Recent content by HenKat

I completely agree with Speckled Sussex! We got two chicks last spring, one turned out to be a roo. Both the hen and roo are great birds with excellent temperaments, and seem to handle the cold pretty well! The best description I have for my Henrietta is "plucky." She loves eating, and doesn't...

Back outside today! She has spent a few hours outside the last couple days, but today she looks like she is full strength, and has been eating up a storm! I'm keeping her in the little separate run today, so they can all get to know each other again, and then tonight she'll go back in the coop...

She went to the vet last week Tuesday, and had cocci and bacterial overgrowth in her poop. She had a one time dose of penicillin, and was started on Albon suspension. This morning we finished up the 5th day dose, and then she started eating and drinking on her own again! Today is the first day...

I got a real poop today! First one since we moved her inside. She has had 26 hours of tube crop hydration, so I am happy that we are moving slightly into the right direction. Still no interest in eating or drinking on her own. @Wyrop Rock, She smells bad, but not yeasty. So probably not vent...

Thanks @heyley3 I am glad to hear that your hen did well with treatment! That gives me a lot of hope for my gal. I started tube feed with pedialyte this evening. It was even easier than I expected, so hopefully Lilly will hold on until we can see a vet.

Thank you for your replies @Wyorp Rock, @dawg53, @Sally PB Lilly is about the same, maybe walking a tiny bit today to change her positions in the crate, but still mostly sleeping, and not eating/drinking. Her crop is flat. She last laid an egg Tuesday, the day she started acting very...

Hello, I'd appreciate help diagnosing what may be affecting my hen, Lilly. My internet research has basically just enforced that pretty much every chicken ailment causes diarrhea and lethargy... :( She is 1.75 year old Buff Orpington. She seems to be underweight, as yesterday I noticed her...

My rooster has very similar behavior. He is very nice to humans, loves watching his flock, but mates aggressively. Lilly, my Buff Orpington, was pretty much naked despite her variety of hen aprons I tried. This picture was after a couple weeks of regrowth. For a few months I would put him...

Violet is my blue-laced red wyandotte pullet. She is about 4.5 months old and super sweet. She is mellow, so it is easy to snap good pictures of her! All my others are busy-bodies, and never hold still :-)

Our power went out last May right after we got 5 chicks! That was NOT fun, but taught me to be creative. Fortunately I could light our gas stove, and heat water. I couldn't find a rubber hot water bottle anywhere, so we just filled jars and wrapped them in towels, and completely lined one half...

@AlleyTCat Thanks, that is interesting! I honestly hadn't thought of that technique. @Cinnamon11 Yeah, I wonder about that too. Not sure what the best age to introduce them would be... he wasn't nice to the pullets we introduced a year ago, and had to be kept separate until they were fully...

Hi BYC world! You all provide such wonderful advice. I know there are many similar posts/threads floating around, but it seems that every situation is a bit different. Here is what I have going on, and any advice is appreciated! In late May we added 5 chicks to our flock. One Silkie, two blue...

Honestly I can't say that I know enough about poultry to make an educated comment about shared ailments, but your observations are really interesting! Certainly reinforces the need for masks, separate outerwear specially for being around the birds, and always handwashing (or showering) after...

I am a physician. I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation of wearing an N95 mask when doing anything that will stir up dust in the coop. There are very severe chronic lung diseases that can be prevented. However, right now hospitals have a huge shortage of these masks needed to protect...

Thanks for this question, as I have been wrestling with the same problem. We adopted our rooster from Craigslist, and think he is about 2.5 now. We got him at about 9 months old, and boy were his hormones strong! Our 5 year old RIR hen still runs the roost as top chicken, but our other 4 gals...