Recent content by ShiviBear

I had a rooster that somehow swallowed a freaking 3 inch bone or stick. You could clearly feel the outline of the bone in his crop....I was absolutely positive he couldn't pass it and started gathering supplies and steeling myself to do crop surgery...even got suture from my vet. I've never done...

I'm curious if anybody here has encountered this strange yet wonderful (at least I think it strange) phenomenon I've been observing for the past few months on my farm. Quick background...I am the sole caretaker of 50+ chickens on my sister's 50 acre NJ farm since May of 2020. I live in a cabin...

After a few heartbreaking mishaps with beheading my sweet hens after they got sick, I finally gathered up the courage to try the broomstick method. There is a video in the thread I'm linking below (you have to scroll a few posts down, it's an age restricted youtube video) which helped me...

Hi! I'm in NJ as well and am preparing to do battle as today will be the hottest day and I think the girls (and 3 boys) are already stressed from the intense heat with no breaks from the last 3 days. I got them a small wading pool that attaches to the hose which creates a ring of sprinkling...

Thank you both for your kind words. I definitely have a feeling the fox will be back and during the day...hopefully I will be there to protect my girls. My roosters are excellent at raising alarm, so even if I am inside my cottage I can hear them. That video was very informative but it also...

Ugh, this might be a stupid question... but would a .22LR rifle be sufficient enough to kill a fox? It's the only gun I feel comfortable using at the moment but have it stuck in my head that the ammunition is too small to kill a bigger animal like a fox. I feel like it would have to be a perfect...

So, there are about 8 hens out of my 50 something (I think 57 now with this loss) that jump the fence by the wood pile and go foraging outside their enclosure. No matter what I do, they seem to find a way to get out. One of them, Rhonda, one of the nicest ones likes to jump over pretty late...

Oh no! I am so so sorry for your loss! Last year a bear ate a neighbors goat right in front of them! That bear wasn't scared of anything or anybody, no reaction to loud noises, lights, clapping etc... A bear that eats livestock is a Level 3 nuisence bear and is considered to be an immediate...

Oh boy, not only space but time....but I guess only if you care about a happy brood, and well...I care maybe a little TOO much, lol. But you know what they say....Happy Brood=Happy Chicken Keeper Mood (I just made that up 😁)

😞 I do know this is really the only option at this point, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Thank you kindly for responding and confirming my intuition. The truth is, I've already lost 3 hens because of the stress he has placed upon the flock. I know this for a fact....I spend ALOT of...

Other: I keep procrastinating to make a decision every day knowing that there probably isn't a happy resolution.

Hello! I am hoping for a bit of advice. The rooster in question, a 4 year old Brahma rooster named Dennis, became aggressive towards his fellow roosters about a month ago. He is one of two brothers (his brother's name is Terence) that came together as cockerels and all 4 roosters have always...

😔 I am very sorry for your loss. I hope knowing that you gave her a good life while she resided on this planet brings you a sliver of comfort.

How is she today? Orange droppings CAN mean coccidiosis, I usually also notice a foamy consistency and a very particular smell as well....worse then regular chicken poop for sure. Here is a good reference chart to normal and abnormal poop, such as coccidiosis poop...

I'm sorry to hear about your sweet sick hen also. I am no expert, but having a few mystery hen losses recently myself here are a few questions that were posed to me... Have you checked for and/or treated your hens for external parasites like mites? What does her poop look like? Orange? Foamy...