Tuesday, 7th June 2011, day 10

Floppy comb today, not really sure why as she has been drinking well. Maybe it is just the changes and her body adjusting.
She is still drinking well today.
Ate quite well this morning, picked at breakfast, then I found her in my studio where I also keep their feed and equipment...she had found a bowl of feed (it wasn't fresh but it also wasn't old either so I left her to it) stood inside a storage tub, and was picking at that. I got the bowl out for her and popped it on the floor in the utility room, and she (and of course Ellie-gannet-pants) tucked in. And yes, that would be my new floor that hadn't even been down 24 hours lol (by the end of the day there was food everywhere with little chooky footprints in it!). D'ya like my doorstop, she even has a floppy comb :-)

Add in a few live mealworms and breakfast time was pretty successful compared to previously!
Her garvo alfamix is being delivered tomorrow, really hoping this will be a good compromise that they will both eat.
I have still been topping her up occasionally with a little critical care formula, as I think the energy she gets from that is encouraging her to get up and eat something by herself.
So, as for the rest of the day...she has been eating really well, and guzzling a bit too much water which she has brought back up a couple of times when she has leaned forward to eat off the floor (they do have bowls and feeders honestly!), nothing major, I will keep an eye on the situation but if she was a touch dehydrated perhaps she is trying to make up for it. As for the eating...I have a theory...I was thinking about it, and I reckon she is about to drop all her beautiful clothes, so perhaps she is eating more in preparation for moulting. It does seem to be very common for them to moult after the implant.
Every night since Ruby was put to sleep the girls have slept in exactly the same spot every night without fail...until tonight, Lola is asleep in Ellie's side of the cube, with Ellie next to her. I did catch Lola just stood in the nestbox earlier, not sure if she was after a quiet little nap, but she did not want to come out to play. A couple of minutes later she appeared which was a relief!
No egg
No metoclopramide

Monday, 6th June 2011, day 9

Didn't get time to update last night, hectic day...including nursing a robin fledgling that my cat caught (sadly he didn't make it through the night) :(

Anyhoodle...
Lola's appetite was slightly better, nothing to shout about but I was pleased. She is up and about a bit more, which is great, I hate seeing her looking so mopey and low.
No egg
No metoclopramide

Sunday, day 8, 5th June 2011

Ok, so technically speaking it was a week this morning since Lola had her implant, but I counted last Sunday as the first day being as though she had it done in the morning ;)
She really didn't eat very much at all yesterday, and we then had yellowish poo in the eglu overnight. She did have an empty crop this morning, but having eaten so little yesterday that wasn't much of a surprise!
When I let them out into the garden, Lola did have a little nibble at the wet mash *yay* She has eaten a few little bits and bobs today, nothing to get majorly excited over, but she was eating something so I'm afraid there was a little excited dance from me lol!
I've given her a little critical care formula again today, I'm wondering if the bit of energy she gets from that is what is encouraging her to eat a little on her own.
I tried to get her some garvo alfamix today but the shop doesn't stock it. I've spoken to someone at garvo, explained the situation and he agrees that alfamix is the best compromise as Ellie will still get everything she needs for laying, and Lola can pick out what she wants to eat too. They are ordering some in for me, but it may be 4-6 weeks so in the meantime I'll have to find some online to order. The shop made Lola up a mix of goodies to try; pinhead oats, safflower, cracked maize, niger, dali etc and she did try it. The biggest success was live mealworms though, she has eaten quite a few of those this evening...enough that she actually felt like she had something in her crop *yay again*
She had a nibble at some scrambled egg at teatime too.
Dropping colour and consistency has majorly improved since this morning, although we've had a few watery ones in between.
I've not given her any metoclopramide tonight again.
She has been sleepy still today, but not as bad as the last couple of days, she has made the effort to go for a wander in the garden every now and then, and is up and about more when they are shut in the run.
No egg :-)

Saturday, day 7, 4th June 2011

Empty crop this morning.
Not fussed about breakfast and hasn't been fussed about food all day. I am off to try and get her some garvo alfamix tomorrow (crossing everything). Topped her up with bits n bobs, and a little critical care formula before bed.
She's been quite subdued again today, and looks paler, although she is flushing her face when someone talks to her! There was a slight tinge of yellow around her eyelids this morning, which was fully expected, and also on the fleshy part at the back of her beak.
We had a lovely reiki session for her this morning, which perked her up for a while...she pootled off down the garden for a wander about.
She actually did a little digging this evening too which was nice to see.
No egg.
I have not given her metoclopramide this evening, so we will see how she goes without it *crossing everything again*

Friday, day 6, 3rd June 2011

Empty crop this morning, I'm thinking of trying to take her off the metoclopramide to see how she goes. Her appetite has definitely dwindled a lot, she never feels to have anything in her crop, but she is eating and pooing, so I guess she should be able to cope.
She is definitely more subdued again today, lots of lying down in the run, even though the door is open for her to come out into the garden. She is getting up and having a wander around, and she did run from one end of the garden to the other earlier, so it's not as if it is all the time and really, from what others with hens on suprelorin have said, it is normal.
Droppings have looked absolutely fine again today. I'm trying to keep her topped up on food throughout the day, so she has had wet mash for breakfast, mealworms, a bit of corn (not too much cos it has been ever so hot today) some bokashi bran, a few seeds, and some pasta at teatime. She must be picking at the ex-bat crumb as well when they are shut in the run. I am thinking of trying one of the garvo mixes for her (alfamix). I bought the garvo special mixed corn, and they have the garvo treats which is full of yummies, but the alfamix is a complete food in itself.
No egg :-)

Thursday, Day 5, 2nd June 2011

Empty crop again this morning.
Droppings are spot on, right colour and consistency.
 Ate a good breakfast again.
A bit tired, but that is probably partly residual from her busy day yesterday...she is still up and about and digging, just wants to go and take a nap every now and then, she's pretty much been like that all day. It has also been really hot here, and she has taken to lying under the cube in the shade rather than being out in the sun.
She has picked at food today, there has never been very much in her crop.
Victoria (on the ex-bats forum) mentioned a change in noises, well Lola has been doing a really low purr all day, not high pitched like an alarm call, but not a quiet contented purr either!
No egg.

Wednesday, day 4, 1st June 2011

Didn't have time to update yesterday, maaaanic! We've been having all the guttering and fascias replaced, which meant scaffolding going up, noise, tools, deliveries and so on. Thankfully the contractor is a chookie kinda guy (he breeds them) which meant the girlies got some extra attention, and he is trying to convince me to hatch some eggs from his ladies! We've known him for years, so I feel comfortable that if the girls were getting stressed he would let them have a break from the noise. All that said, they took it completely in their stride. As the scaffodling was coming over the garage roof to the back of the house, I dumped a load of woodshavings in the run, and popped some treats in there. The girls were free to come out of the run, and I stood with them, but they were having so much fun digging in the woodshavings they barely noticed all the commotion! After that, they came and played in the garden, not worried by the banging, drilling, sawing etc and stayed out of the way of the scaffolding and the workers - good girlies *grin*
Anyhoodle- back on topic...
Lola had an empty crop when she got up. I think she was tired yesterday (she spent most of the day out of the run, from about 8am) so spent a while laying under the bench on the grass in the afternoon, and of course she came for her snuggles with me!
She had a very pale purply/grey tinge to the back of her comb, which disappeared almost as suddenly as it appeared.
She scoffed a good breakfast, then picked throughout the day- never filling her crop very much, then pigged out at teatime. I am satisfied that she ate enough yesterday. Droppings were good, right colour and consistency. No egg.