3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[dislaney]

Hi everyone - a friend managed to get two new ladies for me this week from a farmer's market; I'd been looking for a Cuckoo Maran and a Brown Leghorn for some time locally, and she said that she had a contact who could source them for me.

 

So Kelly and Louise arrived on Tuesday, and so far fisticuffs with my other six girls have been quite low level, which is great. Both new girls looked in good shape on arrival, but on closer inspection Kelly the Maran had poorly legs and feet (crusty scales and pink, sore looking toes) and a bald tummy/bottom. Louse the Leghorn had one slightly crusty leg.

 

I just wondered if anyone could guess what conditions they might have been kept in before coming to me? More out of curiosity than anything else - the legs of both girls are starting to look much better already as I keep my ladies on clean bark chippings and never seem to have a problem with feet no matter what the weather. Kelly seemed frightened to walk at first, as if it was hurting her, but now she's scratching away at the chippngs with the rest of them and the pinkness has faded away leaving a nice pale leg on show. The worst of the crusty scales have fallen off leaving clean leg underneath, no bleeding. If they hadn't started to look better I would have treated for scaly leg with Vaseline, white spirit etc. It also looks as if fluff is starting to appear under her bottom, which is great news.

 

All thoughts welcome - thanks!

[Patricia W]

It sounds like scaley leg mite - which is catching so it would have been best to isolate the newbies for at least a week if not two. I think vaseline works but someone will come along to tell you more.

 

Farmers' markets and auctions can be a bit iffy. It could be that someone wanted to get rid of two who were getting on it bit or not laying. I guess time will tell. I hope it all works out.

[dislaney]

Thanks Patricia - thought it might be a mite condition; hoping that the girls aren't past it as the person sourcing them for me knows her stuff, but if they are at least they'll get a good home here!

[dislaney]

P.S. on this issue of the health of my new girls - the Leghorn has got a lump to the left of her beak. It was originally very red and angry looking, so I assumed that it was a pecking injury sustained during the first days of integration - she's been picked on much more than the larger Maran- but now I'm starting to wonder if it's something else? Not red or angry any more, just swollen and right on the edge of her mouth. Any clues? Or am I right on the residual injury front? She's eating OK, although seems extremely fussy about what!