Poorly chicken

[chocolatedog]

Had to have Pepper II PTS this morning (see chicken memorials.....) - which means that dear old Ginger (the only one left of my original 3 ladies) has not only outlived the rest of her generation, but also both of the second generation girls as well! At 5 1/2 though I doubt she'll pull off the same stunt with the third generation pair, but you never know! I don't think I'll replace Pepper (she wasn't laying anyway) as with 3 girls in total now, I haven't got room in the eglu for another pair, plus from what I've read on the forums, introducing a single newbie to an existing flock (even a small one) doesn't seem to be as easy as introducing a new pair....... Or can anyone prove me wrong?! (I've still got my eye on the Buff Barred which I resisted last time!! )

Edited September 28, 2012 by Guest

[Gloss-Hen]

Sorry to hear your loss

I introduced one chicken into a flock of 12 and it didnt go badly at all

if you are going to do it do it at night then it shouldnt be so bad in the morning

[gongladosh]

I managed to introduce a single bantam chicken of fate into an existing flock of hybrid big girls.

It wasn't difficult - it just takes a little patience. One thing you could do is ask your local breeder for a single tough girl?

[chocolatedog]

I had a phone call yesterday from the vet who put Pepper to sleep. He'd done an autopsy as well as sending off faecal samples to check she hadn't died from anything that could infect my other girls, and it revealed that she died from egg yolk peritonitis - it certainly explained why she hadn't been laying since May, and now in hindsight, I think it's what caused Pepper I's death too. Poor girls.......