[rkclive]

Hi everyone, I am pretty new to this game having only got my first chooks last year.  Now I am thoroughly obsessed with them and am worrying about my Welsummer hen who is starting to moult and looking depressed and under the weather.  The only other chook I have had who moulted did so this April and then died!  I am therefore very worried about Mrs W.  Is there anything I should be doing for her?
Also, I have four new chicks, 2 weeks old, and one is very sleepy and just wants to sleep under Mum all the time.  She/he is a white silkie and much smaller than the others.  She doesn't get her fair share of food so I try to feed her separately, and have brought her indoors with Mum and sister (the other two chicks are with another Mum outside).  Her poos are a bit runny so I bathe her vent every day (vet's advice).  Vet said no medicine at this age.  Anything else anybody can suggest?  Thanks rachel

[joyfull]

just follow the vets advice, it sounds like she is the runt of the litter and may take a while to catch up. Make sure they have access to a good chick crumb and fresh water and fingers crossed she perks up.

[bantam novice]

I agree with Joyfull here.  I also wanted to welcome you to the forum  .  Just one more thing... we love pictures here so if you can download some for us thatwould be great 

[rkclive]

Hi, thanks for your replies!
Sadly, my dear little Jemima got killed by another of the hens yesterday and her sister was also attacked and has a wound on her wing.  The hen responsible (we are pretty sure because the other mother flew at her last night and chased her out of the shed having never minded her before) is not a mother and I cannot understand what possessed her to attack the chicks!
Very miserable about it.  At least Mrs W is managing her moulting pretty stoutly and is eating.
I tried to upload some pics but can't seem to transfer them from the hard disc onto the website.  Will have to ask the website how you do this.
Thanks very much for your welcome and your concern.
Rachel

[Sassy]

Although chooks can moult at any time the usual time is autumn so she may just be marginally early.

I am really sorry about your chick being killed. I must point out though that it is not ideal keeping such young chicks with the others. Usually the best time to introduce them to adults would be at about 5/6 weeks old - this is also when the mom will naturally lose interest in them.

[rkclive]

Hi Sassy, Thanks for your advice.  You are probably right, but I had thought to introduce the chicks and Mums back into the flock before the Mums had lost interest as the flock is horrible to newcomers and I thought the chicks would need Mum's protection while they got established into the flock.  Most of the flock are pretty chilled out about them, it's just this one psycho hen who goes for them.  We are trying separating her during the nights so she can't have a go at them in the shed.  During the day they can escape if she advances on them.
Thanks Rachel

[Sassy]

A good way to introduce hens is usually to put them in together at night when they ae really dopey. If this does not work try taking the psycho hen out during the day or for a week or so, if possible keeping her within sight and smell of the others. She needs to lose her place in the pecking order