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Chicken keepers

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Original poster

Ex-batts chicken nightmare-can I keep chickens on their own?

23 replies

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 18:43

Hi, I posted earlier this week as one of my three ex-batts had pecked the scraggiest chicken to death (chicken had a growth over her bum and this is where she was pecked to death).

I was told on here and by hen welfare people to spray them with purple spray. I did spray Barbara all over her bum but saw that Omelette (bad chicken) was still giving Barbara the odd peck around her bum.

I've come back today and Barbara is bleeding and her bum is in a real state. I've separated them and will take to vets in the morning if need be (vet said there wasn't much she could do today and if Barbara makes it through the night then Vet could see her in the morning). It also looks like Barbara has a prolapse.

I know I should wring Omelette's neck but this isn't an option. If Barbara makes it though the night then I'll need to go and buy another Eglu so they have one each (the world's most expensive chickens!!!) and keep them apart but is this ok in itself? I would be reluctant to get. Barbara another chicken friend incase I end up with another bully?

Any advice?

OP posts:

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 13/09/2014 18:49

Get lots more chickens
she surely can't peck all of them

polkadotdelight · 13/09/2014 18:53

I would join the omlet forums and ask there too. Ive had really good advice there. Im really sorry I cant be any more helpful than that, I havent been in that situation but Im sure I read that it is the bully chicken that you remove for a period of time.

polkadotdelight · 13/09/2014 18:58

As you are down to two chickens though I cant see how that would work. Did you rehome via the British Hen Welfare Trust? They are very good with advice, maybe omlette could be rehomed and you take on 2 pullets instead?

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 18:59

Thanks, I'll ask on Omlet. I have removed Omelette the chicken but that's kind of like removing Barbara too iykwim as I've only got those two left anyway!

OP posts:

monkeyfacegrace · 13/09/2014 19:00

I'd break their necks and get a couple more

The prolapse hen won't be enjoying life, and the other if it's in full health, should be lovely with roasted pots and stuffing.

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 19:02

Yes that's right Polka, just two chickens left. They were from. BHWT who advised the purple spray and said that should sort it out, which it hasn't unfortunately. I will give them another call on. Monday. Feel reluctant to re home Omelette as I feel she'd doubtless end up dead due to her bullying.

OP posts:

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 19:03

Ahem, thank you Grace

OP posts:

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 19:06

I suspect I need to toughen up...the vet was fairly incredulous that I took a chicken in in the first place (the first chicken that Omelette attacked)

OP posts:

monkeyfacegrace · 13/09/2014 19:09

I'm afraid I'm a country girl. Chickens are food

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 19:19

Grace, I'm a country girl too and my dad supplies farmers, my parents are finding this all hilarious (and none too impressed that I'm considering buying a second eglu just to avoid wringing a neck )

OP posts:

MisForMumNotMaid · 13/09/2014 19:20

If you can borrow a crate or section of a tiny area of the run,
I'd put bully chicken with food and water in that. Let Barbara recover in piece and establish herself in the space, whilst effectively restricting Barbaras movements to bring her down a notch in the pecking order. I don't find that sick birds tend to recover once they start going down hill and I'd say in about 70% of cases (even when I've had spare houses and runs and they appear to have recovered) they don't go on to live a long life.

Chickens are great fun but they are very cruel to week ones in the flock. Pecking a sick or ailing bird to death is quite common. I think of it as natural selection and preventing the sick bird bringing the flock down, but it is sad and all too easy to over analyse in a human way.

As a general rule when introducing new chickens to a flock you introduce more than you currently have so if you have two you'd ideally introduce three more. Or in your case if you just have omelet left and nature takes its course, get two more.

Preloved is good for finding new stock and if you feel you'd rather rehome Omlette first you'll no doubt have done so within a week, once the pay to contact five day window is up.

polkadotdelight · 13/09/2014 19:22

My three are very much pets so I understand your predicament.

thereinmadnesslies · 13/09/2014 19:23

I think in theory you are supposed to isolate the bully for as long as it takes to get them at the bottom of the pecking order. So if you get more, isolate Omlette and then when you reintroduce her there should be a new 'leader chicken' and Omlette will behave herself.

One of our hens turned bully so I let her free range in the garden with a cat box for shelter at night. I took the view that if a fox took her, fair enough. After a few days she was much better behaved.

thereinmadnesslies · 13/09/2014 19:27

Btw it would be worth calling around a few vets practices to find one that has an interest in chickens. Some vets have absolutely no interest in treating chickens. I've found that there is a vet nurse at our local vets who has hens, so she's great for any chicken issues or just as a sounding board when I've been trying to judge whether to have one pts.

Aridane · 13/09/2014 19:40

Bumper bits?

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 20:12

Thanks, I have put Omelette in a dog crate in the garage and will see if Barbara makes it through the night

OP posts:

polkadotdelight · 13/09/2014 20:21

Ive read about those bumper bits that aridane mentioned - that could be worth a go.

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 13/09/2014 20:29

Bloody hell, sorry i didn't realise bumper bits was a thing, I thought she'd probably just posted on the wrong thread! Will now go and see what they are...

OP posts:

polkadotdelight · 13/09/2014 20:51

Id forgotten about them but DH bought me a subscription to 'your chickens' magazine for Christmas (it's aimed more at us amateurs!) and I remember reading an article there about them.

Original poster

Kitsmummy · 14/09/2014 10:01

Update: poor Barbara had to be put to sleep this morning. The vet said she had very little chance of recovery and it would be prolonging the pain for her, so we are now down to one chicken and it's going to have to stay that way.

At least Omlette likes the dogs so she will have company, if not the feathered kind

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polkadotdelight · 14/09/2014 11:07

Im so sorry. You did your best and you did a brilliant thing by taking ex batts on.

MisForMumNotMaid · 14/09/2014 14:00

How sad. You know you gave her every chance and have saved suffering.

At least Omelette is now able to rule her roost and you're not filling your garden with lots of separate cages. It can get very expensive.

Please don't feel too disheartened by this experience. Come spring when you've had a good few pleasurable months of chicken ownership and hopefully plenty of regular eggs you could always look at getting two more to go in with Omelette.

ChookyChooks · 21/09/2014 00:44

If I were you I would save your money and ask a local farmer or chicken breeder to kill her quickly! If she has a prolapse there is nothing else to do sensibly, instead of buying a new eglu, support your local chicken breeder and buy some lovely rare breeds. Don't buy from eglu as they charge huge commission just find local breeders from poultry sites and they will help you every step. Rare breeds are a much more beneficial project and are so much more healthy and robust-Brown chickens are designed to self destruct after 18 months!

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