Recent content by Quillgirl

They don't like the bra. They pick at them and worry the edges until they fray, but eventually they get used to them. My Aussie wore hers for weeks at a time. Every time I removed it for very long she got sour crop again... Oh well. Others have not had to wear them forever. Just until they...

I dug out an old used one and hope it makes sense. I modified it to lace up in the back using a shoestring rather than the sewn velcro because it was easier at the time. Not very pretty but functional and more adjustable as the sock stretched over time. Just imagine a ladies corset and you get...

Mine was a large black Ausie. The men's support sock / stocking fabric is meant to provide compression and support to the legs so it works really well. The one I made for her lasted over a year, even with her plucking at the edges and me washing it from time to time. I basically cut the toe off...

I found this thread late. I created a similar crop bra a couple of years ago for my hen who became impacted, then after solving that, never had her crop's muscle tone return entirely. I used a black support sock rather than an athletic sock. It's far more supportive and doesn't wear out quickly...

Wow! Common among barred rocks. Who knew?

No, we don't have a rooster. That's why I'm wondering if the broody hen inspired the crowing hen to sing. I'm pretty sure the crowing one is not the dominant hen, maybe just the one with the best voice!

I had heard about this odd behavior, but most comments dispute the idea of a CROWING hen. Well, I can confirm there are such birds about. One of my 2 year old hens has been crowing. These are most definitely hens, have been laying eggs for a while, but recently decided to begin a funny...

I write children's books, teach creative writing, and manage our chicken empire.

Australorps seem to be prone to it for some reason. I have one that has had crop problems over and over. In May, found that the problem was a very large impaction (golf ball sized wad of stuff.) We did surgery and removed it, but her crop never seemed to regain tone. Because it was stretched...

I agree. Negotiate with doctors and shop around. Also, you can sometimes buy a "discount" plan online that can reduce the cost of your work through certain dentists: http://www.dentalplans.com/ And this may seem counterintuitive, but one alternative to Canada is Mexico. It's farther from you...

I used this on my hen that had crop surgery and aspirated during the procedure. She was a bit wheezy. I gave her one injection of 1/4cc per day for three days. Total recovery. Good stuff. (For injection, I used a small gauge needle and pulled up the loose skin under her wing and held it in a...

Mine ignored them until right before they began laying. I put a couple of white golf balls in them to inspire them and inform them that the box was the spot to put eggs. Once they began laying, they always used the boxes except a couple of odd times when they dropped an egg from the roost. THat...

I live near a large city, and behind us is an expanse of wooded area and a train line, which has become a coyote highway through the city. I've seen them in my backyard, and can hear them at night on the rail line. Frankly, they have not bothered my chickens or any people here. They mostly feed...

One of my hens ate straw last winter from a bale near the coop. Ended up with a huge crop impaction that required surgery. I am never putting hay or straw within their reach again. Lesson learned. I think one other issue I'd have with straw or hay in a coop is mites. There are just so many...