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As it is getting to that time of year again and I always have to be careful to keep my dogs in when there is likely to be any fireworks nearby and have the radio on quite loud. My question is what do I do about the hens? Sometimes they have fireworks in the gardens either side of mine and this...

Hi everyone, please could you give me some advice. I want to get two more hens to go with my others that arrived in March. Would it be better to wait until next spring to get them, or should I just go ahead and get them now? They will obviously be younger than the 3 they will be introduced to...

Can anyone tell me whether red mite start off life as white mite? A colleague of mine said she had a problem with her hens when she went to collect the eggs she had loads of white mites crawling up her hand. Just wondered what these would be so I can give her some advice.

Advice please - my French Blue Maran had wet feathers around her vent this morning and tonight I cleaned her up and she seemed to be a little off colour - just standing around and not scratching for food with the others. I have just been down to check they have all gone to bed and found a soft...

Well, I've now moved on to my next hen crisis!! My Wyandotte now has a prolapse. She seems well in herself, eating and scratching around as usual. I noticed it because she got very wet this morning out in the heavy rain and there seemed to be a lot of feathers stuck together around her bottom. I...

Someone was kind enough to give me details of their Green Frog hen house a while ago, I've got a terrible memory so can't remember who it was - maybe Marigold? In your message you said you had one of these houses and were very pleased with it, but it couldn't have an automatic door fitted. I...

My 9 month old crested cream legbar has lost most of her tail feathers. She has been losing them daily for about a week and also some smaller feathers. She doesn't seem to be losing many from her body and so it doesn't seem to be the start of a full moult (although I wouldn't really know as...

I know there are some people on this group who have automatic doors. Can you tell me whether you have ever had any problems with them. I've had mine since March and haven't had any problems until this morning when the door opened an inch and stopped. My hens were frantic at 6.30 this morning...

I recently posted about my Barnevelder who I found dead in the hen house one morning last week. She was fine when she went to bed and nothing happened to her during the previous day. It has been suggested to me (by the person who bred her) that she must have died from fright (having a heart...

I lost my beautiful Barnevelder, Teasel last night. She was found dead in the house this morning. She was fine yesterday, no sign of illness, eating and drinking and wandering around with the other birds as normal. She was only about 30 weeks old. My question is what could have killed her so...

Does anyone use the Diatom powder as a wormer? It is supposed to deal with internal as well as external parasites. I use it in the bedding, nest boxes and dust bath and dust the birds occasionally, but haven't put it in their feed. I have just purchased the white powder rather than the grey, as...

I wormed all my hens in the first week of May with Marriages pellets with Flubenvet already added. One of the hens is looking as though she may have gapeworm (but not sure at this point as she may just be hot). My question is can I worm them again so soon with Flubenvet just as a precaution or...

Can anyone tell me whether the pecking order would change if, after the pecking order had been settled in a flock of 6 hens, a hen or two had been taken out and lived together separately for a few months, if they were then put back into the original flock, whether the pecking order would change...

My broody 'mini' wyandotte (not bantam) doesn't seem to be eating very much. It must be about 3 weeks now that she's been broody. I shut her out of the house at least twice daily, but I've only seen her eat a couple of pellets and a couple of pieces of corn. Should I be worried and is there...

I decided I should give my new hen house a good clean out and spray with Poultry Shield. Haven't done this before, just changed the shavings weekly. No sign of mites yet as I've been using Diatom everywhere. Just thought I would do it anyway. Having just read the instructions, I have a query. I...

I want to plant something in my chicken run to provide shade for the hens. Does anyone have any advice as to what to use, it obviously needs to be 'safe' for the hens in case they eat it. I want something that is fast growing and will provide a shelter/shade underneath. I put one of my acers in...

In addition to my wyandotte going broody, my 'top hen' the legbar has now decided to join her! Is it catching? I only have two nest boxes and now they are both occupied! I am now having second thoughts about getting any more hens. Can anyone tell me whether there are any breeds that DON'T go...

My wyandotte who I am going to have to move out of the main group to put with a new hen in a new area is now broody. My question is, am I going to upset her even more if I now move her (this weekend) into her new home with a new 'friend'? Is this all going to be too much for her?

My crested cream legbar (who is the head bird) strikes out with her feet when I try to pick up one of the other hens. I'm not sure whether she's going for me or the bird. I'm assuming it's me and she's protecting her flock. Had anyone else experienced this behaviour?

Does any know anything about the Welsummer? I've been offered a smallish one of 12 months to live with my bully the Wyandotte. They are going to have to live in an enclosed run 10' x 10'. The Wyandotte is 7 months, so the ages would probably work, it's just the space I'm not sure about.