thanx for your advice Kirsty b. Quick update - poorly chook is bright as a button today! Couldn't believe my eyes, she looked awful yesterday! She is eating, drinking and scratching around happily. I have extended their plastic sheeting to provide a larger rain proof area as I think they are fed up with all this rain! Arent we all?!!
As for rats - have stuffed some poison into the tunnel and filled it in, so hopefully no other animals will come into contact with it. Forgot to tell you I am in Kent by the way. Thanx again, hope your girls are all ok. Hedgie