Katiebob

I'm currently with PetPlan on their Veteran cover. Kbis is v good as are NFU. Don't touch E&L (as has been mentioned previously) although a friend of mine does insure with them and although she had a bit of a fight, they did pay out in the end

Come home now Pixi, be safe Lots of and positive thoughts for you too Cher Praying for good news tomorrow.

Don't get excited, no pics tonight but I one is a gorgeous saluki/collie x and the other a lurcher babe. Both are absolutely to die for - around 8 weeks old and wanting nothing more than food and lots of love. Both from FourPaws&More rescue - their names are Quincy and Rooney and I defy you not to fall in love I'm too tired tonight so pics tomorrow, I promise If you want to see pics tonight you'll have to go to the rescue's home page

How did it go, Cheryl?

That's sad We had a rat problem a year ago but we bought bait bags and got rid of the majority. We do have neighbours but there are woods all around us so we know the rats will reappear but we're prepared to do battle again if needs be Did you leave their food down overnight? If you pick up the food, (and sweep up anything they've thrown in the run) normally the rats will move on somewhere where there's easier pickings.

I agree it might be difficult to enforce but everything new is difficult to enforce so imo it's a step in the right direction

Thank you Jane - cleared space now so hopefully you can pm me?,

I'd love to but they use our sand school for their dust baths and it's quite a large area

Currently the red mite are still winning. Although it's not really what I want at the moment, I'm sort of praying for some really cold weather which will kill them off. My bluebell hen looked terrible yesterday and I thought I was going to lose her. I dusted her again with red mite powder but looked in the nesting box where she spent the night and it's absolutely full of red mite So, more power hosing and more treatment for yet another hen house. All the hens are scratching themselves again so looks like more dusting of the entire flock is in order. I despair, I really do On the plus side, my growers are doing well and I will get the pics posted. I think I've got 2 Orpington/Amber star cross hens, I cockerel and possibly 2 Buff Sussex bantam/Amber Star cockerels, though I'm not sure. The smaller growers (now around 4 or 5 weeks old) are doing well too. I lost a couple when they were chicks but the rest are good. 6 in total - again I think 3 boys and 3 girls. Just hatched 5 new chicks which look good so far

Really sorry to hear about Lamb Chop, Cheryl I can't trust any of our dogs with the chickens and I've had a few close calls so I know exactly how it feels Not winning against the red mite yet. Found another massive collection in the house again today so tomorrow more pressure spraying etc. and then I'm going to creosote it all. Gwyn - you're safe (for the time being anyway )

Ok, Ive pressure washed that house completely and poultry-guarded it, and put new disinfectant on the floor and new bedding throughout. Then when it was almost dark Sue and I went and got around 20 or so chooks and dusted them too with mite powder. We've missed quite a few but they were nesting in the oldest house which is a nightmare to get to in the dark. Unfortunately there are some chooks which might get dusted twice: we did one white star and there are two so as I can't tell them apart both will need to be done again! Similarly the buff sussex bantams - we got one but couldn't say which. All three baby bantam chicks will need doing - we did one but the other two disappeared so will probably have to do all three again! My buff sussex hen wasn't in evidence - so she will need doing. I need to find Bertha (one of the black Orps - we did do Whoopi). I have a Bluebell who is always one of avoid treatment of any kind and she needs doing too. Plus two black rocks - we did one but I doubt we can decide which one we did so will need to do all 3! Also missed: Barnevelder, We did do: Forrest and Chaz (the cockerels) 1 white star 1 black rock Spangles (gold laced wynadotte) both of our black laced wyandotte bantams 3 chicks which Whoopie hatched Whoopie Buffy (buff Orp,) Silver (splash Orp - who I did yesterday) 4 out of 5 brown hens 1 Amber Star (did her yesterday too) Martha - speckled Sussex Tess - Silver Sussex New England bantam Bissell - Pekin bantam my lovely blue cochin I might have forgotten someone! Hopefully I'll remember them when I see them tomorrow. I really hope I don't have to resort to bathing individual birds because it would be a nightmare with the number we have. Cheryl - I've followed that link and the stuff is Creosote substitute which all the forums tell me doesn't work because it doesn't contain the deadly chemicals you need? Also why you need to exclude the chooks for such a long time! Just to really upset the chooks a bit more, cos I'm worried about what the mite could have done to their general health, I'm starting a new worming programme from tomorrow and giving them antibiotics in their water for 5 days to help any respiratory problems. They get Poultry spice in their food anyway so hopefully these new measures won't kill them but will help them get back to full health. I hope so, I love my chooks

I have a red mite infestation in one of my chicken houses I have been trying to get rid of it and have dusted all the chooks that I can get hold of but (sadly) I have lost both of my Poland bantams Nearly lost Chas but got to him in the nick of time. Tomorrow is pressure washing time for that particular hen house although I've read it can take 36 weeks to get rid of red mite I could creosote it but you can't use the new spray stuff - it has to be the old stuff and then you have to keep the chooks out of it for weeks. I've got masses of Poultry Guard and other pesticides but they aren't as efficient as it says on the tin. Incidentally, Cheryl, how did you ever manage to get hold of Forrest

I'm so sorry to hear your Dad has died I hope the funeral on Friday passes peacefully.

This one's for you Mrs Bejo!! Not the pic I'd planned to show you but a beautiful pic of Forrest's wing span Enjoy!

I soooo understand this situation. Before Shep died, he was absolutely fine other than he had a mild urinary bleed. I took him into the vet whp weren't worried but said they'd check his urinary function etc. He stayed in overnight (he arrived at 6pm that night) and I had a phone call at 8.45 am the following day to say he was dying Vet said to me that when he came in he caused no concern; first thing next moring no worries; by 9 am he was in a very serious condition and by 10 am he was dead All I can say is RIP Ty Your mum and dad must be devastated but this is sooo much easier for you r Sooo very sorry, Rick & Bobby

Beautiful baby Looking forward to seeing more

Thinking of you all and sending lots of positive thoughts for the lovely Nog

Hope you have a truly wonderful and memorable day

IMO they are overpriced and not special but I know some other people are fans. Honestly on a rough collie coat a standard rake is just as good Or a slicker on a short coated dog. If you want to try one without the expense, I'll see if I can find mine and if so, you can have it for nothing!

Esmerelda? Eliza?

This may not be a sensible suggestion but have you considered getting two new hens and allowing Moomin to stay where she is? She will settle down with the others given a bit of time and it would mean you could quarantine two new birds together, rather than putting Moomin back - and potentially risking her health?

Sorry, no pic because sadly little duckling had died by this morning. I think it hadn't absorbed all the nutrients from the egg and they are doomed to die in these circumstances. RIP little one

I think it depends on the individual hens - my Orpington hens are pretty stroppy when they're challenged by other hens. I know they're not babies but my Maran doesn't even look at them :lol: The black Orps are feisty but nearly as feisty as my Buff Orp My Maran girl is a babe Oooooooh we have a new Indian Runner Duckling today (trout colour). He/she is adorable

Above are my new chicks (except Billy cos his pic didn't come out, unfortunately). Please can you help by trying to identify their breeds? I know I've got 8 birds in total (including Billy) and there are only 6 pics which doesn't help :lol:. The batteries on the camera weren't playing very well. Of the new 7 (excluding Billy) I've got 4 bantam chicks and 3 L/F chicks. I can remember some of the breeds but not all - I know I've got a Brahma chick and I know I've got more than one Pekin bantam chick, - oh, and there's a Rhode Island Red bantam in the mix somewhere! If you fancy trying to identify them, I'd be grateful. I'll try to get some better pics tomorrow.

Awwww, she's lovely