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

[Chook n Boo Mum]

For the past few days, Bluebell has been a total pain about going into the WIR whenever we've gone out or before bed.

 

I can't for the life of me work out why except that Willow is being a mare & is plucking them again, I have the Ukadex, but haven't put it on for the past few days as the only time I can do it is when they are in bed & I hoik them out the top of the cube. Since I first used the awful stuff, they've all got progressively more flighty & refuse to crouch for me to pick them up.

 

Once I eventually get her into the run, she goes to bed ok, there doesn't seem to be any argy bargy and as far as I know, none of them have any unwanted visitors.

 

This evening, she went into the eglu run on her own. I thought she'd be lonely as she doesn't need to be in solitary, so I tried one last time to get her into the WIR & her "sisters" Buttercup & Snowdrop both shot out & they are now all in the eglu run. The Batties & Orpies are in the WIR & will sleep in their respective houses as normal no doubt.

 

The only things which have changed are that a couple of days over the past 2 weeks, my parents have been in charge of them, we've changed their food to the BHWT one and we've opened up our swimming pool, not that they've taken any notice of that, but we've had a few screechy kids in to swim. They have all gone bonkers with flightyness and the softies are back after a full week of good solid shells....3 yesterday again!

 

Any thought & advice as always would be greatly appreciated......

 

Sha x

[Budgies]

Hard to tell with so much going on, but it might be that they're doing softies again etc because they've had a shock - maybe there's a fox on the prowl or perhaps they're getting night time visits from rats?

 

I'm presuming that they've been wormed recently?

 

Alternatively, although you've not spotted any, red mite (or even Northern Fowl Mite) may be present. Shine a torch in at them tonight when it's dark - you'll see them crawling round if you have them.

 

Have you considered fitting Willow with a bumper bit? I'm thinking that the Ukadex might not be necessary if she couldn't pull feathers?

 

Good luck!