Carol's Chickens

Our first winter with chickens, the winter before last, we had a real problem with rats getting into the run.

I wanted to keep rats out for several reasons. I like to leave the chicken food dishes out because in the summer the girls come out, at their earliest, at half past four and I want them to have food available but don’t want to go out at that time. Also in the winter when I have resorted to taking the dishes in it is difficult to pick up all the spilled pellets from the crevices of the patio.

I don’t want the rats fowling the run and I don’t want them around my chickens.

Unfortunately on the other side of the fence that borders the chicken’s patio there is some decking and that is a perfect place for rats to live and breed. Although we had put vertical tiles under the fence they were still digging under. We also had a wooden box that stepped down from the patio and they were tunnelling under this.

We also found a hole chewed through next door’s fence into our shed which forms the back of the chicken run and then through our shed into the run.

They were determined! We blocked the holes and we replaced the wooden box with concrete. We put chicken wire under the soil of the entire area next to the fence, topped with a horizontal layer of tiles then soil back on top.

They still got in but we could see they were trying to dig out then hitting the tiles. They had to be getting in through the roof. We sealed the roof area with a double layer of fine chicken wire.

At last we stopped them getting in and once that was achieved we put poison down in sheltered spots outside the run and once the poison stopped disappearing we knew we had got rid of them.

I documented all of this at the time. It was a battle but we were determined not to be beaten by them.

Last year as soon as the cold weather came the rats came in again. I know when they are getting in because I clean thoroughly every morning and as soon as I see rat droppings, usually behind the little coop nest boxes, I know they are getting in.

I didn’t bother to document it last year because it was brief and our fault I felt.We had missed a bit of tightening up the roof by the gate and as soon as we repaired that the problem was over.

Now the run has been extended dramatically over the summer and again as soon as the cold weather came so did the rats.

There was no sign of digging in, so we inspected the roof. We thought that where the wire overlapped over the top of the new part of the run there was a possibility of rats squeezing under it. We painstakingly tightened this area. I took wire and wove it through the overlapping wire, in a running stitch and pulled it tight. It was time consuming and arm aching but I felt sure this would do the job.

After each process I would clear all rat dropping so that I could check if there were new ones in the morning.

Still they were getting in. I checked the roof area again and found a fist sized hole in the wire by the gate. I blocked it with layers of weld mesh and felt sure this was it.

Next morning they were in again. I checked everything again then noticed some soil by the coop. We pulled the coop out and there was a hole chewed through the fence behind the coop. I blocked it with layers of weld mesh then a heavy paving stone in front.

The next morning I despaired as they were still getting in. I searched every where again and when I pulled out the table next to the fence I could see a hole by the bush. The chicken wire appeared to have been chewed through. I rammed a large rock into the hole then covered it with a layer of chicken wire. I then covered it with broken bits of tile and topped it with a brick which I hammered and jammed into to place. This was not only to stop rats getting in but to stop the chickens getting to the wire.

I felt pleased with my work and quite confident that this time I really might keep them out.

At this point my husband entered the run to see how I was getting on. The next thing that happened really stunned us. A rat ran right past us and Toffee nearby who gave out her angry sound. I thought it would head for the hole I had just blocked and wondered what would happen when it couldn’t get out. But before my eyes like lightening it disappeared through the weld mesh.

It was like watching magic. I think it was a young one but if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it could have got through the weld mesh.

The first year we had this problem I asked on the “Down The Lane” forum if a rat could get through weld mesh and one person said that they could because this person had seen it with their own eyes. I thought that the rat in question must be a very small young one. Now I too have it seen it with my own eyes and would never have thought a rat that size could pass through weld mesh. I don’t think a large adult one could get through though.

Our weld mesh has one inch squares.

The problem now is that all the blocking we have been doing has been in vain if they can get in through the weld mesh. This makes it a lot more difficult problem but we feel sure that it’s only young ones that can get through such a small space and the fact that it was trapped and desperate to get out.

My next move was to take all the food out at night so there is nothing for them to come in for.

The next morning there was no sign of any rat droppings so we again put poison down in sheltered spots.

Every morning there were no more rat droppings in the run and the poison was all gone. We kept on with this until the poison slowed and eventually stopped being taken. There has been no evidence of them since so I feel we have now got rid of them again.

Hopefully that’s it for this year but I am sure they will chew their way in again next year and we will have to go on finding the entry holes and blocking them. I am determined not to let them beat me.

Yesterday we noticed that Honey looked very subdued. She was fluffed up with her head down and looking sorry for herself. I then noticed Amber didn’t look much happier. On a closer inspection I could see that they had been fighting again.

Honey had blood on her comb and a little on her face. Amber had a spot of blood above her eye, a little on her face and a splash of blood on her lobe.

I wondered if Amber wanted to take back her place above Honey. I don’t know why these two can’t just get along without these little battles.

They are the only ones in the flock that fight like this and draw blood. Peaches and Barley raise their ruffs and run at each other but never peck. I had seen Honey and Amber having a spat a few days earlier and Topaz aimed a peck at Amber and stopped them fighting.

Amber’s face with blood above her eye

Honey’s face with blood at the base of her comb

The photos don’t show it very clearly but they both have some spots of blood. Time will tell who is now top out of this pair. I think Amber may have resumed her place above Honey.

The other development yesterday was that just as I thought Emerald was getting back to normal I noticed her gaping much more, wider and more frequently and shaking her head again.

I am guessing that the gape worm eggs have hatched and the next worms have made their way to her throat. I decided that even though it was only a week and a half since I finished the flubenvet I should put her on another seven days right away.

I will keep treating her every time I see symptoms to try to break the egg/worm cycle. I don’t want her throat to become sore again so feel it is important to act straight away.

Emerald always goes to the high perch first at the end of the day as she wants to secure her place (she often gets pushed out being bottom girl apart from the youngsters). This meant that I could hold a plate up to her with two chopped grapes and a sprinkle of flubenevet and get her to take it without being bothered by the other girls.

She is used to this system now and took all of the grape pieces. I wanted to start straight away rather than leave it until morning as I felt the quicker the flubenvet has a chance to start working the better. I feel I have to just keep staying on top of this to give her the best chance of beating this.

With all the grown up girls at various stages of their moult Sparkle has been our only girl still laying for the last three weeks. She is starting to lose a few feathers now and her egg laying is slowing. She was laying five eggs a week but then dropped to laying every other day and more recently she has missed a couple of days in a row.

Sparkle has always laid the smallest eggs. They are noticeably smaller than any of the other girls. Bantam eggs have the same size yolk as big girls eggs but less white. In Sparkles case her eggs have the least white I have ever seen, about a teaspoon.

We eat them two at a time and they are lovely eggs but I digress. Yesterday when we got back from our deliveries I went and checked the coops as always. There in the right hand coop was a tiny egg, smaller than Sparkles usually are.

Could it be that Peaches or Barley had laid it. The left hand coop is the one Sparkle usually favours but I haven’t seen Peaches or Barley show any interest in the nest boxes. It’s usual for chickens to do a bit of practising before they start laying. As we were not here we just can’t really be sure. Sparkle had missed a couple of days so I wonder if she just laid a smaller egg as she is starting her moult.

Who’s egg is this?

On the left is a normal sized (medium), shop bought, egg for comparison. I was forced to buy some eggs for the first time in two years as Sparkle has only been laying about four a week. The middle egg is Sparkle’s normal sized egg. On the right is the mystery egg.

I won’t be able to solve the mystery until I can tell who lays the next egg. I will be keeping an eye on any activity in the nest box and will update when I have a clearer idea.

Honey and Amber are now moulting with drifts of feathers flurrying from them with every movement. There are feathers in the coop in the mornings and I am constantly picking up feathers from the run.

The good news is that Honey now has pin feathers on her neck and head and Amber is just beginning to show some although not nearly as many as Honey.

Honey has pin feathers on her neck and head

Amber is just beginning to get a few pin feathers

It will be so good to see these two fully feathered again. I just wish Sparkle would get some feathers on her bottom. I don’t want her to go through the winter with a bare bottom but she is only losing the odd feather at the moment. I am so looking forward to seeing a fully feathered flock.

I just love Peaches and Barley’s opposite flopping combs and love that I can tell them apart at a glance now.

Barley and Peaches at bedtime

They look so funny straight on. Barley is on the left and Peaches on the right.

Barley is such s poser

Barley is easier to photograph. She is the one that jumps on me the most and she photo bombs other girl’s photos. Her comb isn’t as floppy as Peaches and that seems to make it look bigger.

Peaches floppier comb

Peaches

Peaches comb reminds me of a mop cap. I love how when they are pecking at the ground together their combs bob up down. These girls really make me smile.

A while ago my friend Jackie gave me a bag of leaves for the girls. With my attention focused on Emerald I had forgotten that I had put them in the shed for later.

It’s been wet and miserable today so now seemed like a good time to give them to the girls. I emptied them in a pile and as they were dry and rustling I think at first they scared them.

Peaches was the first one brave enough to investigate the leaves

Honey, Amber and Toffee take a look

A selfie of Barley on my back

I held the camera over my head and blindly snapped with no idea if I would get Barley or not. I am wearing a hooded cardigan under my fleece and she is just below my hood. She jumps to here when ever she can, that is whenever I bend over slightly.

Topaz takes a look at the leaves

Toffee has a scratch in the leaves

An hour later the leaves are well scattered

I think once they started to scatter the leaves they had fun with them.

Emerald is now on the fifth day of tylan and although it’s been slow she is getting better. She is still gaping after she eats but not as often and she is brighter.

As usual I hand fed her twice today but while taking the photo above I saw her peck at a bit of apple then eat a few pellets. It’s the first time I have seen her eat any pellets for days.

Emerald has a drink of water

Emerald has a peck at the apple

Emerald has some pellets, Hurrah!

This was so good to see and I really hope it means she is on the mend.

Other news is that after Topaz laid an egg almost a month ago she hasn’t laid another. I think she is still recovering from the moult. We have had Topaz and Sparkle for six months now and in that time Topaz has laid six eggs and Sparkle has laid ninety nine.

I wonder if Topaz will hit her stride in the spring or if she will always remain a poor layer. Sparkle on the other hand is our only girl laying at the moment and is laying about five eggs a week.

Amber laid one egg in July, August and September then stopped altogether. With her egg laying problem I am glad of that. Honey stopped laying three weeks ago and both Honey and Amber started moulting a few days ago. This is a good thing as they should get their missing feathers back in. Honey already has pin feathers showing on her neck.

I just wish Sparkle would moult and get her fluffy bottom feathers in even if it meant no eggs for a while.

We have had Toffee and Emerald for four months and in that time Emerald has only laid one egg and Toffee has laid five. They had been broody before this and then went into their moult so they may start again in spring (If we can get Emerald back to full good health).

Peaches and Barley are four and a half months old now, I can’t believe we have only had them three months as I couldn’t imagine not having them now, so they may start laying next month. They haven’t shown any interest in the nest box yet.

Eggs are always a delightful bonus but my main concern at the moment is getting Emerald well again.

It’s been very slow but Emerald is beginning to look better. On Wednesday when we saw that her legs were trembling I knew that I had to get her to keep on eating absolutely anything that she would to keep her strength up.

I separate her every morning and give her the antibiotic powder sprinkled on two chopped grapes. Once she has had that I try her with a buffet of different things to tempt her. I have given her a dish of mash which she ignored, chopped grapes and tomato, she ate the grapes but not the tomato, chopped spinach, corn and sunflower hearts which she ate and scrambled egg which she ate only a little. I have tried her with probiotic yogurt which she ignored and tuna which she ate a little.

I asked on the forum, Down The Lane, if anyone had any experience of gape worm and I have been updating them and getting advice.

Someone suggested that I continue to give the flubenvet along with the antibiotic as she is still gaping. It was also suggested that if she has a sore throat the mash could be too gritty and the tomato too acidic so she is probably picking the things that are easiest on her throat.

It is always very difficult to be sure when diagnosing chickens but my guess is that it was gape worm because she was gaping and shaking her head but after three days of flubenvet she stopped shaking her head and hasn’t done it since and she brightened up. I think that the after effects of this have left her with a sore throat and she was struggling to eat and becoming weak.

I then started hand feeding her twice a day and she has started to show improvement. I separate her again in the afternoon and give her the flubenvet powder on two chopped grapes ( I started doing this yesterday) then tempt her with anything else she will eat.

She also has some sunflower hearts in the morning with the rest of the girls and some corn at bedtime with the rest of the girls.

On Thursday I went to a fishing tackle shop and got some maggots to help keep her protein up.

I separated her and gave her some maggots on her own so that she didn’t need to compete for them and gave the other girls some in their part of the run. I did the same thing today and she tucked into them.

Emerald tucking in to some maggots

I only give maggots when I feel there is a special need for them such as a crop problem or a need to build a girl up as in Emerald’s case.

She was spending all day on a perch, preening and dozing but for the last two days she has been moving about a lot more and has looked part of the flock again. She is also moving much more quickly and I think she is gaping less.

I am feeling much more positive now. When Amber had a swollen face and we thought that she had taken a peck to her face (during one of her spats with Honey) and it had perhaps got an infection, it took a month for her face to get back to normal. I feel that if it takes a month for Emeralds throat to heal then I need to keep hand feeding her during that time so that she doesn’t get weak. I hope that as her throat gets better she will resume eating the pellets.

It has now been ten days since I started the flubenvet and three days since I started the tylan.

I was really scared that I was going to lose her but I think we have turned a corner now and I am feeling much more optimistic.

I was so worried about Emerald that I went back to the vet today and asked for antibiotics for her. I am afraid to leave it any longer as she is just not getting better and seems more lethargic.

The vet gave me seven days of tylan which is a powder.

When I got back Emerald was in a dust bath which I thought was a good sign but then we noticed her feet were trembling. I think she is getting weak because she isn’t eating enough.

I coated some sunflower hearts with olive oil and sprinkled them with a little of the tylan. We put Emerald in the separate part of the run. Once she had eaten the seeds I added a dish of tuna and a dish of mash both sprinkled with seeds and corn. I put a water dish in and a plate of chopped grapes.

I dropped bits of grape in front of her and she ate four grapes and there are another four grapes on her plate.

Emerald has a buffet to try to tempt her

Emerald ate a little from each dish then started gaping again. My husband thinks it hurts her throat to eat and that is what is putting her off eating. Once she had eaten and gaped for a bit she settled to doze.

I managed to get a photo of her gaping today.

Emerald gaping

Poor Emerald

I am so worried about her and really hope the antibiotic will help her. I will try to get her to eat anything to get her strength up.

Today is day seven of the flubenvet. Emerald is still gaping although not so much. I tried to look inside her beak and it is just pink. What really worries me is that she is so lethargic. She has her sunflower hearts laced with olive oil and flubentvet in the morning then goes to a perch and preens and dozes for most of the day.

I picked her up at bedtime last night and felt her crop which was not as full as usual but felt normal and there is no sound from her chest.

I talked to the vet again this morning and he is as perplexed as I am. He feels that if it were gape worm the flubenvet would have killed it by now but if it was a respiratory problem there would be other symptoms such as a rattle in the chest, bubbles in the eyes and runny nose which there is not. He wondered if it could be a throat infection.

I asked him about doubling the dose of flubinet and should I carry on with it and he said it can’t do any harm so I should give her double the dose for the next few days and if there is no change we could try her on antibiotics.

I am going to go back tomorrow and ask for antibiotics as I am afraid to delay any longer as it’s already been more than a week.

Tonight I gave the girls some corn before bedtime and Emerald ate the corn and had some water but then instead of having some pellets as usual before bedtime she went to the high perch ready for bed.

I was worried that she isn’t eating enough so my husband suggested that as she helps herself from the corn or sunflower seed container I should try offering it to her to get her to have a bit more. Although not ideal any food is better than no food.

That started some fun and games and you wouldn’t think there was much wrong with her when she is trying to help herself to the treats.

I decide to let Emerald have some extra corn

Peaches and Amber want to get in on the act

Peaches jumps on my right arm and Amber jumps on my left arm

Peaches has her tail in my face

Peaches makes her way to the corn

Barley photo bombs

We give Emerald some corn and seeds on the shoe box but Sparkle gets in on the act

It all got a bit chaotic with all the girls trying to get in on the act. When Emerald went to the shoe box we thought this would be a good spot to give her a bit extra but Sparkle soon cottoned on to it and cleaned up.

At least I knew when I put the girls to bed that Emerald had something in her crop. Emerald is lively to the treats but it worries me that she is not scratching around during the day and dust bathing but just sitting preening and dozing. I have checked the coop for red mite and it is clear.

I just want my beautiful Emerald to get back to her usual busy self.

I am still really worried about Emerald. I talked to the vet on Friday about her. I described her symptoms and he agreed that it sounds like gape worm. He also agreed that Flubenvet was the treatment and that it should be given for seven days then given again for a further seven days after three weeks to break the worm and egg cycle.

On the third day of treatment Emerald stopped gaping in the afternoon and brightened up. She ran to greet me and ran to the treats and I thought we had turned the corner.

By the next morning Emerald was gaping again and spending a lot of time dozing. I haven’t found any worms while poop picking and Emerald seems to have brighter moments and then seems to go down again.

We are now on day five of the flubenvet and I am not sure what I should do if she is still the same by day seven. I will pick up more flubenevet tomorrow so will ask at the vets.

I am concerned that she is still gaping and lethargic but my husband pointed out that she has stopped the head shaking and he thinks maybe her throat is remaining uncomfortable and maybe the whole thing is running her down. She is eating, drinking, pooping, preening and running for treats but I would really like to see her stop gaping and back to her lively self again.

I tried to get a photo of her gaping but my camera isn’t fast enough and I only managed one just as her beak was almost closed again.

Emerald after gaping

Emerald dozing

She is spending a lot of time like this.

While I was trying to get a photo of Emerald gaping Peaches and Barley had one of their little spats. I quickly turned and managed to get just one photo.

Peaches and Barley with their ruffs raised

They raise their ruffs and run at each other then away. It happens so quickly that it’s over in seconds and a second after this photo they were both pecking at the ground together beak to beak.

I really hope Emerald starts to improve soon and will update again after talking to the vet tomorrow.