Recent content by DaniLovesChickens

It's normal for a chicken to pant and lift it's wings away from it's body when hot. That's the normal way they cool themselves. It's not necessarily a sign of heat stress. You can put ice in their drinking water and even freeze water in plastic bottles to put inside the coop to keep them cool.

My bantam rooster, Peanut, just started scratching one side of his head then the other. He then uses his beak to scratch at his chest, as high as he can get. Then he falls down onto his back as though in convulsions. I tried scratching his head / upper neck for him - I looked for broken skin...

One of my older hens hasn't been feeling well. Very fatigued - just not herself. I was going to bring her inside today so I could keep a closer eye on her. When I got closer I noticed that her crop was very large and there was a sour odor. I pressed on her crop so I could see what it felt like...

Quote: I have a hen just like that.

My 2 year old RIR hen is breathing with her mouth wide open, wheezing. She seems to have difficulty drawing in enough air. Her comb is drooping and looks dull and darker. ( that can be lack of oxygen though, right?) I noticed it last night and removed her from the flock. I started her on an...

The leghorn you will have to tell completely by the feathers because the females will have HUGE combs and waddles and they will be very, very red. I was really concerned that one of my leghorns was a cockerel because she was bigger than the other and comb and waddles were bigger and more red...

I have a couple of hens that are completely blind and we had one that was blind in one eye (due to an infection). We ended up making them their own house so that the others could still roam the yard and they didn't get trampled. They are very content, sweet girls! Congratulations on her being...

I'm glad, at least, that your state is helping you and doing it free of charge. That really is a blessing in a bleak situation. Again, so sorry about all of your chickens. Best of luck with getting the situation fully resolved quickly.

I get produce for my chickens too They love it! It's great for the winter when they can't get the grass. We put ours in large suet feeders and hang them around the coop! They not only get something good to eat, it gives them something to do (besides get into trouble) on those long winter...

I am so sorry!!!! From the symptoms you listed it sounds most like Infectious Coryza, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, or Fowl Cholera. That's just a best guess. Hopefully you have an extension office in your area that will actually help! I called before because I had a sick chicken and wanted...

Ok, well thanks for being jerks (not everyone). Next time I have a question I guess I won't post it here. I had luck in the past with getting help and actually giving help as well since I am not a complete moron. I'm just a cripple that can't go anywhere to get any other help and thought I...

Quote: That's what I want to do this Spring when everything finally thaws. I want to add gravel then sand inside then gravel outside. If I had the money I would dig down 18 - 24 inches and add sand and gravel so that it drains right. But WOW! That would be a whole lot of sand!

My concern is that it is RIGHT outside the coop. They are constantly moving back and forth over this area so it is filled with poop. The ground is still partially frozen. I can't rake all of the poop out of the area. The "stuff" I am worried about is cocci and different types of worms and...

I know you can put a small amount of bleach in your chickens drinking water, so could I put bleach in the mud puddles that have formed right behind the coop with this thaw we're in? I just hate to think of all of the "stuff" that's in those puddles and I can't keep them from drinking out of...

I found some seeds on Jungseeds.com . It was like the only place I could find them.