The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: egbert on April 11, 2010, 01:06:48 pm
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Hi
So we picked up 3 ex-bats today - originally I was going for 4 but for some reason had a mild panic that the run wouldnt be large enough, got 3, put them in with the 2 copper stars and now see they have plenty of room, so really want to go get more. But, am curbing our excitement till we get used to these. Having been told all sorts about them being manky, having no feathers, beaks, being unable to walk etc, I find that while they are a bit moth eaten they really look fine, they are having a good look about already (1 in particular is already bossing the coppers) - a nice surprise.
HOwever, when the rescue lady picked up the one to give us, a lot of liquid was running out of its back end! She felt its back end and tummy and seemed a little concerned, but another lady felt it briefly, said it was fine and gave it to us. So - what could this be and should I be concerned? They seemed a little blase TBH.
Also, they then told us they all had red mites and had to be treated. Which is fine, I expected it, but now am wondering, do red mites jump to humans - should I keep the kids away?
Thanks
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probably nothing. but i would not have taken it. a bit late to issolate. so just wait and see. there really is nothing you can do untill you see how the adapt. hope they did not break an egg whilst catching her.
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That was my first reaction - that there had been an egg inside her if liquid was running from her. They had no business giving you any that were infested or unhealthy to be honest, especially as you told them you were new to keeping hens. Was it the BHWT you got them from?
Ther ed mites only feed on the hen in the dark and scuttle off back to the corners of their abode in the morning so you should be OK, but get some diatomic earth and scatter it in your coop, smear Vaseline round the ends of the perches. Keep an eye on that one as she may get an infection if it was an egg.
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It was the BHWT. I have noticed one of the hens lies down more than the others although still trying to find ways to tell them apart. But she is getting up and eating. I'll keep an eye on her. If it was an egg, would the remains just be pushed out anyway?
TBH I was a bit surprised by the BHWT - I know they are probably volunteers but they came across as a bit grumpy and brusque - no sense of humour allowed. Well, it was only 2 of the people there so maybe they were having a troublesome day.
They were so quick to dismiss the water running out the hen and push it on us I felt I was being an inconvenience asking for a different chook.
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That isn't good enough. You should get in touch with the BHWT and let them know your experience. I have always been treated with friendship and gratitude for taking my girls, and plenty of advice on any problems I might have had. The rescue centre I went to was manned by a gentleman and his family - even the toddlers were running around, and their dogs. They were ALL involved in re-homing these ladies. They are always busy on rehoming days but that is no excuse for giving a new owner a hard time or brushing them off.
I'm sure your hen will be fine - just keep an eye on the one that's lying down - that may be the one that had liquid running from it. It can only ahve been either a broken egg or poo. Either way she is susceptible to infection so watch her. I give my new girls porridge made with rolled oats, honey and a little citricidal - pour boiling water over that, add some milk to cool it and put it in a dish for them. They usually love it.
Let us know how you get on.
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The man in charge was friendly and gave advice - I had a chat with him before hand as well - and if this hen is poorly I will certainly be calling them. Just the 2 women who were actually picking out the hens who were off.
So far the chooks are all getting along nicely though - no fighting. Which is a relief as the exbats are so threadbare in places I dont think they could take much more pecking.
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Ok, that's not so bad. What part of the country are you in? I still think those ladies should have treated you better but they may have been very busy. They have to get as many rehomed on the one day as possible. I sometimes had to wait in a queue, even with a timetable of when to come! Your girls will pick up and re-feather very quickly, especially if we get fine weather. And don't be surprised if you get eggs very quickly! Good luck.
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Well, end of Day 1 - the ex-bats and the Coppers are all huddled together in their house, and all on perches despite me being told that ex-bats wouldnt be able to walk, let alone perch! And only one fight all day, which was between 2 of the ex-bats!
We have treated them for red mites as instructed by the ex-bat place, however from reading other threads I have a question. If the red mites live in the coop and just come out at night dracula style, wouldnt they have been left behind in the bat farm and not carried home to our new coop?
Also, how often do I treat them - daily, weekly?
Thanks again
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That's a good question - I don't know but I suspect you could get one or two still on them and they probably multiply like rabbits. I've never been told to treat mine for red mites. I just use diatom earth every time I clean out the coop - it's cheap so it gets thrown around like it's going out of style ;D ;D I also use 'poultry shield' once a month it's a bit more expensive so I'm more careful with that. ::)
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Cool. I will get some of both of those in and make sure they get a regular cleaning! Just thinking about mites is making me itch!
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What are you like ;D ;D ;D ;D Itching from your chooks ::) and worried about manure from your veg ::) - you'll get used to it ;D ;D ;D ;)
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Like Annie says you'll soon get used to them and personally despite the tales you hear I've found mine surprisingly easy to look after. I am surprised by the attitude of the 2 helpers though, usually everyone is nice without exception. They're normally so pleased to have folk rehome these girls that they make the effort regardless.
Good luck with them.
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Hmm - I am beginning to wonder . . I had a friend with me at the time and she does make a lot of jokes - I wasnt listening to what she was saying to them, so I wonder if she made chicken jokes and they took offence. Ill have to ask her.
Anyway - 2 eggs this morning. One had a hole where it looks like they walked over it getting out, unfortunately they laid them on the floor rather than in the nesting boxes. Is it better to put a fake egg in the boxes to encourage them that way, or one of their own?
My daughter was egg-static (sorry :D) its a real pleasure to see her learning about caring for 'her pet chickens' and where her food comes from. She has even requested her egg for dinner - she is 4 this month and refused eggs her entire life so far!
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oh bless her, that's really sweet! my 5 year old India would never eat an egg before but now insists on boiled eggs (and soldiers !!) a lot.
with regard to encouraging them to lay in a specific place, my newest POL's needed a rubber egg putting in the nest boxes as they were laying willy-nilly. took a few days but now we have all our eggs in the nest boxes.
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I put clay eggs in to try to encourage mine to lay in the nest boxes and that seemed to work. The hole you saw in the egg sounds more like where one of them has pecked the egg. Unfortunately it seems ex bats can be difficult to stop pecking the eggs. Once they get a taste for them it's a bugger to stop them, if we don't get our eggs in pronto when laid they eat one or 2. Unfortunately that means we tend to lose at least 1 per day. I was advised the clay eggs would put them off as they get nothing from them but it didn't work for me.
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I was told to put mustard powder in so that they'd stop pecking - it backfired, they loved the taste ::)
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Yes, it occurred to me too that it might have been pecked. I just got rid of one of mine that cracked not just her own eggs but all teh others too. But I had heard another remedy - fill a shell with really hot chilli or mustard, glue it back together and put in the nest. Never tried it.
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Well its only day one, so I will see how we get on tomorrow. We had a third egg, so one each from the ex-bats, but this one was outside in the run. Will have to go get a fake egg tomorrow.
The 2 Coppers and 2 of the ex-bats put themselves to bed tonight - just one left to work out where it lives. I keep finding myself wandering over to talk to them and watch them - quite fascinating. If I just chat to them whenever I am there, will they start to be more friendly eventually?
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The trick is to talk to them (but don't let anyone catch you ::) ) and give them food. Mine follow me round now wherever I go so I have to make sure I have a bread bun or some corn in my pocket.
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They'll never Be fussy not sure any hen is. I stand to be corrected of course and no doubt will be, but
my girls follow me about and come running when I come out. They're also quite ok about being picked up now.
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Our ex-bats (adopted in September) have totally blossomed in their now free range existence :) We have an automatic door opener and closer (bliss now dawn is truly early! ;) ) and when I go up to check on them around 7.30am they are lined up by the gate ready to be let out. Whenever we sit down around the site they come charging over to see what's what and what can be eaten. The builders we have on site at the mo have learnt the hard way not to let their sandwiches get within pecking range as the girls are not above nicking them off the plate!
At the end of the day I call them back to the run and reward them with some grain, then they put themselves to bed around dusk and the door closer does its wonders. :D
Tish