Recent content by Roisin

I have a young white leghhorn type hen who has gone broody (in november!)and sits on her nest all day. Needless to say she's out of lay. Yesterdayi locked her out of the nest box (Tricky for me as i have other hens that need access). Is thare anything else i can do? Advice welcome!

I have a one year old hybrid with a prolapse. She hasn't been laying for several months, except the odd soft egg. Am treating her with haemorrhoid cream, and have reinserted, but it keeps popping out. Poor girl! Have separated her from the others (difficult for me) and am considering taking...

Hi folks. Since the weather got warmer I have been noticing black larvae in the drinking water dish (its a large open iglu one) in one of my coops. Am dealing with this by emptying out the water every few days. Any idea what they might be? (Doesn't happen with my smaller covered hanging...

There has been a lot of fox activity in my area recently - one came in to my garden at 3.30pm the other day! Luckily, I had just locke che chooks back in their run. But it means that I cant let them free range unless I am physically in the garden with them... for now anyway. So I am racking...

Just wondering how safe garden lime is for chooks? I want to sprinkle it lightly on the floor of a covered run. It is a rather damp run in spit of the roof, I have improved it by putting down hardwood chips. They helped a lot but have now sunk into the mud. These birds freerange a few hours...

Hi. Have any of you used Bokashi Active Bran to add to your compost. I got a bag of it when I bought a cube off eglu recently. I've been sprinkling in on our kitchen compost and then adding it to our compost bin in the garden. Recently I have noticed mould in the bin. As bran is a grain, and...

Hello I have just put a bit on a young whitel leghorn - about 17 weeks old. Its a last resort, obviously - she was pecking feathers out of my other three birds in front of my eyes and eating them! They have enough space in their run etc. She is not happy today, but I expected that, as it can...

Hi - Anybody know where I can buy Stalosan in London? I am tired of paying delivery fees so dont want to order over the internet... I want the 8KG amount - costs around £18, which is ok - but delivery fees of around £8 makes it just too expensive... Thanks

Anybody out there used beak bits? I have just fitted one to one of my hens who is feather picking, having tried everything else, anti peck spray, purple spray etc. She is not a vicious creature, is not drawing blood, but is making my once beautiful blue hen look rather bare. I fitted the bit...

Does anyone know about dosage of Ivermectin/harkomectin for the controll of red mite. I've just recently got on top of an infestation in my 2nd coop (sorted now, and dont need to use it for another few months). I have only 2 hens now, as two old ladies died recently. They live in another...

Hello all. Ive just discovered that my covered plastic compost bin is now infested with red mite. I put the hens used bedding in there before I knew they had them. I need to disinfect thoroughly and kill em all, but dont want to poison the compost. (I have just recently cleared a small...

Hello I have a 4 or 5 year old ex battery hen who seems to have a respiratory problem. Her breathing looks laboured and she kind of hiccups. A very slight discharge from her nostrils. Eating and drinking, but not much. My other 3 hens are fine. What worries me is that my partner and I each...

Hi there I have read that you can use cat flea drops on birds to keep them free of red mite. Do you guys have opinions on this? I have two questions; 1) is it safe for the hens and 2) is it safe for us to eat the eggs?

Well it finally happened, the thing I've been dreading. My hens were freeranging in my London Garden -only allowed to do this from 11.30 to 3.30 at this time of year, and only if my partner or I are at home. Suddenly heard frantic squaking, at 1.30pm. Rushed outside, and fox was trying to...

Hello My 3 year old ex battery hen has almost stopped laying and has a dirty bottom. I have wormed her and checked her for impacted crop. Crop is fine at the moment. Her straw is damp in her nest in the mornings. She looks OK and is perky enough. Any ideas? Roisin