I'm so, so glad I don't have to deal with those. I grow an awful lot of squash. The rosemary beetles infesting my rosemary and lavender hedges is bad enough!
At least your flock benefitted.
Very well said!
As one of those people who connects and commits totally to the animals in their care, I understand just how great the grief from losing them can be. Don't let anyone ever tell you "it's just an animal" or feel ashamed for grieving so deeply. Hell, I grieved longer and harder for...
Mine have never shown any inclination to roost in my cherry tree so I have no direct experience but if they're safe from predators and it's warm and sheltered enough, I can’t see it being harmful?
That's hopeful, at least. My other ex-batts have had the odd wrinkle at the pointed end of the shell. As it was only a small amount and there were no other issues, I never worried about it unduly. When you said Onyx's eggs were wrinkled, I was picturing fully wrinkled shells!
I'm so, so sorry. I know how much you've been through together and how much it hurts to lose a 'special' one. I'm still grieving for Penelope, 3 months on. She also died in her sleep after a long period of ill health.
I'd keep a close eye on Eris. It might be worth getting her a health check...
Being an ex-batt, Maude had typical age-related laying issues as she got older. We don't know her exact age when she passed but we estimate she was roughly 3.5 years old (based on the typical age of spent hens at slaughter , 72 weeks, plus the 2 years she was with us) which is slightly above...
What breed is Onyx? Just curious as it can have some bearing on health issues. Are her eggs very large? My ex-batt, Maude, laid enormous eggs daily and towards the end of her laying career and was slowing down to every other day, she would be quite lethargic on her no egg day. In hybrid hens...
Oh, this is just the hardest thing to face, isn't it? I really feel for you - and having to face losing 3 at once...😭😭
My cats are 15 now and some part of me worries every day about how long we might have left together. My mom lost her 14 yr old cat 2 months ago. The vet told her he might have...
It is - and lots of cats too!
I'd love to go to Mexico. Always wanted to go to Guadeloupe for the shark diving but that's now been banned unfortunately.
Hmm, bit of a mystery, then. Could it be a hernia that's popping out when she lays making her feel off for a few days then going back in? Has she ever prolapsed or been eggbound? Kurby22's idea of a calcium supplement is a good shout, it may help and if Onyx doesn't need it, she'll excrete it...
Oh my! I can just imagine that little squeaky 'crow'! Ferdy sounded like a gate hinge that needed oiling. And treating his mom at two weeks! I bet that looked as adorable as it sounds 😍
Do you mean a welsummer cockerel or a cockerel who was clearly all man very early on?
If you mean the latter, I knew Ferdy was a boy 4 days in from hatching and he was trying to mate with his mom at 3 weeks. He didn't try to crow until he was 5 weeks, though. He has turned into the best roo...
You can have some of our rain! I think we've only had 30 dry days since January and our temps are about 3° below average for June. The chickens are still enjoying their watermelon regardless.
I'd be more than happy to have some too. Sweetcorn is my absolute favourite vegetable and in any way it's prepared. Except with worms - yuk! My brother assures me they are not nice...