Mrs Brown not well.

[frias]

Mrs Brown, one of my ex-batts is definately off colour.She standing around on one leg not bothered about eating,drinking or scratching around like the other 5. I've checked her over and there's no egg stuck or mites or lice. However she is definately moulting as when I picked her up I got covered in feathers. I've tried her with a little marmite, which she did eat but didn't bother with the porridge and poultry spice. She's also had a few grapes. If this is the moult how long does it last?

[Suechooks]

Some of them get over the initial shock of the moult in a week or so but others take a few weeks. The books say about 6 weeks for the full moult. (Not sure mine have read the books!) My ex-batts seem to be moulting as well and 2 are looking much like yours but can be tempted to eat when the others have finished! Have you tried mixing dried meal worms, sultanas and corn into the porridge? Thats my latest bed-time treat and going down a bomb. You could put a bit of poultry spice as well. The other thing I've read is that the better the hen lays the shorter the moult. Not sure if that's fact or country lore! Hope that helps.

[frias]

Ah, I knew there was something I hadn't tried, meal worms. I haven't given them meal worms before because although I had heard chickens love them, my lot eat anything and everthing so haven't needed anything to tempt them before. I hang up a corn on the cob everyday as my sister has unlimited access to them. Trouble is Mrs Brown got knocked out of the way when it came to porridge today. I had to segregate her to make sure she had some grapes. She is still staying close to the others but noticed today she was asleep while all the others were pecking at the ground. It's the first time I have ever seen one of them asleep. I am not sure but believe she laid this morning as she stayed in the coop after the others burst out and when I checked on her there was a warm egg. (It might not have been hers though)

[Suechooks]

The other thing that seems to upset them is if they are not laying. Comb tends to go paler and possibly shrink down. I think thse ex-batts are so used to pushing out an egg a day and that's their highlight of the day, that when they don't lay for a day they get quite uncomfortable and my girls seem to be more quarrelsome on the days when egg production is down - not very often as no one seems to have told them they are "spent" battery hens! Average 7 a day from 9 ex-batts and 5 others. I tend to make sure they're eating and drinking and not being too bullied if unwell and they seem to come round ok. Re. the meal worms it's the first time I've geven them too but with the long nights I'm trying to make sure they all get plenty of warming food before bed time so I give the corn/porridge mix then. Hope your girl comes on ok.

[Bephlam]

Have you seen the price of meal worms??

[frias]

Yep! Wilko not too bad though at �2.49 for a small tub. Spent �40 last week on Stalosan F and Erego Stim (supplement to go in water.) Today I need pellets, ant peck spray and louse spray. (don't actually need the last 2 but going away for a week and neighbour might need them - for my girls not herself!) It's not cheap or for the faint hearted this poultry keeping.
I've just made up some porridge oats with sultanas and poultry spice for later. Will add mealworms when I have shopped. Mrs Brown last out again today and looks lost. OH is gardening and she brightens up when he gives them the worms. Has to hand her share over personally as not as quick as she usually is and the other girls move like lightening.

[Suechooks]

They are a tad expensive but the robins and blue tits like them and at �6.99 for a tub it's cheaper than a visit to the vet if you can encourage a sick hen to eat!! I only put a few in the porridge along with the sultanas and corn. The tub lasts us quite a long time however the chooks haven't had them before so will doubtless get thro' them quicker. Another thought about Mrs Brown - have you tried just layers meal? As that is what they're used to in the hell-holes sometimes they will eat that when other things are refused specially if she's not been "out" for long.

[HayleyB]

Firstly out of personal interest why is she called Mrs Brown?

Her symptoms sound exactly the same as I had with Babs, it took her about a week to get over it and is now as happy as dandy.

My lot love mealworms, Cocoa would cut her own head off for them but at the price they are it's a rare treat.

[frias]

The name is strange I know. We have Julia----named after my OH (Julio) because she was also bald. Spotty after a dog we had who followed OH everywhere as does Spotty hen. Poppy--red band, Bluebelle--blueband, Sunshine--yellow band and Mrs Brown has a brown band but could never think of anything that went with brown so Mrs Brown sort of stuck!
As for layers meal, I still mix some with pellets as although have had the girls since beginning May weaning onto pellets has taken long time.

[MaureenHall]

I went to Wilko's yesterday to get a tub of dried mealworms (Christmas-ish treat ) but couldn't see any. However, I did get a bag of Bill Oddie's Mealworm Crumble D). Think it was about �2.99 or something like that. They'll get some of it as a very special treat only! mixed in with porridge of course. Just trying to think now how I can get some out for the wild birds without driving the chooks crazy and keeping the wild ones safe from my cat

[Suechooks]

The name is strange I know. We have Julia----named after my OH (Julio) because she was also bald. Spotty after a dog we had who followed OH everywhere as does Spotty hen. Poppy--red band, Bluebelle--blueband, Sunshine--yellow band and Mrs Brown has a brown band but could never think of anything that went with brown so Mrs Brown sort of stuck!
As for layers meal, I still mix some with pellets as although have had the girls since beginning May weaning onto pellets has taken long time.

Worry not! My girls have been out since January and have a warm damp mash every morning! It's the best way I know to make sure they eat the Poultry Spice and it makes me feel better that they're getting something warm first thing specially after these cold nights. They graze on pellets all day, have greens&/or bread&/or spaghetti lunch time to get them back in their run and the porridge mix at bed-time! Pets at Home also sell a tub of insects which I think is a bit cheaper than meal-worms. Haven't tried it for chooks but I'm sure it'd go down ok

[Bephlam]

We don't have Wilko in Scotland - do we?? lol I realise how silly that sounds, but I only ever recall seeing a Wilko when I went to Lancashire!

Asda sell mealworms, but they're about a fiver for a tiny tub. My girls are greedy things - they'll make me feel guilty for rationing them!!

You're right of course Sue - nothing is really too expensive for my pets....and anythings better than the vets. As soon as I have some spare cash (if that ever happens again...lol) I'll get them a wee tub of meal worms.

[MaureenHall]

Or you could dig up a few garden worms for them Another thing I've done, (because I'm not the tidiest person on the planet!) is each time I lift up one of the bags of leaves / compost / plant pots in the garden, there's usually a few of the tiny worms under there, along with a few little slugs and other critters. The chooks love them all

[frias]

Bephlam if you google Wilkinson and put in your postcode it will tell you if there are any stores in your area. There are a few in Scotland. I bought a 100gm tub for �2.99 today. Not cheap but better than most places.
OH has been moving plants all day as work starts on patio on Monday. Girls have overdosed on worms. Tried to segregate Mrs Brown to make sure she had a share of worms and porridge but she just wanted to be part of the flock even though she spent most of the day asleep. First to go to bed again tonight too. Tomorrow I'm going to dip grapes in poultry spice.

[lynda66]

if anyone has a home bargains ........ their meal worms are cheaper than wilkies.