Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[penelope]

Hi There

 

I have a tricky dilema & need some help!

 

My daughter bought me 2 pekin chicks as a surprise for my 50th birthday. They came from a farm that we had been looking at a few days before with the idea that we would get 2 more to add to my girls.

 

All of their flocks looked happy & healthy & were free ranging or cooped in the open.

 

When I opened the box the little lemon one looked a bit shell shocked & was mouth breathing & sleepy. Later on she looked even worse & I was worried that she might not make it through the night.

 

I put heat lamp in with them & they looked a bit better the next day.

 

The black pekin is still a bit huddled, has a clear runny nose and isn't quite so active as the lemon who is now totally normal. "Beaky" (So named because her beak is so overgrown on the top that she looks like a hawk) has had her beak trimmed & re shaped & she can now pick up the food easier. Plus the fact that the flooring where they are at the moment has half slabs so she is wearing it down as she is pecking.

 

I am saying she but every time I look at her I still think she might be a he!

 

SO ............ The problem is do I take them back to the breeder as I am really worried about the health of my other hens, Beaky has a deformed beak & she might be a he.

 

Or ............ Do I wait & see what happens?

 

If I get it wrong I will upset my daughter by making it look like she has chosen grotty chicks!!

 

I did ring the breeder yesterday & she said it was the stress of being moved & lots of hens have runny noses at this time of year.

She did say I could go & get some antibiotics but I really dont want to have ill chicks in the first place incase it spreads to my other girls.

 

We hatched my girls from eggs and I just could not bear it if I let them get infected with something that could have been avoided.

 

 

Help.........what do I do???

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that.

 

Firstly keep them isolated from your flock and wash your hands after you've handled/fed them.

 

Gift or otherwise, you have every right to expect that stock you buy will be in good health likewise, the breeder should be happy to take back for exchange or refund any sick stock or any cocks sold as hens - this is normal practice. You can't be expected to fork out for antibiotics or vet treatment yourself unless he has offered to cover the cost for you. I have no idea of what ails them without seeing the wee things myself but if they've had mycoplasma then it could affect their ability to lay....... if they aren't cockerels!

 

If it was me, they'd be going straight back from whence they came, I am sure that your lovely daughter will understand.

[Egluntyne]

I agee, especially if one is looking like a cockerel.

[penelope]

Thanks for saying what I was thinking.

 

I rather expected the breeder to offer that option yeaterday but I guess i will have to tell her tomorrow that i am not happy & I am going to return them.

 

They are still just about getting their adult feathers & still have a few baby fluff here & thee so I hope that if they survive & are ok , she will be able to home them to someone else..........really dont want to think about what else she will do with them but she seems to really care about the rest of her chooks.

 

I am totally soppy about all animals & as a retired veterinary nurse I feel I should keep them & try to make them better but for some reason I just have not fallen in love with them. I love my big girls too much to out them at risk.

 

i will phone her & see what she has to say.

 

I guess I am within my rights to ask for all of my money back?

 

Do you think I should get hold of some virkon or something to clean out the area where they have been living. Its in my shaded greenhouse. One of my girls does like to go in there to dust bath,obviously the door is being kept shut at the moment.

Oh groan I am dreading phoning the breeder & dreading telling my daughter even more.

 

Thanks guys

 

I will let you know what happens next.

 

XX

[The Dogmother]

I'd give it all a good clean with some Viratec, that's good stuff... just in case.

 

Moving birds or rehoming them can cause them stress, which in turn may make them more susceptible to illness but I doubt that it'd happen that quickly, it may be that they were already infected *shrugs*.

 

I'd expect a full refund or replacements if that was me. At this time of year you may be better off with older birds as they will be more hardy as the weather gets colder.