Coccidiosis

As well as the ducks, we also added to our flock of Light Sussex hens .

But some are not well.One has died.
the other affected ones are lethargic, pale and with blood in the droppings.

It may be Coccidiosis . The gory details are here .
So we have separated the affected birds.
Risk factors are damp environments. And Orkney has been very very damp so far this year.
And at the moment we will wait and see.

George looking after his girls

We've got 6 light sussex chickens  - 1 cockerel and 5 hens. They've got used to where the hen house is , go in to roost at night  and  the hens lay their eggs in the correct place. We've also got George, the cockerel, who keeps them all in order. Called George after another George , who made his entrance at about the same time as we acquired our George .

a very conscientious cockerel, who shepherds his harem around the fields , keeping an eye on them, making sure they all get a share of  corn and other delicacies.

   We've been told by visitors that he also crows at about 4 am, but as that doesn't wake us, he is allowed to do that.  

Anyway its been a bit  windy here for the last couple of days. Today its gusting to about 30-35 mph with short squally showers. 

 And we found that George has taken  his girls to some undergrowth , where they all sheltered whilst the worst of the weather blew through.