Lonely chook

Tosca is a very loved Australorp hen. I think she was brushed by my foal's leg (go away pesky fly) and she had a sore leg/wing and could not walk. She also lost some of her comb (maybe pecked) and was very dejected but had a good appetite. She has lived in an enclosed garden near my house (and a laundry box at night) for more than a fortnight and is now walking fine but she is very timid if another chook approaches and hides in the bushes. I think she needs some "status" (not the BMW type ) so I am going to go up to Bargo and get some day old hens for her as she is such a wonderful mother (she has reared several chicks and one duck). I will place her and her chicks in a netted off section of my chook house and she can impress the other hens and look after her chicks in safety and then when she and the chicks join the rest, I think she will be OK (but I will watch).

Is anyone interested in coming with me (ie share petrol maybe) to get some day old girls? Not next week - maybe the week starting 15/9/. They usually have black, brown or white hens are available as little fluffy chicks but I will phone to check first. Cost of chicks is $1.50 each I think. Day old chicks will need a broody mother hen or a lamp and TLC for several weeks until they are feathered.

Sadly I think my assumption that Tosca was kicked by my yearling was not correct. It was the only thing I could think of as he is being a bit of a teenager at the moment and I have seen him swishing at the chooks who stand under him to catch a morsel of chaff.

Tosca is now unable to stand on her legs again and is dragging her legs and 'crawling' on her tummy but with a good appetite. She is outside in the garden 'crawling' or shuffling to eat her scratch mix. Her tummy feathers are soiled again with manure.

As hard as it is for me, I will give her one more day in the sun but if she cannot take her weight on her legs, I think I might put her out of her misery. Hard to know what to do but I will do it as I do not want to pass off my responsibility and ask someone else to kill her which I will do quickly. I have a piece of hardwood that if I am brave enough to wield it with gusto so that she does not suffer, it will be the only way I can do it. But I will give her one more day or so and see. I wonder what is wrong with her? Does anyone have any idea?

Sorry to hear about your poor chook Pamela. I guess by now she will be working for you IN the garden by adding wonderful nutrients to the soil and whatever you plant over her will no doubt bring you as much joy (almost perhaps) as she did.

One of my chooks is sitting on eggs at the moment. She has been there for about 10 days then stupidly I did not go into the roost to collect the eggs in the weekend as i was so busy, went out there today to check on her and she has swapped nesting boxes leaving her original eggs to go cold. I will have to be more vigilant.

The two new peahens have settled in well. His lordship has finally given over his affection for the chooks and is busily trying his best to sweet talk these new (and more appropriate) ladies. He does look rather grand and with all the practise he had at showing off to the chooks, he is now a dab hand at rustling that beautiful tail of his. Fingers crossed we will have new babes this season.

Thanks Wendy. Yes Tosca was clearly dying (fluid running freely from her eyes) so I hastened the process, had a weep and then buried her under a lovely Forest Pansy tree near my house. She was an exceptional hen in terms of personality - and I find my chooks DO have personalities. Maybe that is another thread? Tosca was the earth mother, loved raising chicks and one duckling, liked people and would be picked up happily.

I have seen your stunning boy. I would love a peahen or peacock but I think not with the horses and also they might get some of my guests awake too early. Gorgeous creatures. Glad he has a couple of girlfriends now.

Well the two new birds we bought for our magnificent peacock turned out to be a male and female, not the two females we thought we had bought. So now he has three girlfriends and an apprentice. It is very comical to watch the young peacock displaying his short tail fan to the ladies, doing his best to imitate the magnificence of the display of his mentor, he hasn't quite got the shaking and rattling action happening and of course without the full size fan it doesn't quite catch the girls attention. Peacocks lose all their tail feathers over the course of two to three weeks around christmas time so if anyone needs peacock feathers for their craft projects just let me know.

How lovely! I am sure he will work it out LOL