Updates

Sugar went broody two days ago after laying seven eggs in eleven days. That’s one more than last time. She is back in the broody crate over night for two or three nights. Storm is still laying.

Snow came back into lay today after a break of just over two weeks. Once again one starts as one stops.

Snow’s egg is on the left, Storm’s egg is in the middle and a medium shop bought egg on the right for size comparison. Snow lays small, torpedo shaped, eggs. At least she shouldn’t have problems laying her eggs.

Autumn is back to eating normally and had a dust bath today. Her wounds are healing well but unfortunately she is still pecking new ones. I am worried that this has become a habit for her and she may never stop.

Both last year and this year two out of eight girls had scaly leg mite. Last year it was Dot and Sugar and this year it was Sugar and Autumn. Because Sugar has had it two years running her feet are really gnarled. But neither Dot or Sugar pecked at their feet whereas Autumn’s legs and feet didn’t look so bad and yet once she started pecking them she just seemed unable to stop.

I couldn’t get a close up because Autumn is now wary that I am going to pick her up and spray her. The dark patch on her left leg is healing but the two small red spots on her right leg are the ones she has pecked today.

I really don’t know where this is going to end with Autumn because she is pecking new spots nearly every day now.

I keep researching and every thing I read says that I am doing all the right things. There isn’t anything more that I can do and it’s a case of waiting to see how this goes.

I have been spraying the whole flock with another spray that I bought that is a preventative for scaly mite. I have been doing this every now and again. I don’t know how well it works but anything is worth a try. I am also putting vaseline on Sugar’s legs and feet from time to time to help the scales soften. I can’t do anything with Autumn’s legs except spray with the antimicrobal spray because she needs to be healed first.

We have also changed the perches recently. We have put in slightly wider ones because we have gone from seramas to bigger bantams. I researched that too and it says a one inch perch for seramas, a two inch perch for bantams and a four inch perch for standard chickens. We now have two inch perches. I also spray the brackets and perches with both red mite and scaly mite spray and spray the chicken shed for red mite regularly too.

For all of us chicken keepers these are things we have to do all the time along with twice a year worming too. I have felt that I had kept on top of these problems but Autumn’s pecking is a horrible new one to deal with. Once again I have to end with only time will tell.