redsunset Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 There's a thought! I have searched the grounds.......might be some eggs up in a conifer! Hebridean weather tonight, chucking it down and temps down to almost 16 degrees, so chooks in the huff stuffed under various bushes in disgust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 Babies going to bed in my herb barrel!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Is my sibling seeing me as a chicken addict would you say?? Was a lovely Birthday cake though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Who's the butterfly addict? Looks a scrummy cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Mmmmmm chocolate cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 The butterfly was just an added decoration but the chook on top made me laugh and cake has long since been demolished! It was very much appreciated and I did share a bit with sister for being so good to bring it over. On the other hand took in my biggest haul of eggs today, 20. Was amazed they all laid mostly in the hen house's as second half of 6ft+ fence is under way so they are wandering into next doors garden right now. Am saying nothing and will offer eggs in abundance if I get any complaints!......... One speckledy lays behind the second hen house daily, and one has just started laying in my herb barrel but at least I know where to look every day. They have just had a Cantaloupe melon for tea as it was reduced to 35p so a nice treat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 p.s. I am quietly humbled by all the views of my first year of chicken keeping! Thank you. I am VERY much a novice and have much yet to learn from the more seasoned chicken keepers. A lot of my learning has been from reading on here and just observation of my wee flock. Loving it though...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 We're all loving your chicken blog too With all those eggs you'll just have to make another chocy cake by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 Seems my chooks are having a high old time exploring the surrounding neighbourhood right now as part fence collapsed/removed to make way for the next bit to be built! Still no complaints so long may it last. Will have to do a head count as got a txt today to say the guy rough-casting the new build behind me in the croft had a friendly white hen for company the last two days! (That will no doubt be Mrs Amber who kept stealing food at the bbq) Still have 5 sleeping in the willows, 4 under the patio table and baby Isa needs to be lifted to house every night as loses her pal (who has the sense to use a house) still getting around 16 eggs so must be home to lay for the most part????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Your girls are so lucky, us down here in outer London could only dream of having that set up, must be amazing for you and them not to have to worry constantly about Mr redcoats visiting ..I can only imagine the adventures they have mincing about:)) x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 Yep, they are lucky in that respect as no redcoats up here and thankfully no plans to introduce them. Biggest predator would be large dogs right now but most are on leads. I am so thankful I don't have foxes so can leave them to do their own thing and get up, go to bed when ever they want. Once the fence is done (which is costing a small mortgage!) it will be like fort knox but with a quarter acre they can't complain, or better not! Did a head count earlier and baby Isa finally went to house with pal. Others are still in willows as per, or under patio table roosting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 It all reminds me of that film where the chickens get out of the farm. I'm wondering who is using the beach huts . . . have a suspicion it is you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Chicken run!! It was that tonight as the guy doing my fence was closing in their escape gap and 9 chickens on the wrong side.........he caught them all and put them back over the fence so that's the end of their foraging now! grass is always greener on t'other side as they say! As for living in the beach huts, No way could I squeeze my derrière in there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Not a good day in the 'beach house'. Have a very poorly hen in chicken hospital (utility room in box of straw) Only noticed last night that chook had one eye closed and waited until am to see how she was in case maybe just a peck from another. This am a lot worse as both eyes almost shut (hiding under a tree away from others) and isolated immediately. Went to vet and got antibiotics and also flubenvet and tylan for water but I think she is to far gone now. How fast a chook can go downhill is frightening and keeping her warm and comfortable but she is thin (on examining her breastbone), noticed her undercarriage was a bit bald and she has a gurgle in her chest of fluid. Gutted. How did I not notice? The rest have all been checked and are fine but water treated, food with flubenvet. Took home bio yoghurt and mixed it with tuna but no. I don't expect her to be there in the am though got her to take antibiotics with a good bit of water at lunchtime. Feel very flat as hate to see any of my wee girls poorly and only about 4 weeks since I lost one to 'what, I have no idea' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Ah bless you, I have yet to go through this horror but as you say, they go downhill fast, I am sure none of us pick up and check our girls every day, mine get a once over weekly with a visual check every morning. Come on, what more can we do for our girls. Will be thinking of you in the morning x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Aw thanks, it's not nice and I go down every so often to give her a wee stroke and talk to her softly. The smell is not nice, actually quite putrid but she can't help it so try to ignore it for her sake. Deffo a resp infection and a very bad one, but am letting nature do what it does and she is warm and dry and stress free. Scrubbing my hands after every visit as paranoid the others get it but so far so good, who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Bless you, its so hard, we nursed a poorly one for a week, horrible to watch and u feel so helplessxxx sending big hugs xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Thank you. It is horrible to watch. They can hide illness so well until it's usually to late. She is still alive but eyes swollen shut. Still moves her head in response of noise when I go to see her. Not a lot else I can do right now but keep her comfortable and calm. Will see what morning brings but not expecting it to be anything good. I can't believe how attached I got to my chickens in such a short year??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 we only had Doris for about 6 weeks when she got ill - I was heart broken - these friendly little animals just become part of the family don't they xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 They do indeed. And to think I was scared of them as a child and now think nothing of lifting one up and can spot the different personalities easily.......but not a sick chook it seems until it's to late!!! Ok, I know it can happen easily but they are darned clever in hiding any illnesses as they would be in the wild I guess, so as not to attract attention or persecution by their peers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Yup i really do think they hide it well. Even though im not experienced at all i was sure i wud be able to tell but Doris went downhill so quickly it was shocking. I hope u manage to get some sleep tonight so u can face tomorroe with whatver it might hold. They dont give up easily i know that xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 How is she today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Is she OK? I do so hope she is. Sounds like she had that M disease (can never remember exactly what it is called) and that can respond quite quickly to antibiotics, though as you say hens (in fact all birds) go downhill frighteningly fast. This is because they are a prey species and can't risk looking ill. So when we notice they are sick they are usually very sick indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulad Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 any news ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 Sorry for the late reply! Yes she is still here and still looking poorly. Eyes puffy but comfortable in her box of straw. Nearly broke my heart at lunchtime to see she had even laid an egg, bless her. I know she is not going to get better, but cannot bring myself to do anything but give her a chance. Spent two hours tonight cleaning the beach huts and bleached/scrubbed 30 roosting bars to with in an inch of their lives. Girls water is being dosed with Tylan and Flub in food. Taking no chances. Every time I visit her am scrubbing my hands as terrified it's something I could pass to the others. Hate seeing her like this, I take it badly whaen one of my wee pets are suffering. Shabby Chic are you referring to Mareks disease per chance as you mentioned the M word? It looks to me like a respiratory disease of some sort, as she has mucus in her beak, sinus's and eyes are puffy and closed. Mycoplasma Gallisepticum would be my guess after doing a bit of reading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
