chickens Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Well Villie has grown her feathers back now although they have been nicely growing for a couple of weeks. So since the 13th of December when she was at her worst, they have taken about four weeks for full return. I must say the girls are braver than me today. Despite the cold they are opting for the run of the garden rather than the pod which is where I'd be. Just filled their water up with some hot to make it warm and they have been guzzling it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzy Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Glad things are settling down for you. It reminds me of earlier this week when we fitted a bumper bit to Lottie who was bullying Ophelia. She was so good, but me and my hubbie were terrible, quarrelling how each other was apparently doing something wrong, be it holding her or not putting it on the right way. It took ages. I only hope their neighbours didn't hear us squabbling! Ophelia seems so much more confident and things seem less fraut when we let them out in the morning although the battle of the nestbox (i.e. who gets to sleep in it) is still being won by Lottie despite Ophelia making an early bid for it whilst it's still light. Back outside in a minute to shepherd them to their new Eglocation at the far end of the garden and to cover the Eglu with blankets, sleeping bags etc. We've had them 2 months this week and it feels like they've always been here. And we're nearly there with the feathers too! Just looked out at Ophelia who has been growing her feathers really hard after all the bullying/ possible moult and she looks more feathery than not now! Will put some pictures on soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Well sorry to say I spoke to soon, and Doreen has gone back to her evil old ways.......so it has been decided that she has to go Doris is just being stripped by her and its not right. Luckily a farming friend down the road has a flock and will adopt her, she assures me that her bossy girls will put her in her place and stand for none of her bullying ways. She is off on Sat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 oh that is a shame the bumper bits didn't stop her pecking then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Only just got the bumper bits, won't have chance to fit them until weekend, as dark when my husband or sons get home, and Hubby and I are off for a week in the sun following weekend, leaving Dog and Hens in the care of my Mother-in-law, wanted to get things settled down before then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 shame. understand where you are coing from. going away would be a real worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Wish me luck. I am going to put the girls back together tomorrow as I have a day off work. they have been socialising in the garden together but I wanted to do it so that they wander around and then go in together rather than me thrusting Villie in to what is currently Carole's home. Week nights are impossible with it being so dark and getting in so late from work. It also gives me three straight days to see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Good Luck!! Hope all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Sadly not. This morning after only one full night together I spy blood on Villies leg feathers again. They are currently roamng the garden which is normally harmles but I'm not sure if i didn't just see Carole making a craft aim. We checked Villie over yesterday and although we can't be sure that the scab has gone (feathers have grown over very thick) its obvious that Carole senses a weakness and is in there. Perhaps her bumper bits allow her to knock the scab and we should have kept them apart longer but today I must confess I hve just about had enough. With over £75 of vets bills and the constant worry of whether there is trouble, cleaning out two cages one of which is not really suitable as it has no run area and wondering what next, I am sorely tempted to get the kit on ebay as soon as possible and make my life easier. However I have an intermediate option. I shall call at a 'local' farm which does chickens and supplies and see if they will relieve me of the hideous Carole. I don't see why Villie should have to go - do you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I've been meaning to ask as well. Are your chickens the same 'brand'. My nasty Carole is a Pepperpot and Villie a gingernut ranger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 O dear, sorry to hear things not going well. We got to a point with Doreen, where for peace and love to return to the Hen House she was going to have to go. And go she did!! Took her over to my friends yesterday, she seemed quite happy, strutted about, plucked a few feathers from whoever she fancied, will she never learn.......she has joined a flock of about 20 girls and 2 Cockerels, if she can't behave with that lot she will be sent off to the Hen House in the sky i'm afraid. If I were you I would say goodbye to Carole, there is only so much you can do, and sounds like she has run out of chances. Do you have any other girls? or would you think about finding Villie a new friend? As for what brands they are, Naughty Doreen is a Sussex, I actually have another one of those as well, Davina, who, so far, is quite well behaved, Doris is a Rhode Island Red, (lovely girl) and I also have Chopper, a Maran and Bluebell, a Bluebell!! Hopefully they will be fine now and Doris will grow back her feathers quite quickly, and the others will grow back their down and cover their little Bottys up in this cold weather. Do let us know what you decide to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Well I bit the bullet and made the decision that Carole really did have to go. I had a couple of options for homes but I took her to a friends farm yesterday where she will be slowly introduced in to the waif and stray house that she is growing. If she plays nice she has a variety to mingle with including a bantam that was given away as it was too old (many years ago!) a blind pullet and a couple of other girls who seem very spoilt. If she can't play nice then she may well be caged but my friend says she'll let me know so that I can decide whether there are other options. I desperately need a friend for Villie though as I think she will be rather lonely on her own and she is such a sociable bird. I keep catching her looking through the patio doors no doubt looking for us! At the moment though I need to get her leg better (again) and perhaps let her become her inner chicken rather than the victim that she was forced to be. Not sure how I am going to go about that though. I thought perhaps a younger bird that she could 'take under her wing' so to speak and someone even suggested two but I'm worried she might suffer the same fate but with two of them at her! My uncle is hatching some out in a couple of weeks so I do have the option of having him put one aside but that means we are a few months away. I do know though that I shall be sticking to her kind perhaps a RI Red or another Sussex - perhaps they understand each other better? Thanks for your help and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 It's happening again! Harmony was the order of the day in the Hen House since Doreen went off, but now this week Chopper has started on Doris, but this time instead of stripping her bare, she has made a sore patch on her back and is pecking at the sore skin, although I have noticed that today the patch has become bigger. Poor old Doris. Intend to fit Bumper Bit on to Chopper at the weekend, and thinking of getting some Stockholm Tar to paint onto Doris' sore patch. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. I supposed Chopper has decided to be top hen. I am wondering whether we should get a Cockerel, so it's not all girls together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 be aware the S tar stinks something awful. It made my girls sore bits worse, The others didn't touch that bit but went for others AND she ended up like a painted red indian, got it all over heself preening. I think it's awful stuff would never use it again! jave ou tried purple spray? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks for the advice, not keen to use that then,do you know where i can get the purple spray from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 You can get it from Ebay, or from an equestrian/agricultural type shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 lots of horsey supply places., counrty wide or something simalar are a counrtry wide concern I THINK. might be worth ringing a few pet shops as I think I have spotted it in one once. You could try some very diluted T eaTree & spray it around the rear end they might not like the smell, and or If you haven't got a chicken that knows what cream is to eat. Sudocrem does a good job and covers the red up. Unfortunately I rescued one that had been fed copuiuous amounts of cream, so anything looking like it is eagerly pecked sdditted to say , thats ehat "E2 said, equestrian good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Well I tried another tack the other week and introduced another younger bird to Villie (although it was like Big Bird compared to mine) but once again she became the victim. I left them alone for just one day but when my neighbours came round within 5 minutes of me getting home from work to say it had been peck peck peck all day I knew I had to take action. So borrowed chicken was sent back to my Uncles and Villie is all alone again. My next plan is to wait until she is laying, (she's nearly 30 weeks now and still no egg) get her settled as queen of the roost and then perhaps introduce some 16 week girls in and see how that goes. Fingers crossed. Of course what do I expect - yesterday she refused to come out of the pod because it was snowing so I took her some toast in bed! I'm thinking I'm not exactly creating a tough old bird here am I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doris 12 Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Maybe Villie and Doris should be friends They could compare notes and scars!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickens Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Sounds like a plan. Chicken Swaps! Saying that though I caught her practising some assertive behaviour last weekend when she was chasing anything bigger than a blackbird from her lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
