Hello everyone Another problem l'm afraid. We got 3 ex-batts last year and they were doing really wonderfully well until they came down with the brachyspira virus in April. We lost 2 of the 3 girls. The remaining girl - Heidi - was very depressed and lonely..constantly walking around the garden cal...

Hello Anita Sorry to hear you have a poorly chikkie too. Our little Nora went down so suddenly a couple of days ago. She hardly moved all day and took no food or water..just laid under the lavender all afternoon. l finally found a local vet that treats chickens and l phoned for an appointment. l spo...

Yes...a good few Janet and John books were written lol l don't think either of us was that cute though :) Right - update. Nora was just getting weaker and more lethargic. She didn't even want to come into the garden today. She sat herself under the lavender with her head and tail down. When John go...

Thank you madmum...we really have tried hard to give them the best we can. The poor little things were in a real state when we got them - as most ex-batts are of course. They've done SO well though and this set-back is really upsetting us. They do have their special ex-batt organic pellets etc in t...

Thanks for the reply Steve. l value the opinion and thoughts of any experienced hen keeper. Now this might sound a silly thing to say...but after reading what l give my girls you say maybe l should cut down the treats...but which of those things are 'treats' ?? These girls are the first chickens l'...

Our animal feed etc store did not have Flubenvet..so he got what he could - Vermex. We will try to track some Flub down locally asap. Their food regime. They have organic ex-batt small pellets grit and oyster shell in their run at all times. They free-range in my garden every afternoon for at least...

Hello We only got them late last summer and they haven't been wormed yet. Just a couple of days ago we bought some Vermex to worm them. lt was £21 and it says to put it in their water every day etc. The problem we've got is that they have so many 'watering holes' in their run and also in the garden...

Hello Everyone We have a problem with our 3 girls and l'm hoping somebody might recognise the symptoms. One of our girls has been really subdued and off-colour for a few days. l have noticed several fairly bright green runny poos in the garden and some very watery as well. All 3 have what looks lik...

Well l know that would be the easiest option but if l am to be absolutely honest here...the going down early in the morning thing just isn't going to happen lol we are definitely not morning people...l even had to come up with a design for their doorway into their run so we didn't have to get up to...

Thanks for that Steve. l saw those on ebay today but when he measured the nest box we found we couldn't even fit 2 in and we've got 3 girls. They sleep in the nest box despite all our efforts to get them to sleep in the roost. lt didn't bother us - until now. He decided to try to make something him...

Well we've made sure they are getting plenty of calcium not only in their food but extra limestone flour too which they've been having for weeks...putting oyster shell and grit in their dinner so we know they are getting it and we've made up another 'bed' next to the nest box where they sleep in ca...

Thank you all for the replies. l have had some softshell eggs lately but l stepped up the limestone flour and they seem fine now. l've only had my girls since late last July and they were pretty bald and thin...we've fed them up and this last month or two they are unrecognisable from what they were...

Hello all Can anyone tell me what l can do about broken eggs please ? My 3 girls have only just started laying again and every day there are broken eggs. They must be eating them but l don't know what to do about it. l don't know if it is one girl or all 3 that are guilty. They get a fabulous all r...

l was thinking the same thing myself Steve... just habit perhaps. We've sprayed her with the foul smelling and tasting anti-peck spray just in case that was the reason but she still does it...as soon as the worst of the spray smell has gone. l'm concerned because if she draws blood l've read it can...

Steve they have their coop and their enclosed run but most afternoons - well every afternoon really - they are running around the garden for hours until dinner and bedtime as it's getting dark. They seem generally happy and healthy otherwise and all eat alot and lay an egg most days. This soreness ...