General Chat

Sorry Gillie ....in absolute fits here at the thought of you 'hypnotising' the girls and them all laid out in a row on the table....just waiting to be errrrr done/rubbed....lol.
Stay well hun catch you later .

Lin xxxxx

Omg, I have such a funny picture in my head lol Gillie

Bet the eggs will be tasty, with all that pumpkin flavouring and colour!

Lizxx

Pmsl Liz,

The girls all seem to be fine today, I have them a pumpkin to play with the day before yesterday, they cleaned it out, they loved it, they spent a lot of time yesterday free roaming my garden, I shall see how things go today.
They definately don't have lice or red mite, I had them laid on a board on there backs yesterday and gave them a real good rubbing over with the vicks and oil, no sore spots yet, if this doesn't do the trick I will spray them with the gentian violet antiseptic spray.
Thanks you all for your advice.

Gillie XX

Well with a bit of luck Gillie, they won't get chesty coughs either lol

Lizxx

Hens all done, they went mad at me doing it lol.
I haven't seen any pecking since, they all have lovely new feather stumps coming through.

Gillie XX

Thanks Gail I will pop me smelly hen jacket and wellies on and go and do the dirty deed now lol, I have both baby oil and vicks, so i shall see what happens.

Thank you everyone for your input.

Gillie XX

Mick none are broody now, none are pecking each other, I know that for sure, they just look like oven ready breasts but running around with legs lol, I think it may have become a habit, what natural remedy will work? is the vicks safe? I shall use it later if thats the case, if not I will have to get some purple spray.

Gillie XX

Its normal for chooks to lose belly feathers when they are going broody - it's so they can properly regulate the temperature of the eggs which are in contact with the bare skin.

xxxx mick

Another thing to check is that one does not start doing it to another
If one starts getting too bad and gets a little red the others will have a go at it, then you might have to separate it until feathers grow back.
We just spray some of the purple animal antiseptant (sp) on any exposed places.

xx Jill

Thanks Gail I will give it a go. I hate the way they look, it started when one went broody, then I had a another one broody but managed to sort the broodiness out, they were all fine and now in the last few weeks they all but one have plucked well lol.


Gillie XX

Hi Gail, Thanks for the advice.
I forgot to add, they have shell and grit, grit is always available and sheel is mixed with the corn.

I have checked for lice but cannot see any, I know they usually sit around underneath the tail.

I shall check again later when the rain has stopped.

Gillie XX

My lovely hens, as mad as they are and the time I spend with them, they lay every single day, but they are going bald underneath, it's not molting, it's self plucking, I have seen the odd one eat feathers.
I read somewhere that this is due to lack of a certain vitamin, is this correct? I have them on layers pellets, they are out free running for part of the day and they get mashed pellets with spud pealings or brown bread at night plus a couple of times a week a tsp of chicken spice added, this is supposed to enhance egg laying and help with molting!
Anyone got any idea what's happened and why the feathers are gone? I keep checking for mites or lice but nothing happening in that area so I know they are clean as is there house.
I am at a loss as to what to do next.
I don't want to lug them all off to the vets as that will cost me a fortune which I can't afford.

Gillie XX