MEGALEGS, DUCHESSofNORKS, PPH, CHICKEN LOVERS everywhere

[tortoiseSHELL]

Can you sort my head out please? You know I've had this total chicken disaster (recap below) - well I don't know what to do now - can you advise me please? I couldn't get to sleep for fretting last night till after 3am, and have been reading poultry sites all night. I need help before dh divorces me for obsessing about chickens!!!

So, the situation is, I bought 3 chickens last weekend, 1 got sick and died within 3-4 days. Currently awaiting PM results to find out what it died of. The place we got it from say we can have another hen, since then I found a poultry forum that basically says don't go near the place, although another one says how wonderful it is. I think I WOULD like another hen, as dd is sad her chicken died, and would like one.

SO my options are...

1. Get another hen from the same place and hope for the best, give it a week in quarantine (rabbit hutch) then introduce to the others.

2. Get another hen from somewhere different - I just spoke to a really nice lady, and she was quite hesitant about letting me have 1 hen, but she's got some 20wk old goldlines which she said would be able to stand up for themselves, as my 2 aren't laying yet, and have only been in a week. Again, could quarantine for a week near the coop, or could just put straight in.

3. Get 2 little hens so they can stick up for themselves. The downside of this is I don't think the run is big enough, so we could extend the run.

4. Stick at 2. But if 1 dies, then the other one will be lonely, and it might be harder to introduce a new one or two then.

AAAARGH. What do I do? THe place I got the original one from should, imo, refund me the money for the hen plus the vet bill AND the PM bill, but they have said they don't do refunds, just give you another bird. I just keep going round in circles with all this.

My low point was when the vet at the place where they do the PM suggested it was salmonella and that the other 2 would probably have it, and our children might have picked it up, and really we should dig over our whole garden to make sure it was safe. I just wasn't expecting this. Maybe I'm just a bit naive, but this seems an awful lot of stress. Having said that I love the 2 remaining chickens, they're so sweet! And I'm sure they will start laying soon (I'm all paranoid now that this place has sold me dud chickens!!!).

but they're my pets as well...

it's not good I'll never be a farmer. As long as the kids are safe.

Any news from the vet yet ts?

not yet

Did they give you an idea of how long it will take? How are the other two chickens doing?

The other two chickens seem ABSOLUTELY fine. Greedy as anything, poos normal, they are just doing what chickens do. The results should be back anytime.

If we have to put them in a separate coop, and never let them out, and not eat the eggs, then so be it. I think I could rationalise doing that, with some more hens as well.

Best case scenario is no salmonella, get another chicken (or extend the run and get 2 )

Worst case scenario - rampantly dangerous salmonella.

I've read that all chickens CARRY salmonella - is this true or is it only chickens that haven't been vaccinated?

Malory - money for vets was basically so we knew what we were dealing with - the plan was NEVER to have one of the chickens die within 3-4 days.

Something that has alarmed me a bit is that the place we got them from, and lots of other places said 'chickens sometimes do this', and their solution was to get a replacement hen asap, but presumably then if it WAS salmonella, this wouldn't be picked up?

What news of the chooks?

cluck cluck

No news yet MegaLegs - I spoke to the vet last week, who said the preliminary PM did look like salmonella, BUT they haven't grown the culture yet - that will be back soon. The other two look right as rain, so I'm hopeful things will be ok.

IF the dead hen did have salmonella, I'll send off some chicken poo to be screened, but 2 things give me a bit of hope - one of the hens is a Black Rock, and no Black Rock in the UK has ever tested +ve for salmonella, so it would be quite unlikely for ours to be the first. Secondly, the one that died was a Leghorn, so a pure breed, whereas the other two are hybrids, so it's possible that the other one was vaccinated (I know they tend to vaccinate hybrids but not pure breeds). Thirdly (I did say 2, but never mind), the other two did totally keep away from the sick hen - if it went in, they went out etc, which makes me wonder if they could stay away from the infection.

If we have to never eat the eggs from them, and keep them in a secure unit on the patio then we will, I just couldn't bring myself to cull them, they're so friendly and lovely, and if that happens we'll replace them, so have 2 lots of chickens! But fingers crossed, they may be fine!!!

Right, so a bit of an update. Vet is being VERY slow and is now off sick. Chickens seem fine. Am starting to relax about this.

So my question is, do I put one or two chickens in? The run is 6'x 3', and the house is easily big enough for 4. We COULD extend the run to 9' x 3'. Looking at the runs available to buy, ones like the Boughton one are smaller, but marketed as being for '6-7' hens. What do you think? We are letting them out if we're in the garden, but realistically they do spend most time in their run.

Thanks! When our computer upstairs is mended I'll put some pics on.

(Just to clarify, the house is 3x3, then the run is a further 6x3)

.

Yay, have just had the results back from the vet (finally!). They didn't grow any salmonella, they did find a little coccidiosis, and Marek's disease which the others are vaccinated against. So the others are ok, will give them some treatment against coccidiosis, and still keep an eye on them, but that's manageable to my mind.

So now the question is one chicken or two???

bumpity cluck

one more bump. Think I've persuaded dh to extend the run, so will probably go with the 2 chickens.

don't think anyone is reading this thread anymore, but in case you are...

...run now extended(!), 2 more chickens moving in tomorrow, now we are OFFICIALLY salmonella free! Yay!

Saw the salmonella news on bootcamp thread. What good news. Especially from your childrens points of view.

And now you're expanding your poultry empire. Good! You'll get such a decent amount of eggs when they start laying. And when you have too many eggs you can give them to friends and neighbours which is always much appreciated.

Remember to introduce the new hens after dark. They should all cuddle up together and then just get on with it in the morning. You may find you have a 'head girl' who has to eat first, lay first, have the best roosting spot etc but as long as she's not pecking at the others it'll be fine.

Will report back when I get my new hens. No spare time atm.

This is my plan - going to get them tomorrow pm, then will let the other 2 out while the new ones go into the run. Then, shut the pophole, get the other 2 back, into the house, then when they've gone to bed, let the other 2 go to bed. Then fingers crossed, and I might set my alarm for first light so I can go and arbitrate....am slightly nervous about this!

Have to confess, I have just been gazing at the house/run wondering if it could go any bigger...but no, our garden just wouldn't take it. Perhaps when we move to the country in about 10 years time!