The Poultry Keeper

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

I cant see any, but not sure what I am looking for, I have dusted it with mite powder once a week since I got them. I have looked for red things on the perches and in the nest box and can't see anything. I might dust the birds to as a precaution.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1410 Location: Manchester

for red mite you need to treat the house not the birds - red mite will look like clusters of red dots, or white dots when they are in an earlier stage or not fed yet.

If not red mite then I don't really know.. are you sure there's no rats getting to the eggs?

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

No sign of anything that looks like red mite, the only thing I can see in the coop is the occasional sprinkle of mite powder. I have put another egg in to check for rats as the last one I had to remove after 1 1/2 hrs as I needed it to cook with and it was my last one. Looking again at the Pekins I think they are all in Molt as they are looking a little scruffy around the head an neck and there are a lot of buff feathers about. As for the other two.....only time will tell.

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1410 Location: Manchester

The scruffy ones are almost definitely in moult - hope you figure out what's going on with the others!

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

I might have discovered part of the problem. When we first got the chooks our cat showed a over healthy interest in them, Sad

so we raised the fence in what was a cat proof run. The hope was that given the chance to watch them she may get a peck on the nose and go off the idea. However, went up to check the egg I had put in the coop was still there (it was) and sat on the coop looking very pleased with herself was one happy maine coon. Shocked

The chooks were all fine wandering about on the floor, but I have no doubt she would have stressed them out a bit. Not sure what I can do about the fur vs feather debate but hope that they will get used to each other.

On the up side her having not hurt the chooks means that once we have fixed the fence around our garden so that the ladies can't get into next doors garden, our ladies will be able to free range around the garden! Very Happy

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Still no sign of any eggs. I am starting to resign myself that they may not come into lay until next spring.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

The weather this year is playing havoc with young birds coming into lay. It's not like a cold winter hot summer cycle anymore and the hens are getting confused, so this may be why they've not laid yet.

The ones that are moulting will be in moult for 2 to 3 mths.

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Ahhh Thats good to know, they are happy. Just a little scruffy around the head. All ate their flubenvet porridge with glee.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

They'll come into lay soon enough, but as I said with the weather as it has been this year the poor things dont know if they're coming or going.

The only real way to get a proper laying cycle is to keep hens inside in an even temperature and dont let them out, like the commercial producers, but thats not really nice for the chickens as they dont see the sunlight or the grass.

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

I was worried that there was something wrong with them, thank you for putting my mind at ease. They seem happy and healthy enough, so I guess I will have wait. I missed out on the patients virtue when it was dished out.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

Me too. My pekins are only 12 weeks old and 17wks and I'm checking the nestboxes already LOL

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Got an egg today!!!! Yay