[Chickencoo]

Hi  My friend and I just bought some chickens from a supplier near Leeming Bar, one of her girls was not looking overgood, we have had them for about 10 days, today she caught the one that was unwell and it had a terrible lump so they have taken it to the vets and have had to have it put down - the vet has said they need to steralise their coop - would anyone know if there is something I should be doing, the three I got seem fine, I use jeyes fluid once a week to clean the coop down which I did on Saturday - the girls live grass and adore the sun, the place we picked them up from were a set of outbuildings with wire doors - mine are getting some general pellets in with their wheat\corn mix every day and two are laying eggs, just not sure if there is anything else I need to be doing?

[ghost61]

I'd avoid using Jeyes Fluid.  Get a proprietary chicken coop cleaner instead.  Otherwise unless you notice anything odd in their behaviour, lethargy, watery poo etc then don't worry. Remember to make available grit and oyster shell alongside their pellets etc.

[grinling]

they need to have access to layers pellets and fresh water at all times, corn is given as a treat.

A good idea would be to check them over for lice and if they are breathing fine and eyes clear.

What type of hens and how old. Do they all have red combs? Piccys of the hens and coop/run arrangment would be useful.

Are there foxes?

[Chickencoo]

Hi  My girls always have free range and access to grit and water, pellets they are happy to eat on a morning but not on an evening so much so they always have the choice, they live in a converted 6x4 garden shed with two nesting boxes built on the side and a perch across the back and a peace of gauze over the window to let some light in but they cannot see what is outside as it freaks them and this time I have not put the dreaded tar roof stuff on but have bought some onduline (think that's the right name) its rubberised and looks like the old wavy tin roof you see around sometimes.  All poop is cleaned up off the floor every morning when they come out and the tray that catches their poop during the night is emptied and cleaned with the hen house every week, unless its a really hot week then I would clean it out mid way - all of their poops seem to be standard ones and they all seem happy to be running around so far so hoping that anything nasty would have shown by now, just not so sure...... they are all regularly dusted with louse powder - have I missed anything?  Don't like taking them to the vets as they usually do not come back

[New shoot]

Hi Chickencoo 

I've moved this topic to Hen House as Chicken Chat is the more informal, chatty bit of Poultry & Pets.  Is ascities the diagnosis the vet gave your friend?  I'm just curious as I have just had to look it up and it is a disease linked with poor supplies of oxygen, i.e. high altitude countries or overcrowding in mass production of meat birds.

It sounds like you have provided your hens with some good housing and are careful to keep the coop clean.  You are feeding the correct things, so the only other thing to do is to ensure your girls are regularly wormed 

[Sassy]

I second what Ghost61 says no Jeyes. Do remember that grit and oyster shell do separate jobs.