gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 what are my chances if i just stand here?? Hiding in plain sight You go that way and I'll go this way! i do like you really...let me in Result I'm in...how come they have Mash!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaKiw1 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Lovely photos! So far so good it seems.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 How fab. Great pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Lovely pictures and great captions! Poor wee things though - I'm amazed how bad they are, even now that cages are banned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 thank you....its amazing how resilient they are isn't it....Their combs are getting more erect and proud now and the new feathers are sprouting under the skin, the redness on the bare skin is settling down too but they are very skinny...i am going to worm them, its earlier that i would have liked, ideally i would have given then a few more week but think it will be beneficial as fauna has the most awful watery poo...am going to give her a few days of Pro-kolin before and after the worming cycle then get a poo analysis if there is no improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 ...even now that cages are banned But cages aren't banned, they're just bigger than they used to be. The barren, cramped battery cage has been replaced with something called colony cages which have perching space and a nestbox of sorts. They are also apparently a lot bigger so instead of 6 hens per cage you'd have more like 40, space per bird is more than battery but not by a great deal but at least the birds can move about. I haven't actually seen these cages though, gavclojak has and will be able to correct anything I've got wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Your absolutely right Paula, i think the analogy used is the 'battery' units had A4 sized cage where as the colony units have an A4 and a half amount of usable floor space, in real term's colony cage regime, a bird now gets 600 square cm of ‘usable space’ and a minimum head room of 45cm. Yes, it’s an improvement, but only just. The extra space they can move around in is around the size of a postcard. The other 150 sq cm of extra space is used for nesting boxes to lay eggs. As well as this, the floors of the enriched cages are still largely wire mesh. I have also done a few 'barn' re-homing's...they were large windowless plastic units and the flooring of the 'barns' was a raised bed of perforated plastic sheeting, perches around a central communal nest box and a tiny area at the front of the unit with a layer of wood-chip.During one barn re-homing i noticed one farmer had tied plastic bottles around the unit to, i assume entertain his hens so some are a little better than others. I have to add i have met the farmers many times and they have always been extremely pleasant, yes they probably think I'm a mad woman but they were very nice, and if they didn't care they would send the girls to slaughter without giving us a chance to take some and re home them, after all we pay them the same amount they would earn from each hen so really they have gained nothing from this crazy group that descend on the farm every month or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I'll never understand how inhumane humanity are even those who seem at other times to be quite decent people Thank goodness for 'crazy groups' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Good to see them coming along so well and getting up to proper chickenny mischief They're obviously feeding well - just look at the size of their crops now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 just look at the size of their crops now! Funny enough I am a little worried about that, it is empty in the morning but as soon as she starts eating it gets really big very quickly, she is also the one with the loose motions....will see how the worming and probiotic goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Great pics! Lovely to see them flourishing. Really excited now about getting my ex batts the end of Nov. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Lovely pictures - keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 So pleased to see how well they are doing. I'm sure it won't be long until they have all their feathers I am going to worm them, its earlier that i would have liked, ideally i would have given then a few more week but think it will be beneficial as fauna has the most awful watery poo...am going to give her a few days of Pro-kolin before and after the worming cycle then get a poo analysis if there is no improvement. Gavclojak, I hope you don't mind me asking but I was just wondering about the watery poo - as Queenie has had this since May - what is Pro-kolin, what does it do and how much does it cost ? Also should I get Queenie's poo tested and how much does this cost ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 ah just lovely, thriving little hens. Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 Of course I don't mind you asking luvachicken, Protexin Prokolin+ Antidiarrhoeal Probiotic Paste is a palatable probiot containing kaolin and pectin, supplied in an easy to use calibrated syringe. Protexin Pro kolin contains probiotics which are live microbial supplements given by mouth to improve the balance of micro-organisms in the intestinal tract, combat bacterial overgrowth and aid in the resolution of diarrhoea caused by a transient imbalance of the gut flora. They are entirely natural substances being presented in an oil base and not a water base; hence the bacteria are only activated once swallowed. It's costs around £8.00 on line but most vets stock it and it's not a POM so you can just call them and see if they have any. They usually give it to dogs/puppies. Re the poo testing...http://www.chickenvet.co.uk offer Faeces Sampling kits The kit contains gloves and packaging and instructions on how to take a faeces sample. The sample is then sent for testing for worms and coccidia infection. You will be contacted with the result. The price of the kit includes the cost of the laboratory fee and is about £15.00. If her tummy doesn't settle after the worming and the probiotic then I will get it tested, it can't do any harm:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickleHen Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 They are very lucky ladies to have such a lovely new home. We are going our best to let the sisters free range and to get as much sunshine as possible. With 21 degrees proposed for tomorrow, I am sure my husband will have some fab photos which I can share over the weekend. It is hard to believe how much they have progressed in three weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks gavclojak that is very useful. I will look into those two things but can already hear hubby ........."how much ?" One thing though, do you think the Prokolin stuff is similar to the Beryl's bacterial formula ? I remember our Mum used to give us kaolin and morphine for upset tummies but it was only many years later she actually read the instructions that said to dilute it - she always gave it to us neat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 I'm really not sure, my little dog had haemoragic gastroenteritis and it left his bowel desimated and that's the only thing that helped. All I know for sure is it's cheaper than a trip to the Vets Ps OH has no clue what I buy and how much they cost, he is on a need to know basis and guess what, he doesn't need to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 So after the trauma of the past 6 days with poor fauna having sour crop (is it still sour crop when caught ealy and not had a chance to go sour) who knows?? Anyway I bit the bullet tonight and after they had both gone to their separate accommodation, the big girls in the penthouse appt and the newbies in the basement flat (hutch) I popped them all in to the penthouse and stood outside listening , after a bit of moving about I had a peek and the new girls had jumped into the nest box followed by Barbara who never sleeps in there!! What a rum do!! I will be up early tomorrow to make sure it's hasn't all kicked off I was going to wait until the poop test on the new girls has been done but to be honest they have all been together during the day so if the new girls had anything I'm sure the old girls would have been exposed lot it by now anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Fingers crossed for you and the girls for the morning. I'm a bit worried about my lot tonight as the towns massive firework display starts shortly and is VERY loud here. I don't think there's anything I can do other than hope they'll be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 I was in a massive panic last year when the flats behind me had a massive display, it was so loud it was ridiculous but the girls just slept through it. They do go in to a hibernative state so guess they are not worried by it. Not sure if you remember a horrific post about a hen having her leg chewed off in the night by a predator, I guess if they slept through that..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Well they survived the first night, in fact I couldn't have chosen a better evening as it was freezing last night. Flora, fauna and Barbara stayed the whole night in the nest box, I think I will let them for a few days then will block it off. Phew I am going to put them in manually for a few nights then leave them to it! I have left them with access to the bedsit as the new girls night panic when they want to lay..,silly sausages!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Glad all is well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Oh I am so proud! My girls are together now, I started off with really short periods and increased it over a few weeks. For the last few nights I popped them in the cube and yesterday little fauna made her way in to the cube all in her own, flora needed a little hand:) but tonight flora got it and they all went in together and settled down without any pecking or bullying. I'm getting a bit of head pecking during the day but nothing I'm at all worried about, one bit of bleeding where a feather was pulled out but cleaned her up, kept her apart for an hour then all was good. Below is all of them in the new girls area, I keep the door permanently open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
