shelley8179 Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 I lost one of my D'uccle's last year, soon after getting her, from Marek's disease and have just lost my Pekin frizzle which the vet seemed puzzled about. I just want to know what others do every day and every week (even the simple things) to see if I did something wrong. I just feel horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Sorry to hear it. I'm guessing that you will get a thousand different answers re what others do. I feed mine layers pellets, fresh water every day, extras such as broccoli, corn, etc. I clean the Eglus and Cube weekly ( brush and bucket job, with Poultry Shield), empty the poo trays twice a week, wash the drinkers in hot soapy water every week, clean out the spent Aubiose about every three weeks depending on the state of it. My hens free range most days, all day at the weekend. I sprinkle Stalosan F around when I change the Aubiose, and sprinkle garden lime in the areas where the hens roam about once a month, more if it gets whiffy. Occasionally I have a rush of blood to my head and get the jet washer out to blast the Eglus and Cube, but in all honesty, probably no more than 4 times a year. That's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 It's probably not anything you've done, they sometimes just die. Basically I think just keep run, bedding, food and water clean. You'd only just got the D'uccle so that definately wasn't anything you'd done. But I'm happy to share what I do. I have covered cube and either hemp or wood based material on floor. I rake daily and poo pick (not in winter when it's always dark). It gets changed when I think it is looking too mucky which can be 2 wks to 3 months and depending on weather and if I spill stuff. I put stalosanf down most weeks. I top up water daily and clean drinker weekly. The pellets the same and give them veg every day and corn, mealworms or something each evening. They sometimes get citracidel or lifeguard in the water. The poo trays get emptied alternate days and washed weekly when I clean the cube with washing up liquid and water and spray with poultryshield. They potter in the garden for a while when I get home and most of the weekend. Stop blaming yourself and enjoy them. As long as you use basic hygiene with clean food and water and don't let the run get toxic you are not to blame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley8179 Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Thank you for all your kind words, I do pretty much what you both do, so it makes me feel a bit better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Stop blaming yourself and enjoy them. As long as you use basic hygiene with clean food and water and don't let the run get toxic you are not to blame. Good points well made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Dont feel guilty because hens have a bad habit of dying for no good reason.They can be fit and healthy one day then die the next.What they might lack in lifespan they more than make up in character! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley8179 Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Thank you all x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 They can be fit and healthy one day then die the next. So true. I have just found Hermione, who was right as ninepence earlier today, dead as a doornail in the Nest Box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Michaela, so sorry to hear about your Pekin but as others have said it's highly unlikely that it's anything you have done or not done. Try to take comfort from this & hopefully you will feel better soon. Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Sorry to hear about Hermione Egluntyne. Was she one of your Columbine type girls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 No, she was an Amber link. She had been a poor dooer in the past, but had been OK for a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 Sorry to read about Hermione Egluntyne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted April 2, 2010 Share Posted April 2, 2010 In my first year I lost three pekins in quick succession. I was devastated and felt just like you do. In my case, I had bought the pekins as POL and was told by the breeder just to feed them as my other girls and I fed them layers pellets. Looking back, now I have experience of younger birds, I know that they were far too young for layers pellets. I still feel guilty now when I think about it. You will get through this though. On the plus side we hadn't lost a girl for well over a year until this past week when Chaka Khan died. We were upset but knew it was coming. She was the same breed as our original Ginger Spice and we knew when her comb started to turn purple and she started slowing down that her time was coming to an end. Don't let this put you off. Sometimes these things happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley8179 Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Egluntyne, sorry to hear about Hermione x. Thank you again everyone x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
