Egluntyne Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Have you got a Foxwatch? Have a look here: http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/fox.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 Thanks Egluntine, will look further into that, I know AnnieP has one and swears by it. Well here goes.............. We have moved the run and eglu sideways on to where it was, raked the ground and put fresh auboise down. I have washed the 2 shades (summer and winter) as its possible the fox 'sprayed' them and the girls could smell it ( ) 40C and they came out like new! (Lavender scented to calm their nerves ) I took the shower curtain off so they could see out of the run a bit more, then hung corn on the cobs in the run to entice them in! It worked, they are in and out of the run! Thought I would leave them to it so started stacking logs that we had delivered. Still have a bad back but just took my time. All of a sudden it was dark and I went to get the girls in. All 3 were tucked up in bed, reading lights off and snoring like angels!!!! They have been avoiding the run and eglu for 2 days now, so hopefully( ) they are over their fear! Many thanks to everyone who posted, much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Eggscellent, good work, Christian, I'm glad the girls appreciated your efforts. Not knowing your layout, have you put something solid at the weakest spot, just in case a fox is nearby. That is, something very heavey where the run meets the Eglu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Phew, glad it worked and no nasty surprises for you under the eglu washing the shades in the machine??? now there's an idea..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Hooray Fingers crossed they stay that way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 Not knowing your layout, have you put something solid at the weakest spot, just in case a fox is nearby. That is, something very heavey where the run meets the Eglu? I put 2, large and very heavy oak discs (orig bought as stepping stones) either side Sheila, so that should do the trick, i hope. No Chelsea, no killer rats under the eglu, thank goodness. Was poised with a rake though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 You have been a busy Bunny! Hope you haven't overdone it with your poorly back though! Lets hope the girls appreciate your endeavours and enjoy their new aspect... and settle down again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 All very strange - but glad you seem to have got it sorted (whatever it was!) By the way, our chooks got spooked the other day by...... an egg in the run!! I think Maisy's greed for some newly delivered greens overcame her urge to stay on the nest and lay, but then she got 'caught short' whilst eating! Matilda (who's always the noisy one) made the most tremendous fuss! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I should think so too! How rude! Must be a bit like belching (or worse) whilst at the dinner table! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I should think so too! How rude! Must be a bit like belching (or worse) whilst at the dinner table! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 One of the girls has laid a shellless egg for the past two days and the other two haven't laid at all. Down to the scare do you think? None of them have laid soft shelled eggs before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Could well be. Have you got any poultry spice? Sounds like a tonic might help. And maybe some shellstim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Probably down to the scare - oyster shell is good too. Have they been less flighty since you moved them? I do hope so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 Yes thanks PH a lot less flighty. Discovered that Laverne's 'pecked' end of tail (where the tail joins her body) isn't just bare, but red and a long lump has appeared It looks like a ingrown feather but is red and yucky Am taking her to the vets tomorrow to see what he says! It wasn't there yesterday as i sprayed her with purple spray, to stop her pecking the area Oh my poor girls, they are such a worry sometimes! But i wouldn't be without them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 Just back from the vets. He was really nice, but admitted he had never had a chicken in his surgery before! She has an infected preen gland (pineal gland)? So baytril to the rescue! 1/2 tablet twice a day 50mg in total. He says for her weight she needs about 45mg, but the tablets are so small, its difficult to dose. He is really impressed with the eglu as has seen one on the telly. I offered for him to come over as he is interested in keeping chickens! Just given Laverne 1/2 a tablet hidden in sweetcorn and she ate it straight away. Only 7 more days to go Will keep you posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 It must be the preen gland Christian as the pineal gland is in the brain I guess it must be where the oils etc for the feathers come from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 Thats what i thought Louise, something to do with sunlight???? He said preen gland but wrote pineal? just have to wait and see if it helps her feather loss! Poor girl she looks a bit bare at the mo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 How odd Christian Their preen gland is at the base of the tail where it joins the back. If you have a look, it's a small lump. They get the preening oil from that and spread it all over their feathers. Sounds painful to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 It is at the base of her tail, but its about 1 1/2 - 2 cm long, red with a white dot on the top He squeezed it but it didn't seem to bother her as much as it did me . I sprayed her again with purple spray (which stained her yellow ) and he asked if she was corn fed as she had yellow skin there? (just like the chickens in Waitrose i guess) Bless him, i bet he is on the internet later, looking up chickens! But he was really helpful and thanked me for coming in. Appointment next week to check on her progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Hmm, it isn't usually red, just skin coloured so perhaps it is infected. Might be an idea to call round the vets in your area to ask if any of them have an avian specialist vet. I found that one of the surgeries near me has a farm section with a vet who even keeps chooks himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Yellow skin ....yikes keep us updated Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Some chooks do have more yellow skin than others though - my Fleur has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Bless him, i bet he is on the internet later, looking up chickens! He's probably reading this now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 He's probably reading this now!!! Oh, I hadn't thought of that! he was really nice! But i have said that before (back peddle back peddle) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 MYSTERY SOLVED! We have a family of field mice living under the lawn, next to the chicken area!!!! Well we did have! I poured water down the hole and they all came running out into next doors garden (who own 6 cats). I will keep pouring water down for the next few days to stop them coming back, but I think that is what spooked the girls so much the other day! I thought that if it was a rat, then we would notice the pellets going, but a few mice, I guess you wouldn't notice as much! Hopefully that is it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
