Yesterday was the first day that I let Shadow fend for herself since she became unwell. She had had tylan for seven days so yesterday was the first day without it. It is recommended to be given for five days but I gave it for seven days to give Shadow as much help as possible.
I finally saw Shadow eating pellets yesterday and I gave the girls mash which I also saw Shadow have. I gave all the girls chopped tomato and Shadow was able to hold her own amongst the flock. It helps that Smoke is broody and in the nest box because she is the one to chase the girls from the treats.
I haven’t heard Shadow squeak when pooping and her bottom isn’t so mucky but there was still a blob of poop stuck to her vent which I removed with tissue. She does appear to be getting back to normal but only time will tell if there is something wrong inside her.
I have made the decision not to have any more seramas in the future. I think that they are so delicate and I feel that I can’t keep going through this. I absolutely love seramas so it’s not an easy decision but it is breaking my heart to keep losing or nearly losing them.
There are other bantam breeds that I would like such as sebright, dutch bantams or other colours of hamburgs but there are no breeders of these near us. I like my girls small, with no feathered legs or feet, no crests or beards and in a variety of colours.
So I have looked at non bantams that are a fairly small size and have found a breeder close to us that has some lovely breeds. I am thinking in the future of possibly getting a black star and an amber star. The black star is black with a gold necklace and the amber star is white with amber flecks on the back. They are hardy, easy to tame, quiet and good egg layers.
This is just something I am thinking of for the future because I know it is uncertain if Shadow and Salmon will be able to lay without further problems. I don’t want to keep finding myself here again. I can’t bare to see these little girls struggle and it’s so stressful worrying if I can save them or not. It bounces my emotions up and down.
My bigger girls, Toffee, Emerald and Speckles got to a good age of about eight years. I haven’t so far had a serama for longer than four years and have lost some between one and two years. Shadow only started laying in February last year and isn’t yet two years old.
I find it so upsetting when they run into egg related problems at such a young age so this is what my thoughts are at the moment. I am still hoping that Shadow to get through this but I know that I have to ready for a possible set back when she starts laying again.
It’s a shame we can’t tell them to stop laying but nature will take it’s course.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
So glad to hear Shadow is improving. I think you’re right to maybe look at other breeds as they are so delicate. Bubble had a prolapse back in the autumn, thankfully it was only small and she managed to pull it back in herself but I’m dreading when she comes back into lay. Have you seen Amber stars in the flesh? They are lovely and are supposed to be very docile but they are big birds as they are a Rhode Island red hybrid. xx
It does seem that seramas are prone to prolapse and soft shelled egg laying difficulties. Sorry to hear you have this too with Bubble. I know the dread of them laying again because it’s how I feel with both Shadow and Salmon. I feel relieved that I have finally decided not to have more seramas. I haven’t seen an amber star in the flesh so will have to have a rethink about that. I have seen a black star in the flesh as my friend Jackie had one and she was lovely and about the size of Flame but a slimmer build. I just assumed the amber star would be a similar size. Maybe I should get two black stars. Their gold necklace varies so maybe I could pick two that look different to each other. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself as I am just at the thinking stage at the moment but thanks for the heads up. xx
hI, cAROL
They are a huge worry and, as you say, prone to problems with the internal plumbing. Sophie is right about sizing on Ambers and, as with all hybrids, they are bred for egg production (which is great), but they tend not to live much beyond 4, as they are frequently worn out with laying. Bantam wyandottes are lovely, as you know from the past. I no longer have any, but they’ve been good layers, problem-free (apart from some broodiness) and have clean legs. Smoke, I am sure, would raise chicks and there are breeders who charge a bit more, but build in free cockerel return. Lots to think about, but the main priority just now is that Shadow seems to be well on the mend.
See my reply to Sophie above, I have now crossed amber stars off the list. I am reluctant to go back to wyandottes. I liked the gold colour best and Topaz was a bit of a nightmare. I know it doesn’t follow that they would be the same but just don’t feel I want to have them again. I also considered another ancona but I just feel like I would like something different. As you say my main priority at the moment is Shadow. What is worrying me is that she is struggling to poop. She stands in the egg laying stance and strains just like in egg laying. She doesn’t seem able to expel it and it ends up stuck to her vent. I am cleaning it off very day but it doesn’t bode well. I just keep hoping that it will get better but I know that if it doesn’t she probably won’t be able to lay.
Do you know of any breeders of barnevelder bantams in your area Carol? They’re really lovely – beautiful and docile birds but prone to Mareks so best to get ones that have been vaccinated. Sussex bantams are another lovely docile bird and available in lots of colours – I think they’d be quite easy to get hold of too. xx
I have just looked up barnvelder and they are lovely. I already know sussex and they are lovely too. I haven’t come across breeders of them in my research but I shall look again in case I have missed any. I would love to have them. xx
On a roll now!! I would also really recommend australorp bantams. They come in black, blue, white or splash. I had a large fowl australorp who was an absolute sweetie – very good layer, very placid, non-broody. She was my top hen but only because I think she was so big as she had absolutely no aggression in her. I’ve heard the bantam form are really lovely too and good layers. Also maybe think about orpington bantams who are also supposed to be nice natured but you would have to deal with broodiness with them as you have done with seramas. xx
I have just been researching bantam barnevelders and sussex and can’t find any breeders. I like the look of australorp but orpingtons are still very large even at bantam sized. I will continue searching for breeders but I have done so often and the only bantam breeders near by all seem to go for feathered feathered feet, crests and bearded breeds. It is so difficult to find breeders within a travelling distance of us. Thank you for trying for me though. xx
I think that is a good idea, You love them so much, and get so upset when they get ill. And broken hearted when you lose them.
You are right. Richard has been saying this for ages but I love seramas so much that I didn’t want to give up on them. Shadow was the last straw for me though. She is only young and in her first year of egg laying and it was so out of the blue. I just can’t keep going through the upset of this.
Maybe to get what you want you might have to think about using a bird courier? xx
Now that is food for thought. I will investigate. xx
These breed light sussex bantams and deliver – not sure if they’re your area though! xx
https://www.perfectpoultry.co.uk/about/ xx
Thank you so much for this. It looks like my area is included. I will have a good read of this and see what they have and how it works. xx
I follow someone on Instagram called featherandegg – she breeds all sorts and couriers them nationwide.
To add to your possibles I’d say I have a Campine large fowl in with my bantam flock because I was told she was a bantam. She’s quite tall but being a light breed isn’t massively bigger than my Wyandotte and Plymouth Rock bantam and is smaller than my maran bantam (who is actually huge). She also seems very healthy and hardy and is a great egg layer and very friendly. She’s a bit like a Labrador – a bit of a bull in a china shop and all about the food!
I also have a Barnevelder bantam who I hatched last year – she’s great and so pretty. And a maran bantam who is an excellent layer but as I said earlier she is huge compared to all the others.
I also have 3 Dutch bantams – Snap, Crackle and Pop. They’re also very healthy and hardy and not bad egg layers.
I wouldn’t really say any one breed is friendlier than another (except pekins) – I think it just depends how they’ve been handled from youngsters.
Huge thanks to everyone trying to help me here. While researching today I found another that has a courier service and they have a good variety of the sort of bantams I like. They are called pipinchick. They have many varieties but the ones I liked best were Chabo, Ardennaise and sussex hybrid. I am storing up all this information for future use but am feeling a bit more optimistic about the possibilities now. I echo that how friendly they are is due to handling. Shadow and Sugar are so friendly because I had them from young and handled them a lot.