How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[Madchook]

I have had my boy for 7 months since he was a wee thing. I have 3 girls, only 2 of which are in lay (and consequently he is only treading those 2-and has been for 2 months or so). The 2 in-lay girls have been looking a bit out of sorts(lost weight and a bit bedraggled) in the last couple of weeks, which I have put down to pretty much consistently laying the last 18months/2 yrs and the time of yr). But today I noticed he has torn the lowest pecking order hen's comb from her head - the wound is probably nearly an inch and her comb is flopping down. Luckily it has scabbed and looks like healthy healing (and I am kind of glad I didn't see it fresh as I would have panicked!) . The other layer has scabs in the same area - but he prob doesn't tread her as much as she escapes more often/less likely to crouch.

Anyway, those two girls are now in the spare eglu and i plan to pamper them back to full resilience (also means they can't hide the eggs-bonus!). But I have left Diego free ranging with the fat non-layer and they can continue to live in the cube at night (since Diego moved into the girls house they have all freeranged all day everyday and if I keep him in I think he would complain...loudly).

I just wanted some advice really - this damage is purely from treading, he isn't aggressive with them in any other respect and I want to keep him - but I don't want to risk him completely tearing her comb off because he is an 'aggressive lover' Was I stupid getting a cockeral with only 3 hens -does he need more wives or is it just him?

[Egluntyne]

Depends who is giving an opinion. Some articles say 1:8 others say 1:20. SOme even specify 1:3 as a minimum.

 

It sounds as if he needs more wives, or a method of keeping him away from them at times to give them some respite.

[moomin]

Gosh the little devil. I bet some of the blokes reading this wish they were chickens!!

[abwsco]

Gosh the little devil. I bet some of the blokes reading this wish they were chickens!!

 

PMSL, nearly needed to wipe tea off my monitor then

[Chickvic]

Gosh the little devil. I bet some of the blokes reading this wish they were chickens!!

 

PMSL, nearly needed to wipe tea off my monitor then

 

 

Same here!

[craftyhunnypie]

Perhaps a poultry saddle on the hen & maybe a bumper bit fitted to the cockerel?

 

Emma.x

[Madchook]

hehehe. Ironically he was very late to mature and was cowering from the girls until 6 months old! He also is a complete wuss with next doors (farm) bantam cockeral who comes into our garden-he is 3 times the size of him!

 

Oh I did wonder about the bumper bit - don't much fancy trying to fit it He is a different ballpark to the hens, knows his name and comes running tame as you like..but handling is a bit of a challenge! I did also wonder about that spray but I guess his pecking is all a bit impulsive..not so much habitual.

 

1:8 eh? Guess I am being *forced* to get more wives for him then

[Egluntyne]

Looks like that temporarily empty Eglu is going to be occupied soonish.

[chickenanne]

Depends on the breed as to a good ratio - some are more, erm "active" than others. it would make sense if it depends on the individual bird to some extent, too!

I would add some more! Hurrah!