# Brand new with two brown shavers....since Dec 7...one not well already!



## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Oh dear... I love all animals so getting chickens was much planned for and anticipated. I bought pullets from down the road, vaccinated, and she said they were about 18 weeks. The first week they ate heaps of the feed of got for them from the feed store, and started laying eggs straight away! I was so happy they were happy. After three or four days we started letting them free range during the day...it's summer here now. Still all good.

They ate a 10kg bag in about 10 days! So I restocked but at a different shop, with Chook chow which was similar but had peas and crushed maize, the whole feed mix was more crumbles than whole seeds. Then read a bit more and thought they may not be getting enough protein so got Peck N Lay pellets. Both these feeds were not nearly as popular. Then a helicopter sprayed fertiliser pellets next t us, quite loud and close, then my cat pounced on one....and suffice to say one is not very happy now. Crouching down or sleeping a lot, and not eating much. One is not laying. So today got the original popular feed again!! The other well one is getting stuck into it as we speak...the other has nibbles then curls up again. She has one eye closed. Other than that no other visible symptoms. Sorry for any typos, I am on my iPad app and I can't see what I am typing, the text is hidden...maybe that means I've typed too much!!! - Vicki


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

Hi Vicki and welcome!! The sick one is the one that the cat got? Try putting some gatorade or electrolytes in the water to help. And lots of loving and TLC will help, too. Check her over well to make sure that she wasn't hurt by the cat. Also, she is the one that isn't laying? That may just be the trauma. If I understand, one is well, and one is sick, right? Sorry, I'm just trying to make sure. Welcome again!!!


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks for the lovely welcome fuzziebutt.

Sorry for the confusion....both were not eating as enthusiastically until I got the original food again today. It took me about a week to tell one apart from the other lol. And I don't know which one is laying or not laying. By the look of the eggs, the one that is laying is the same one, I think!!
The one that seem lethargic and a closed eye was the braver of the two, now she is more frightened. Maybe because of only seeing out of one eye. 
They both roamed more the first week, but maybe the weller one is sticking close to the not so well one now. No one has laid today but I think they just didn't like that other food!
My cat just pounced but didn't catch the Chook, I think he just got a fright and ran off (the cat) as the Chook made a noise when he pounced and then ran off, so I don't think she would have been scratched. I'm reluctant to handle her as she seems frightened at the moment. The well one comes running to me when ever I go outside lol. The other just sits under a tree.

I got a chookateria today - and the new food, they have learned already how to stand on the step to get to the yummy feed. Clever girls!! Hopefully she will come right.

Three photos below.
1. The brighter one
2. The lethargic one with a closed eye
3. Learning about the chookateria.


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

They are beautiful girls!! Is the eye runny, or just closed? She may have scratched it somehow. You should feed them some treats by hand so that they get used to coming to you. That way, if a problem arises, they will be used to being handled. Get her where you can handle her, even if you have to get her with a fishing net. She won't hurt you, we will become suprisingly submissive when she finds out she can't get away. Make sure her eye is ok, if not, then someone will be along shortly to tell you what you can put in it. Or on it.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks Fuzziebutt. . The eye doesn't seem to be weepy. Just closed. I've seen her open it on and off while studying her yesterday. I stroked the other one today. . I better think of some names.!!
At least I've seen her eat and drink a little today. We're away for the day tomorrow so I think I'll leave them in their coop. It's not huge but I think they will be better off and I'll be able to see if they are laying for sure....can't find any eggs in garden lol. 

This is the coop...and a piccy from when they first arrived. 

I also got them separate grit today. They are free range in the day and the food mix had it in it, but can't hurt right!

I also just remembered that one of them fell in my horse water trough, she must have slipped in while drinking. I had to go get her...she was sitting on the top of the water but previous to that was flapping madly trying to get out. This was before I was taking notice of who was who...so not sure which one she was. That's was on the 19th. It's the 23rd here now. And it's been really hot and humid here too last 5 days or so. Hope she gets better soon. I added some animal tonic to water - it's a natural seaweed one.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Bad news. The neighbours dog attacked my other brave Chook tonight. I heard it happen and luckily wasn't far away and chased him off but what remained was my poor hen in a pool of feathers. I thought she was dead. But she's not, but has a limp. I hope she survives. I have called animal control. So upset!!!!!!


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## kaufranc (Oct 3, 2012)

Poor girl! If she wasn't stressed out before she sure is now. When my girls had their last fox scare they didn't lay for a few days. Barely came out of the coop. Hope your girls recover. Give lots of love and treats!


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks kaufrank. Just checked on them. Both still hanging in there. I'm keeping them in today both to recover and to keep them safe. We have the tail of cyclone Evan here today for Xmas :-( so its drizzly and windy so they were huddled up together in the corner in the run. I got another piece of wood to shelter them from the wind more too. It's heart breaking. 

I've only had them a few weeks but they have such cool personalities don't they! I can see why you all love having them so much. I can't get the image of her lying in her pool of feathers after I chased the dog away so hope that goes away soon. 

Animal control took my statement and they will be following up with owners today. Christmas Day!

Have a wonderful Christmas Day /eve everyone.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

Update. Hen that was attacked only limping on occasion now. Sore eye chicken still timid and wary. The dog attack chicken is still braver. :-(. Still everyday I hope for a little improvement. No eggs for two days now - unsurprisingly.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Glad it's settling back to some version of normal.


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## VickiGG (Dec 23, 2012)

They are both roaming further and for longer, last two days they've been quite adventurous again, going into my horses yards, and further from the coop. One eye is sleeping much less, they're sticking together like glue. Lol. Limpy is less limpy and only really noticeable when she runs. They are both a bit jumpy but improving every day... Yeah my names didn't stick...hubby kept getting confused so he called them Limpy and OneEye 

Limpy is the one with the wing feather hanging down from after dog attack.


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