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I thought the preening gland was supposed to exude clear oil. I've received a problem girl whose gland looked a bit dirty. I cleaned it up and massaged it and orange gunk came out. Is that concentrated preening gland oil, or does she have an infection? BTW, I've observed this girl preen but...

Came Came home after being away for a couple of hours and checked on the lonely 4 1/2 week old pullet on the porch, and found she had swallowed a foot of paracord!!!!! The lonely 4 1/2 week old girl is on my porch, isolated initially because of a scalp wound at 1 day old. I had a bell...

One of my 4 year old Buff Orpington hens has what appears to be a bruised toe. I noticed her limping yesterday, and some slight swelling, no broken skin, obvious deformity, or bumblefoot scab. I'm terrible at pictures - the swelling/color didn't show up when I try, but the color of the middle...

Should I be worried? My littlest hen has decided she no longer wants to overnight in the coop. In fact, tonight it almost looked like she'd go in the coop, but when she saw me approaching to close up for the night, she bolted. She broke her leg last summer and limps, but she can still get on...

My chickens are apparently obese. The leanest one died of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome last night. (She also apparently was making bright blue beach glass in her gizzard according to the necropsy.) They currently have freely available layer pellets, water, and oyster shells. However, I...

Please, somewhere there has to be directions for a crop bra with proper pictures. I need to see actual shapes and measurements. And, equally desperately, I need crop surgery directions for dummies. The why follows. Stupid me made the mistake of observing my neighbor's 11 month old Speckled...

Found my 4 year old on the roost, bloody. Suspect the cockerel is at fault. Should the usual attempts at clean up + Neosporin be enough? Is he doing this because she's old and not laying? Should I isolate the brat for a few days? I already have his favorite hen in isolation recovering from...

My Egyptian Fayoumi's leg is broken, or at least she's in pain using it. I think she needs a sling, but what if she fights me? Her leg and feet have swelled up, should I try a cold pack on her? I'm not sure if it is a simple fracture or compound – there didn't appear to be skin broken at the...

A friend from Clinton posted of FB that there is an attempt to change the laws in Clinton MA, restricting chicken keeping. If you know anyone from Clinton who hasn't heard about this, please encourage them to sign this counter-petition...

So, I had a hen nearly succumb to the heat today. Found her collapsed and barely conscious. Got the girl cooled down and revived enough that she could stand. Poor thing tries walking, and the roo walks by, and somehow sees her struggling gait as a submissive invitation to be covered. Am I...

Found one of my 4 year old Buff Orpington hens dead when I opened up the coop this morning, crammed in the corner, opposite side of where she usually roosts. No signs of external wounds. Did notice what looked like egg yolk on her beak, but have found no broken eggs. I'd picked her up and...

Have a chick/pullet that, starting around week 3, panics when picked up and stabs herself on the underside of her beak. Yes, she sometimes breaks the skin. Barely a drop of blood at worst. The first few times, I chalked up to being accidental/poor body sense, and jokingly told her not to...

Should I worry about how this might affect my girls? Sorry if this is the wrong section, but just noticed in one of the news outlets that the county is spraying salt marshes by helicopter tomorrow (Vectobac 12AS (Bti) and Altosid liquid (methoprene)). Like, at most 1/2 mile away, probably...

So, I'm there at the aquarium while they're showing the penguins, and the penguin wrangler comments that penguins poop every 10 minutes, so all she gets pooped on regularly, and all I can think is... ... There's chicken diapers, why not penguin diapers? Not that I'm up for making them, but...

My neighbors found this red hen in their yard. What kind is it? Doesn't show well in the photos but there's some black in there. Legs are yellowish - not bright yellow like the golden laced Wyandottes on my street. She seems a little thin and missing a lot of breast feathers. Could...

Crappy week. Feeling like an utter failure. Only think keeping me going is that if I give up, I'll never have a chance at some possibility of things getting better. I'm divorced. One of the last people who went to trial over fault before NY became no fault - took judge less than 30 seconds...

Couldn't figure out best section, please move or delete if properly addressed elsewhere. Apparently the news of the police beating a chicken to death with a shovel to the point of decapitating it has gone viral. Long story short, keeping chickens is against the code, the family was given a...

Today one of our hens chose to lay an egg in a patch of cactus. And no, we don't live in the desert - eastern prickly pear cactus just loves our yard. The girl knows where the nesting boxes are - this in no way resembles one. Frustrating, but sort of funny. Figure someone here will find it...

In late May I noticed one of my girls had laid this mess during the night: I caught her in the act the next day - squirting raw half scrambled eggs, and when I had time to focus on just her later that morning, she had the empty rubber shell stuck to her butt. She seemed to do better after a...

Was wondering if anyone had tried making a (Girl Scout) sit upon out of a feed bag. Or would they be too porous for that? I've been toying with the idea, because it would be a) cheaper ;-) and b) using resources wisely (one of the GS laws). Thanks for any input!