sunflower - how are your hens?

[Oola]

Just wondering how you're getting on with your girls?

[sunflower]

Hi Oola, I've written on 'private' why I have'nt been here for a few days.
The hens are lovely. As for Lucy.....well, her feathers have grown.....reddy brown on her breast and neck. She now has a cute set of wings. Just a bold patch on her tail, which I strongly suspect someone is chewing on at night!!! Annie has become top of the pecking order and is nice to her hens and fair. Alice and May..who look like twins have stopped their bullying since wearing the anti pecking device and are as sweet as pie. Suki, who nearly died at one stage from the bullying has blossomed and regrown her feathers. However, she remains at the bottom of the pecking order. Suki likes spending quite alot of time in the henhouse. Last week I thought she was going broody...but no. After her experience, she likes her own company, but does spend some time with the rest of the flock and feeds well. All the hens are laying well at the moment. They all have their own characters. I like getting in the run with them every day. Lucy is very inquisitive and wants to be in on everything. Are you gettting some more hens?

[Oola]

Oh bless Suki, I'm sure she will be fine. Our Pattie was a bullied (nowhere near as bad as Suki though) at first, but gradually she's become firm friends with Maureen. They go about together a lot and although Maureen is above her in the pecking order, there's barely a peck these days. I can't really remember the last time Pattie was pecked by Maureen!

We have thought about getting more hens, but the problem is that Yoko is ill at the moment with a respiratory infection. Our vet bills have totalled over £450+ in the last 4 or 5 weeks, and we're struggling a bit at the mo, so I think any more hens will have to be put on hold for quite a while. Yoko's egg yolk peritonitis means that she needs a fair amount of attention. We'll see how she goes and whether she improves. There's just no telling whether she's got weeks, months or years left. In the winter she's much better when she stops laying internally and her swelling subsides a lot.

However, I am inheriting two bunnies this weekend. My friend can't cope with them anymore (she's been through a really bad patch) and asked me if I knew where she could rehome them. Well, I couldn't stand the thought of someone getting them and then leaving them in their hutch all day, so I said I would take them on for her! They come with the palatial hutch, hay, feed etc. and they're house trained too, which is lovely. My sister had a house trained rabbit and he was wonderful. Regarding vets bills - I think rabbits are less expensive and easier to diagnose than hens! I had rabbits and guinea pigs growing up so I know what I'm letting myself in for. Rich says they're my responsibility though...so I have extra cleaning out duties. Ah well!

[sunflower]

The bunnies sound lovely, and will be great to cuddle. The other day in a pet shop we saw a 'house rabbit' for sale. He was ginormous and looked lovely. You seem to have had so much trouble with your ex bats, and that's alot of money to spend out on vet's fees. I think there's certainly more involved in keeping ex battery hens than what people think. For example, your hens with all their physical problems, probably because of the conditions they were kept in. Also my Alice, I understand why she's obsessed with pecking. Spending over a year in a cage, unable to move, would drive anyone crazy who has a brain, and hens certainly are intelligent. Enjoy your bunnies and xxx to your hens.

[Oola]

Yes you're right, ex-batts are prone to more problems because of the way they're bred. Still, I get a lot of enjoyment out of them. I'm worried sick about Yoko at the mo...but I'm doing all that I can for her. Rich even says I fuss too much, which I know I do. I just need to feel like I'm giving her every fighting chance that she needs.

I will enjoy my bunnies - my cousin just asked me if I want any because his rabbit 'Miffy' (male!) ended up mating with Molly (they were supposed to be separated) and Molly had babies. I might do, depends how I get on with the new bunnies. He's getting Molly spayed soon, which is good.

My Pattie is obsessed with running water - not sure if it's an ex-batt thing!

[sunflower]

My hens love water too!! When I'm emptying and refilling the troff, the hens love it as the water splashes into their container.

[franbee]

I love the hen talk, you both sound so pleased to have them.

[sunflower]

Hi Franbee. Yes, I'm enjoying henkeeping. The hens are so interesting to watch. Their feathers are growing really well now and look healthy.