2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[Shirl]

I'm seriously considering sticking them in with my old girls and seeing what happens. Hopefully the old girls would show them what's what and get them in bed when it gets cold. I did think they wouldn't manage to get in the cube but now I think they'd manage it.

[Aunty e]

I'd do it frankly. I haven't added extra perches to our hen house yet, and it's wooden so not as warm as the cube, otherwise my ex-batts would be in with the girs already. They're very lively and active, and none of mine are particularly bullying as only one of them is in lay.

[Shirl]

I'll see if I can persuade the OH to move the cube back into the run tomorrow. At least we'll be around all weekend to keep an eye on what they're all upto.

[Gertie]

Hi Shirl

 

I recently got some ex batts, none so bare as Emily, but they seem to be coping fine with the weather. I do have the run covered with a clear tarp. It's v cold in Surrey but they spend all day out in the run.

 

Good luck with deciding what to do/integration!

[Space Chick]

Hi Shirl,

 

I wouldn't put them in with the others yet as they need time to rebuild their strength as they bones will be quite weak for a while. They will be fine in the rabbit run, do they have a cat carrier to sleep in in there?

[Aunty e]

My lot have been free ranging all day with my other girls - no problems here and I have five fat hybrids and a bossy pekin. I think they'd be fine with shirl's three I bought some more kroken rails from Ikea (thank you so much for that tip Omleteers!) and put them their own glug up, with a peanut and a bunny bottle. Chucked a load of straw in and put the old mini greenhouse in so they can roost in it. They're ploughing through the ex-batts pellets though, and tons of mixed corn and whatever s"Ooops, word censored!"s we chuck them. Wondering if I should give them some grit? Might have to try them on layers soon, as I can't keep buying tiny little bags of ex-batt pellets from pets at home, it's costing a fortune!

 

 

 

[Shirl]

Your girls look happy.

 

I put the girls in together Saturday and there haven't been an introduction problems. This morning I let them all out at about 7.30. Old girls came out first and then Emily, the other 2 ex-batts were a bit more cautious. I got back from school at 9.30 and Emily looked hunched and cold so I put her in the cube nest. Ive just been out again and she looks really poorly lying on her side. I've put her in a box and brought her in the lounge which is 20 degrees. I'm hoping she's just cold and might brighten up but I don't think so. Her crop is full so she's eaten well this morning, I don't know how a chicken can appear well at 7.30am and nearly dead 3 hours later. I don't want to check the box incase it's bad news.

[poachedegg]

Aww hope she's perking up.

 

We put our 2 new ex batts in with our exsisting ones yesterday - they have been free for 4 weeks so are feathering up nicely and seem to have some strength.

 

I wanted them in the rather than the as it is more weather protected, so to ease their introductions have put 3 old girls in the and will swap them over every day as we are using the divide and conquer method

[Shirl]

she's twitching a lot. the temp in the box is 22.5 am thinking that is about right. still lying on her side though with eyes shut.

[skye]

Sorry to hear your girl is struggling, Shirl. Fingers crossed she will pick up. Do you have any nutri-drops or something like that?

 

Bless her.

 

skye x

[Mercedes55]

I do hope she is okay. I only just saw this thread and looked at the pics of your new girls and it brought tears to my eyes seeing how they looked

[Aunty e]

Aw Shirl - hope she's ok Some of them do just give up and die though, it could literally be anything - she could be struggling to pass a softie (that makes them very unhappy) or she could have peritonitis or anything. You're doing all the right things, so I'm afraid it's up to her.

[Shirl]

I don't have nutridrops I will pick up rescue remedy as suggested in the chicken clinic.

[Shirl]

She's looking more perky now. I put some corn in the box and she looks like she's eating it. Well she's pecking at it but it doesn't seem to be going so I'm not 100% she'd eating it. She hasn't had a drink for several hours now. Clearly I can't try her with the glug indoors. Can they drink from a hamster bottle? I might try that. I will take my thermometer and measure the temperature in the cube later. I can then make a decision as to whether to put her in the cube overnight and bring her back indoors in the morning or just leave her indoors. I don't want her picked on when she goes back because she's only little.

[BocBoc]

Poor little things - they looked so confused and very scrawny

Well done you for adopting them and giving them the chance for a happy life

 

[skye]

Hiya,

 

That sounds promising. Does she like grapes? A few pieces of chopped grape would give her a bit of liquid and also the sugar might provide a bit of energy. Not sure she might learn to use a hamster bottle when she's poorly. When one of ours was sick, I filled a little ramekin with water and floated dried mealworms on the top of it. The hen had to take in some water if she wanted to eat the mealworms. Perhaps you could try that with something she likes?

 

Given how weak she was this morning, if it's at all possible I'd suggest keeping her in again tonight.

 

Good luck with her

 

skye x

[Shirl]

I haven't been giving them treats except corn. i thought corn was best to give them the extra energy to keep warm. I'll try a grape but I'm not sure she'll know what to do with it. She's only been uncaged for 10 days. Thanks for the ideas.

[Shirl]

Tried the grape but she doesn't know what it is so ignored it. I have put a little pot of water in there with a little corn on the bottom. Corn and layers mash is all she knows so I can't try anything else.

[goodinparts]

I'm sorry...poor little Emily & poor you. They are such a worry, aren't they?

If I were you I'd keep her inside tonight...maybe offer her some tuna. When my Margot was poorly soon after she arrived (psyching herself up to lay her first egg, it transpired) that persuaded her to reconsider her plan to die then and there...but if Emily is feeling very grotty she might not feel up to trying new foods.

Hope she rallies.

[Aunty e]

Some tuna might be the very thing - ours have always loved it. My bunch are merrily drinking from a bunny bottle, so she should manage a guinea bottle. They were all keen on a bowl of hot water this morning and yesterday.

[skye]

How is little Emily today?

 

skye x

[Shirl]

Sorry only just got online. Emily is back to normal now. She was obviously just way too cold. I think another half an hour it would have been a much sadder story. I found Evie looking cold this morning and she was easy to catch so I brought her indoors. Elizabeth is fine and very active (read not easy to catch!) so I left her outside. They are both in the downstairs loo. They have a small cardboard box each which Emily kept getting out of but Evie stayed in hers. Tonight Emily climbed in with Evie, she obviously wanted to snuggle up.

 

They are both eating well and they both ate some grapes and eventually drank from a bowl that had water in with corn at the bottom. At the moment they are relaxed about being in there so maybe Elizabeth was the trouble maker. They do absolutely stink though. I guess in a small, warm room it will smell more. I think they will have to go in a large dog cage I have. I bit too similar to battery hen status for my liking. Realistically I can't put hemcore on the floor because I don't want the smell penetrating the grout and having a hen house smell for ever more. I'm not complaining but I would rather they were truly free but I guess that will just have to wait.

[beach chick]

oh shirl, you're putting a lot in. at the mo I wouldnt worry about the battery style environment; I would concentrate on keeping them warm and fed and watered. good luck

[skye]

So glad to hear Emily is feeling better! That is great news!

 

And well done for bringing the other one inside too. It sounds like they appreciate the comfort for the time being and are keeping each other company. As you say they have been out of their cage for less than two weeks, so the temperature difference between the battery cage and normal chickeny outdoors life at this time of year is probably 20 degrees C or more

 

Well done for looking after her so well. I think in the past we have put old raggy towels or sheets down on top of newspaper when we have had girls indoors, and I think we just put aubiose in the temporary nesting box where they slept at night.

 

It sounds like you have done so well in caring for your girls

 

And then they just poo on your floor! what sort of thanks is that!

 

what are they like?!

 

skye x

[Aunty e]

Bonnies doing well in this weather, although we've not been able to let them out and they seem to rather resent it. So long as we don't leave the door open, their little bit is considerably more snug and warm than the WIR and house. All of our girls are enjoying the lovely drinks of hot water OH is taking them twice a day, and we've been putting a lot of straw down to keep them toasty. I also popped my old enormous rollaway cat litter tray into the conservatory and they've started piling into that to sleep.

 

They seem to be feathering up a bit - I was worried that we might be keeping them too warm to encourage feather growth, but it's still pretty nippy out there. Now considering our options for combining the flocks. I think I might try and find an extra chook house, so that they don't all have to sleep together straight away. Could this be an excuse to buy an Eglu Go

 

Hope Emily perked up Shirl.