Mrs Brown not well.

[frias]

Googles home bargains. Damn none in the south.

[lynda66]

maybe where i live aint so bad after all then

[frias]

Mrs Brown was not interested in grapes or mealworms today. Had enough energy to side step me though when I wanted to bring her in. Always has been the most difficult to catch. She just wants to be with the others. If still with us in the morning and no better I think the only option is the vet. I've had some of the others off colour before but they always drink water and eat grapes.

[MaureenHall]

Hope she's better in the morning, keeping my fingers crossed xxx

[Suechooks]

Mrs Brown was not interested in grapes or mealworms today. Had enough energy to side step me though when I wanted to bring her in. Always has been the most difficult to catch. She just wants to be with the others. If still with us in the morning and no better I think the only option is the vet. I've had some of the others off colour before but they always drink water and eat grapes.

I've still got a couple behaving much like Mrs Brown, however they are eating though Pip is reluctant to push in. She has already had a visit to the vet a few months ago and was quite badly pecked when she came. Here's hoping Mrs B is ok; maybe a course of Baytril will set her to rights - it seems to do my lot ok.

[frias]

Mrs Brown does seem a little bit brighter this morning. Has had some warm porridge and some layers. Work has started on the patio and the workmen are happy to throw all worms to the girls so she had a few of them. If I can avoid a trip to the vets I think it would be best as being away from the others seems to cause stress. Had a broody during the summer and she was badly picked on whenever she came out. My cat that died last year had to go to the vet once a month and howled all the way. (I'm sure it wasn't my driving!) I don't rule out the vets but will just take it day to day (or hour to hour)

[Flummery]

Fingers crossed for Mrs Brown then, Frias.

[Suechooks]

Glad to hear she's looking up! Let's hope for daily positive progress Mrs B!

[frias]

Thanks for your good wishes. Mrs Brown is a lot better today. Not 100% but getting there I think.

[MaureenHall]

Wonderful news

[Suechooks]

Thanks for your good wishes. Mrs Brown is a lot better today. Not 100% but getting there I think.

That's brilliant! My 2 off colour girls are plodding along too. They're both lower end of pecking order so it's often hard to see whether they just know their place or are really poorly! They seem to have plenty of flesh on them anyway. Go go Mrs B.!

[frias]

Hope yours are OK too Sue.
These ex-batts seem to be up and down don't they. I've had one that appeared agorophobic, soft eggs, laying scambled eggs (that the others leapt on and ate) funny shaped eggs, intestinal worms and now moulting. (She is losing lots of feathers so I guess that's what it is.) I really thought I might lose this one when she wouldn't drink. My OH says these girls have taken over our lives. I'm going away for a week soon and worry about my neighbour having problems, after all she isn't going to fuss about them like me is she.

[Suechooks]

Yes Frias, like you I'm getting a couple of shell-less eggs this week. I think the ex-batts are very precarious health-wise. They are really only bred as 1 year egg machines so I guess longevity isn't high on the list of priorities when gene selection takes place. I think it's the price we (and the chooks) have to pay when we "rescue" them. Like you mine have taken over my life! They live on my allotment so I'm there at first light after dog-walking (in the dark!) I'm there to give them their lunchtime treats and a few hours roaming all over my crops and then again at dusk to give them supper and tuck up for the night!!! A fellow allotmenteer looked after them for 4 days when I went away and I got text messages every day. Mind you he is as daft as me. OH thinks I've lost the plot!!

[frias]

I'm really happy to say Mrs B is so much better. She was eating and pecking around normally with the others today. I did think she looked as if she had joined the ministry for funny walks this morning but them realised they were all walking like that and it was just that we had so much rain in the night the ground was waterlogged.
I feel silly for being so worried as I know I have to face them all dying eventually. Thanks for all the support, it really does help.

[Glutton4...]

That brings me to a question;

How old are our ex-Batts?

How long are they expected to live?

Okay, that's two questions, I know. I've had my eight 'ladies' a month. They've grown lots of feathers. I'm still getting between two and four eggs a day, even with very short days, so can't complain.

I do get the odd soft egg, but on the whole they've stopped eating them, and they now chase away the Magpie who ate a good one the other day.

Just thought of another question;

"What colour is an Amber-Link? No luck with Google, so I'll ask the Grapes...

I'm glad Mrs. Brown is perking up. X