Recent content by ellie32526

Sexing, not seeing. Auto correct gets me every time.

I'm not an expert but there are several videos out there (YouTube mostly) that show feather seeing. You might watch a few and compare your chicken's feather formation.

I was watching her just now and she seems to have problems bringing her toes forward. She takes every other step with her toes pointed backward. Is this common in houdans because they have the extra toe?

My mottled houdan chick walks (or should I say stumbles) like drunken person. It only takes a few steps and then stops to rest. It does this again and again. Hatched May 29. I have pine wood shavings on the floor. None of the other chick do this. I am going to try letting it walk around in...

Ease of cleaning to be sure

I would be eggstatic to win this.I like it all. Made from recycled materials, easy to clean and maintain, mite resistant, 25 year warranty means its built to last. What's not to love? My Itty bitties can't wait to move in.

I ordered a mixed mess, have no idea what breeds they sent, but I'm up for a good mystery. I have identified several so far, this one looks like the other Orpingtons in every respect but it has a stripe of lighter color in the center of the back. Sorry the picture is so poor. They are quick...

What's wrong with giving tetracycline? I brought some new hens in and didn't properly quarantine, so didn't realize they were sick. Now I have several with respiratory problems, not eating, not drinking (way too hot for that) lethargic and they have poopy butt, watery stools. I have been adding...

I would cover the floor with paper toweling or something absorbent (not newspaper! too slippery) for the first few days or so until they learn what is food and what isn't. They will need the grit when they start foraging outside but sand is usually not a problem once they know what is food.

You could always test them by putting in a pot of cold water. If the egg starts to float even a little then throw it out. As the egg begins to decompose it give off gas which causes it to float. A good egg will sit at the bottom and not float.

Wow! That sounds strange. How often do you collect the eggs? Is it possible that a hen is setting on them before you collect them? Perhaps if there was a hen setting on them before you collected them and then you left them out on the counter for a few days, they may have started to incubate. I...

I have separated my hens from the roosters because the roosters were too rough and broke off the feathers. My hens are all wearing saddles which helped with their backs, but the wings don't seem to be growing back. Do I need to pull out the remaining stub where the feather used to be?

Hooray! I finally found a vet that treats poultry not too far from my house. My diagnosis was correct - Vent Gleet or yeast infection. Dr. Shurtleff said the reason the Nystatin didn't work is because I was giving too small a dose. We tried Red on Nystatin for 10 days but the poor guy has had...

It depends on how close to the nerve centers the beak is broken. My roo broke his beak in a skirmish with one of my dogs. It is nearly grown back. It was broken back about 1/3 of the way on top. It has been several months but the beak is now 3/4 grown back. all but the tip is regrown. The beak...