Chicken bald back

[gavclojak]

Good morning everyone.

One of my new ex colony girls laid a softie overnight, she must have had a bit of a panic as she had laid it and pooped in the large part of the Hutch (temporary accommodation), they have only laid and sleep in the nest bit usually, one of the girls have also had loose motions over the last day or two.

 

They have been on mash since the rehoming two weeks ago but I am slowly moving them over to pellets which they seem to be accepting readily

 

I have a feeling it is more to do with the fact they have just started free ranging and are eating, grass, bugs, worms etc. and are trying things they have never tried before??

 

my big girls are due to be wormed within the next few weeks so was hoping to do them all together as I didn't want to unsettle the new girls too much but should I worm them straight away? ....also I am trying to integrate them but that's a question for another post I think

[Purplemaniacs]

They have had a lot to cope with over the last couple of weekls. I would just keep an eye on them. I am sure they will settle down once they get used to their fantastic new life.

 

Perhaps limit the FR a little to allow their systems to get used to it.

 

I would worm them all at the same time in a few weeks.

 

Chrissie

[gavclojak]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Chrissie when I'm sure all you want to do is cry....x

[dancing cloud]

I think all of my ex-batts had upset tums at one point or another in their excitement at freedom and I recall many soft eggs along the way as well. I think it's just part of the adjustment process and probably indicative of the fact they can stuff their happy little faces with anything and everything! Dandelion laid a few soft eggs when she arrived and then nothing at all for 9 months, before suddenly laying proper eggs regularly. Joy laid lumpy-bumpy white eggs until her first moult, after which it was plain brown eggs. They can be very strange!

 

Mine also took a while to learn about laying in the nestbox rather than just wherever they happened to be. Once they'd realised what the nestbox was for, there were several times when I'd see a head shoot up and a hen leg it for the cube in a panic to get there in time (and they didn't always make it).

 

I'd worm them at the same time as your others, as I don't think it will do them any harm.

 

Integrating? It'll happen ...

[mullethunter]

My girls often seem to have upset tums if I give them something different to eat, so such a massive change in your lucky gangs diet is probably the cause.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Guest

[Claireabella]

I agree, it's probably all that new yummy stuff. I tried mine on a whole cabbage head yesterday. After legging it, they tentatively came back to see what it was and then after a few pecks, they loved it! A couple of them have runny tums today - I think they overdid the cabbage

 

My Bluebell occasionally lays a softie and it always sends her a bit wobbly.

[PickleHen]

Hello. The sisters of your new additions are also experiencing this. We get two beautiful eggs every day and every couple of days a third, almost shelless egg. We think this is the result of the smaller hen being bullied in the forming of the pecking order and they seem to have been molting ( and or been pecked to the point of bald at their former caged home). She also has a deformed beak so where possible we make sure she gets her access to smaller oyster grit and ground pellets in case she struggles which the usual form available.

 

Mine are free ranging on most days and whilst we have fed them greens like kale and spinach, the odd fresh corn cobb and a small handful of cracked corn at night.... they go mental for grapes which we ration to one per hen- If they don't have it stolen by another sister. Fun to watch!

 

I do hope the soft egg delivery discontinues. I am keeping note of ours so I can determine if the situation is improving , or otherwise!