Chicken boarders

[Tinky]

Hi there, we got out first chickens and Eglu only 5 days ago so a lot of my questions may be due to settling in but I don't want to ignore things either just in case...

 

We have 3 hybrids who are about 17 weeks (it seems common to post names here so here goes, Ruby, Daisy and Matilda.) From day one, one has been very tame and easy to pick up and she is just lovely. The other 2 are definitely more nervous and run away as soon as we go near them. One of the nervous ones is definitely the 'boss' and pecks the other 2 if they go near the food she is eating. I also noticed today that the tame one was getting pecked by the other one a bit too.

 

Yesterday and today the tame one has been standing on one leg a lot and has had her eyes closed and seems to be seperate from the other 2 when I let them free range and she didn't want to go into the Eglu from the run tonight even though it was dark so am wondering if she is getting bullied badly? Whilst not pleasant I am hoping this is what it is rather than her being sick. Her feathers look fine although as I am inexperienced there may be something I have missed.

 

My second question is relating to food. I have the Grub feeder that came with the Eglu filled with layers pellets but only the bossy one eats from it as far as I can see and it looks hardly touched since I filled it on Saturday. The other 2 don't seem to be eating much at all although they are drinking and pecking. I have put some sweetcorn out in the evening and it was all gone but not sure who got it. How can I be sure that they are all getting enough? I also throw some pellets in the run in the morning and evening but they don't seem to be eaten. I don't want to always put corn etc. out for them as I know the pellets are much better for them but I don't want them to starve either. Any tips? Oh and I cleaned the Eglu today and there is certainly plenty of poo coming out so I assume this is a good sign that something is going in!!

 

Also how can I get grit into them if they are not eating from the Grub?

 

This chicken keeping reminds me of when I had my first child and was clueless.

 

Would really appreciate some guidance here, it is much more difficult in practice

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Don't worry (easy to say, I know ). I would just keep an eye on the quiet one - have you checked her over for any visible injuries/sore bits? (I have a very new girl who's getting pecked on the back by another new girl so I know how that feels ). Bullying tends not to happen at night when they're sleepy but there's no way of knowing for sure . Perhaps you could provide other accommodation temporarily? (A pet carrier or similar?) Or, if you can get at her, I'd just pick her up and put her in the eglu (leaving the door open so she can get away if they do have a go at her.

 

They will appear to not eat very much at first. Once they start laying they'll put much more away. Re grit, if they're freeranging they'll probably pick up enough grit. You could always provide some in a small coop cup so they have another source if they want it.

 

You'll find you can relax after you've had them a while - it's all so strange and nervewracking at first - I remember it well .

[Tinky]

Thanks Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody here, good to have someone tell me not to fret. I didn't get to check her over properly today as it was raining really heavily but will do tomorrow. At a glance though she looked the same as Saturday which is good. Just thought the eyes closed thing was new and she is the only one that keeps her leg up although is walking fine and she was pecking at some stages during the day which I believe is a good sign.

 

That's great re the food and I will add an extra bowl of grit. Another daft question perhaps but in the absence of a special feeder on the Eglu can I just put a little normal plastic bowl on the ground? I should maybe still have them on Growers Pellets but I guess there is not much point changing now at 17 weeks? Maybe the food the breeder had was different and they are getting used to it too.

 

It's mad how attached you get to them so quickly, I didn't expect that . I am feeling very sorry for her as she is our definite favourite from the day she arrived.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

She may have hurt her leg slightly - I'd give it a couple of days to see if she stops holding it up. Also I do remember a couple of mine worrying me by closing their eyes a lot - it didn't last long though. Not sure why they do that .

 

If you put a bowl on the ground they'll just knock it over . A coop cup like this is ideal. I'm not much of an expert but I think layers is fine at 17 wks (I've always got my girls at about 18 weeks and have always used layers pellets). I'm sure it's just that they don't eat much till they start laying .

[Tinky]

Thanks again. I've ordered the feeder you suggested (very cheap site)! I will put some grit in when it arrives.

 

She seems ok today, still standing on one leg but walking fine round the garden and pecking but does seem to be stopping for longer periods than the others and closing her eyes. Definitely not as active as the others but is with them sometimes. A new thing I noticed is that when she is standing still with ther eyes closed she sometimes opens her beak and clucks quietly. Her eyes are clear and the comb isn't pale which I understand are things to look out for. Feathers also seem fine.

 

Maybe this is just her way and I shouldn't be worrying but she is just so different to the other two!

[Lorax]

This chicken keeping reminds me of when I had my first child and was clueless.

 

OMG this is just how I feel! I was thinking today that it reminds me of when I had my first child and was feeding her and obsessed with whether she was getting enough!

 

Just wanted to say, you are ahead of us. We got our chooks yesterday and I'm completely full of questions. I'm currently obsessed that they're not drinking enough (they don't seem to have got the hang of the Super Glug insofar as I can see). I feel really bad that one of the chickens is pecking the others. And of course it's 'my' chook that's doing the bullying.

[Tinky]

I think I have spent more time watching the chickens today than my children

 

Seriously, I am getting worried about my little tame one now. She really isn't eating anything, I tried to give her grapes to tempt her and at least see if she is eating but still no success, despite the others nearly killing themselves to get at them. She pecked at them but left them. She is drinking though.

 

Behaviour today is pretty consistent with the last couple. On one leg a lot, head under wing and eyes closed. Is coming out of the run and walking round the garden but not pecking that much, more standing in one spot for a while.

 

We picked her up and checked her over as far as our knowledge of what to look for and seems fine. No fleas, no red patches, no poo round vent, feathers shiny. The only physical thing of note is that her tail feathers don't point upwards like the other two. Unfortunately I never noticed if they ever did but is this a bit unusual?

 

She did go back into the coop on her own tonight which was encouraging as the last 2 nights we had quite a bit of trouble getting her to budge.

 

I have been trawling the internet looking for diseases with these 'symptoms' but nothing seems to fit which is good but frustrating in that I don't know what to do for the best.

 

Would really appreciate comments. Thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

The tail down is often a sign that they're under the weather . Where did you get them from? It might be worth a call to see if they can help?

[Chucky1]

Hi Tinky - I think ANH has said most of it. It is nerve racking when they first arrive but the chooks really are quite hardy. A couple of ours stand on one leg for a while - someone on here said it was a bit like what nurses do to rest one leg

 

I think having extra food and stations around will help. Also we keep a water pistol handy for any bullying - certainly makes us feel better

 

You'll find the chemistry will change when they start laying.

 

Enjoy your chooks

 

Good luck

[Clairey_Fairy]

Hi, I am also new to chickens, had my two girls a week now, and they are great. Thankfully both seem healthy and active and so far getting on OK. Just a thought on food, I made 'porridge' for mine, just with their pellets and hot water, and put it in a heavy china bowl in the run and they go crazy for it! Other than that, they love grapes, but have shown no interest in broccoli, kale, cabbage etc! Hope you get her to eat.

[Chicken Shirl]

Hello Tinky..........I don't like that her tail is down. I would be inclined to feed her from my hand to make sure that she at least gets something. If she is ill it really doesn't matter what she eats as long as you can tempt her with something. The porridge made with pelletts is a good idea as she is also getting moisture from that..................Bring her out away from the others and put some food on your fingers and let her peck it off them. I give porridge oats well soaked with water and a spoon full of yoghurt added when my chooks are off colour.

 

I think someone has mentioned two feeding stations so that she has food avaiable to her when she is chased off by the others.

 

I'm sure she will improve with a little bit of TLC from you. Let us know how she is getting on. Good luck with her.

[MadAboutChooks]

I also agree with all the above, when mine are under the weather I can usually tempt them with some mealworms and sometimes make a sort of porridge with all their favourite things in grapes, mealworms sweetcorn, and mine go crazy for tuna!. Try not to worry easy for me to say I know

[MarkBevBen]

Hiya Tinky and everyone else

 

Just wanted to say that we're also new to chicken ownership - we got our girls and Eglu/food/equipment all from Omlet.

 

Even though things started off great, one of our girls Lottie a sadly caught a bacterial infection and went to hen-heaven last week Like you've all said, it's amazing how attached you get to these little ladies.

 

When we realised she was poorly, we kept her seperate from the others and tried her with antibiotics and all kinds of treats to tempt her to eat.

 

I found Barbara from Omlet extremely helpful and caring. She gave us lots of really helpful tips from how to give medicine, to offering things like Weetabix with a bit of honey and warm water.

 

As the others have said too, if your girl's tails are facing downwards, that isn't a good sign and I'd keep a very close eye on her. We noticed that with our Lottie and also on reflection, we wonder now if she had a little weakness somewhere along the line because she always seemed to be the more reserved of the three.

 

Other than loosing our little Lottie, I think it's very easy keeping chickens and I'm quite surprised how quickly we've got the hang of it. Our other two seem absolutely fine, are giving us lots of lovely eggs and are happy, inquisitive, funny ladies! I could easily spend hours watching them.

 

Keep us posted as to how you're getting along xxx

[Tinky]

Hi everyone, just getting to check replies now so thanks for these.

 

Well I think it was Saturday night I last posted and on Sunday she just seemed really off, more so than before and wouldn't even eat any grapes from my hand or otherwise. I called in a vet (not a chicken specialist but he does deal with birds so best I was going to get on a Sunday) and he agreed that she wasn't right and I wasn't imagining things.

 

Like some of the posters here he though the tail being down was a sign of illness and gave her an antibiotic shot. He also said the crop was totally empty and that she was too light. He force fed her some pellets and gaver her some salt water too.

 

I have been giving her liquid antiobiotic for the last few days (not as easy as it sounds)! and she has been eating. I did isolate her at feeding time by locking the 2 others in the run so I could make sure I could see what she was eating and she ate a good bit of corn and some pellets. I also saw her take some pellets from the feeder twice yesterday and is drinking. A good sign but she is still not very active and does do a lot of standing around with her eyes closed. The tail is not totally down but not as 'perky' as the other 2 although she is a different hybrid (Golden Comet) and maybe that is normal for her.

 

The vet only gave her a 10% chance of recovery. I guess I will have to make a decision over the next few days as to whether to call him back and whether she is off to hen heaven via the long sleep as it might be fairer.

 

Thanks again for your help and I will let you know what happens.

[Tinky]

MarkBevBen, sorry also meant to say sorry for the loss of Lottie. Ruby also has always been the weaker of our 3, we just though she was very tame for the first few days.

[Chicken Shirl]

Where there's life there's hope. I'd keep in there fighting for her/with her. that she will recover.

 

I had one of mine in the kitchen with me for three weeks after finding her collapsed and not able to walk. Was told by the vet she was a gonna. No way I thought, not my darling Big Pingu. Fed her by hand and nursed her day and night. She is still with us and lays me an egg every other day.................. Don't give up on her yet...........They have amazing strength our little feathered friends.

 

I do realise that it's not always possible to have the time to do this. I am very lucky to be retired.

[Lorax]

Oh Chicken Shirl that's so sweet! Mine would not be safe in the kitchen, they'd be loved to death by the children...

[Chicken Shirl]

Oh Chicken Shirl that's so sweet! Mine would not be safe in the kitchen, they'd be loved to death by the children...

 

I wish I had had hens when my girls were small. I imagine I would have had the same problem.

[MarkBevBen]

Hi everyone, just getting to check replies now so thanks for these.

 

Well I think it was Saturday night I last posted and on Sunday she just seemed really off, more so than before and wouldn't even eat any grapes from my hand or otherwise. I called in a vet (not a chicken specialist but he does deal with birds so best I was going to get on a Sunday) and he agreed that she wasn't right and I wasn't imagining things.

 

Like some of the posters here he though the tail being down was a sign of illness and gave her an antibiotic shot. He also said the crop was totally empty and that she was too light. He force fed her some pellets and gaver her some salt water too.

 

I have been giving her liquid antiobiotic for the last few days (not as easy as it sounds)! and she has been eating. I did isolate her at feeding time by locking the 2 others in the run so I could make sure I could see what she was eating and she ate a good bit of corn and some pellets. I also saw her take some pellets from the feeder twice yesterday and is drinking. A good sign but she is still not very active and does do a lot of standing around with her eyes closed. The tail is not totally down but not as 'perky' as the other 2 although she is a different hybrid (Golden Comet) and maybe that is normal for her.

 

The vet only gave her a 10% chance of recovery. I guess I will have to make a decision over the next few days as to whether to call him back and whether she is off to hen heaven via the long sleep as it might be fairer.

 

Thanks again for your help and I will let you know what happens.

 

 

Oh Tinky, here's hoping that Ruby will be getting stronger by the day. I always think things like eating and drinking are good signs. They really keep us on our toes our ladies don't they hey xxx

[Tinky]

I thought I would let you all know, especially those who have been kind and helpful and enough to post that Ruby seems to be fine now!! I had my eye on her nearly all day Wednesday and Thursday and isolated her for feeding so I could make sure she was getting something and she was eating. She still seems to be less active than the other 2 and less confident but I wouldn't say she was sick at all. I threw out some food yesterday onto the patio for all of them and she made sure she got her share and I saw her eating from the Eglu feeder a few times, yay!! I was delighted for her. Still watching her more closely but everything seems normal as far as my experience allows and her tail seems a lot more up. She would have to get sick in the first week of being here... everything else will hopefully be easier from now.

 

Thanks again.

[Chicken Shirl]

Well done both of you.

[Lorax]

I'm so pleased! Us too. The Columbine seems on the mend. She still doesn't seem 100% but she's eating and drinking and comes out of the house. Maybe she was just shy...who knows.