4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Suzy]

Hi, My 3 ex-batts have been with us a month today (!) two of them look fab and are really coming on. The last two or 3 days, I have noticed Ophelia keeps being bullied. She always was by head hen in the beginning but now both are bullying her. They free range a bit now and even when they have the whole garden she gets chased.

 

The other two seem as thick as thieves and hang about together loads, Ophelia seems a bit of a loner. The last couple of days I have noticed quite how much the others have come and she hasn't - she lacks a lot of the underfeathers and looks generally less well - although I appreciate that's not particularly scientific.

 

This afternoon, the others are still mooching about the garden as normal and she has retired to the eglu. Just hanging about inside, she's not in her nestbox (she does usually sleep in it) or roosting. I have just cleaned the eglu out and noticed what must have been a very soft egg as I couldn't actually see a shell but was definitely egg white and a yolk - all broken. A bit of runny diahorrea too - but who knows if that's from her, of if the egg is come to that!

 

She does not seem to be interested in food and has had a couple of sips of water and gone back in the eglu again.

 

She looks well, she's not got any injuries or peck marks, but she is definitely not as perky as she was this morning or even if I think back to last week.

 

If I'm honest she looks depressed. Could this be to do with the bullying?

 

I've still not managed to bond with them really, they allow me to stroke them when they have gone to bed, but as for cuddles, or picking them up - forget it!!!

 

If anyone has seen this before or has any words of encouragement, or what to expect..... I'd be really appreciative.

 

Thanks in advance.....

 

Suzy

[Egluntyne]

The fact that she isn't eating is a bit worrying. Is she being prevented by the others?

 

Why not make her a pellet porridge and see if she'll take that?

 

If it is just a matter of bullying c you could try the divide and conquer method, whereby you split the naughty girls up and put her with one of them for a few days to try to form a bond.

 

The soft egg, if it was hers, could have been the cause of her looking ill. LAying a soft egg takes it out of them.

 

You could try her with a calcium and Vit D supplement such as Zolcal D or just calcium ie limestone flour.

[Suzy]

Thanks Egluntine, really really appreciate your response. Went out to put the torch in to make them go back inside and to check on her and she was actually back out free ranging (and was interested in a mouse she'd seen scurrying past her) so it sounds like it was the softee.

 

I'll try the porridge with the layers tomorrow and I'll try the divide and conquer thing when they free range next which unfortunately won't be till Tuesday (thanks to winter and work!)

 

Was so worried that she was at deaths door, am really hoping that it may have just been a dodgy egg. Limestone flour is also on order!!!

 

Will let you know how she does!

 

Thanks very much. It is really nice to know you can come on here and there'll be someone to offer advice!

 

Suzy

[sandyhas3chucks]

they really can be sooo sad with a softee, can take 12 hours! Have you got more than 1 food station. I had to have 3 for my (1 of then 3) bullied girl to get to eat when in the run. I now have a walk in with a bale of straw which makes life so much happier for the bullied (now 2 of 4) girls cos they can be out of sight (food there naturally!)

[Suzy]

We came home last night and there's another softee so I have ordered some limestone flour as I am sure now she eats so much other stuff her calcium levels may be down as a % of what she eats.

 

She is still being bullied so have been putting a bowl of layers porridge (great idea that!) down the last two mornings. Think that seems to have doen the trick as she was eating out of the grub whilst the other 2 were demolishing that this morning.

 

Feel so sad that they have to stay in their pen when I am at work.

[sandyhas3chucks]

you might like to add some cod liver oil to your chook shopping list. As they need Vitamin D3 to absrb it, this is got mainly from sunshine (hmmmmmm)! or converted or something,. Anyway it is in cod liver oil. (info curtesy of Egluntine in previous helpful posts)