on my walk in run, and the cube arrived on Friday, we are hopefully going to erect it today - if this rain ever eases off

I'm so excited I can't sit still

[hilda-and-evadne]

I dismantled the dog crate today and put Hilda back in the run with Evadne. Hilda was evidently unhappy, judging by the appearance of her eggs for the last two days. Instead of being small but perfectly formed and evenly brown, one was sort of elongated and flattened on one side, and the other was elongated with a chalky shell.

 

The other thing was that it looks as if, at some point today, a rat had started to chew through the black plastic base of the dog crate, to get at the pellets presumably. That might have happened when Hilda was in the crate.

 

I am still separating them at night, so that the run "belongs" to Evadne more than to Hilda - that does seem to inhibit Hilda's bullying a little.

[hilda-and-evadne]

How peculiar - that update, above, has a time stamp of Sunday 7 September 3.01pm but I actually posted it just now, Monday 8 September 10.26pm.

[sandyhas3chucks]

well, hope Eglutine pops in soon, but I would have thought that they could sleep together overnight! you could pop Hilda in when Evadne has gone to bed! I cover my Eglu to keep it dark(reckon if they think it's night still they won't get up & start doing anything. I lso dark cover bit of Eglu run where peep ho;es are to keep darker AND STILL GET UP EARLIER than I prob need to to let out. First thing in the morning they are starving.

Have you tried several food & water stations.

Sorry not much help as I have 2 +2 in ajoining runs due to 2 bullies that will get bumper bits so thanks for that brill description! thought of putting them on fills me with dread!

[Olly]

Well done on fitting the bumper bit on your own. Mine is still sitting in the envelope, I had one attempt with a friend holding Yolko, and gave up. I've found a friend with a pair of Circlip pliers, which are recommended on the sticky, and when I can get hold of those I'll try again. I must persevere because poor Hilda and Siggy are getting gradually rather shabby-looking, but I must say I found it nigh-on impossible to get the prongs wide enough to go into her nostrils.

 

Rather than separate your Hilda, I'd put extra feeding stations in, she can't possibly man (chicken?) more than one at a time. Or possibly take Evadne out and give her a special feed every so often? Maybe as time goes on and Evadne realises that Hilda can't actually inflict any pain or damage, she will get braver?

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Mine do most of their feeding as soon as they are let out of the coop in the mornings.

Poor you having such a naughty hen!

 

Anna x

 

ps: I found a pic of these bits elsewhere on the site, if anyone is curious:

viewtopic.php?t=22584

[hilda-and-evadne]

I must say I found it nigh-on impossible to get the prongs wide enough to go into her nostrils.

 

Putting the bit in very very hot water makes a lot of difference. I did it in three stages because I was afraid of warping the bit; so, first in hot water in a mug, added to it a minute or two later from the just-boiled kettle, and a short while after that added more water from the kettle. By then I couldn't hold my fingers in the water: I had to use a teaspoon to lift out the bit.

 

Rather than separate your Hilda, I'd put extra feeding stations in, she can't possibly man (chicken?) more than one at a time.

 

That was what I did first, and it worked for a while. But Hilda later demonstrated that she can easily control two feeding stations.

 

Or possibly take Evadne out and give her a special feed every so often?

 

I may give that a try. This morning, I let Evadne have the run to herself for 20 minutes before I put Hilda back in with her.

[Olly]

Thanks for that tip, I did try it in hot water but maybe not hot enough. I was so stressed I was worried about knocking it over and scalding myself (or the chicken!). I will try again.

 

Maybe three or four 'feeding stations' - it sounds ridiculous, but if it stops Hilda taking control then it might do the trick. You only need an ice-cream tub or an old bowl or something like that. I do hope things sort themselves out, everyone else seems to say that bumper bits are the answer.

[Egluntyne]

Have you tried blasting the culprit with the hosepipe every time she misbehaves?

 

The short sharp shock sometimes gets the message home.

 

Maybe when you get your new hens it will divert the attention a bit from Evadne.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I am sure this is a stupid question, I know someone said they adapt to feeding from a grub, but just how do they eat if the beak doesn't close?

the other thingys like an ear ring, do they work as well does anyone know & just what is the point of those bits at the side?

oh & how do you get them off?

[Egluntyne]

I am sure this is a stupid question, I know someone said they adapt to feeding from a grub, but just how do they eat if the beak doesn't close?

 

It doesn't stop them hoovering up their pellets, and they can still pick stuff up when free ranging.

 

the other thingys like an ear ring, do they work as well does anyone know & just what is the point of those bits at the side?

 

They do work for some , also by preventing the hen from completely closing her beak. No idea what the bits at the side are for. Strengthening maybe?

 

oh & how do you get them off?

 

They fall off eventually.

 

[sandyhas3chucks]

ah, thought you might pop in and answer. thanks!

do you think the ring ones are kinder?

easier to put on?

or am I just being stupid, procrastinating when I need to just get on with it, & stop this rotten habit my 2 have.

I just feel they have had such a rotten life up till now, & would like a majic genie to wave a wand so one day it's all right!

[Olly]

Just had to update this ... I see that it was as long ago as 9 September that I tried and failed to fit a bumper bit on my bully chicken. My poor younger gingernuts have been getting shabbier and shabbier, and I've been getting only two eggs a day, and frequently finding an empty egg-shell in the nest-box

 

Tonight I tried again - naughty Yolko was abducted from the Cube after dark and brought into the kitchen, and we struggled for about ten minutes with my friend holding her, and me trying to fit the bit. She kept moving her head, wouldn't open her beak, kept snapping her beak when I tried to open it, and when I did get the bit into her beak she spat it out. I was feeling so stressed, and very worried about her stress levels, that I was about to give up. In desperation I got a really firm grip on her head, and to my total amazement the bit went in, and the prongs went into her nose AND THE BIT STAYED ON!

 

I now realise that I was just not holding her head firmly enough, I'm not a confident chicken-handler and was too worried about hurting her. I didn't find hot water helped much, but the circlip pliers were a godsend, I couldn't have done it without them.

 

I am so relieved, I'm hoping calm will now prevail and Siggy and Hilda's feathers will start growing back. Still don't think I could do it single-handed, though!