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So I've been chicken-less for a few years, bought my own house last year and have finally got things sorted to add hens to my life again :) I have got 5 ex commercial layers to start with, it's day 1 and I am loving having them!

Yes she did have a normal ovary, I didn't think about an ovary since it looks so different to a working one. Thanks for all the replies, I feel a lot happier now I have some idea of what it was! I did the necropsy because this hen was not looking/acting right, I had to cull one the week...

I have had a couple of house chickens - the best thing I got for them was chicken diapers, that way they could have more freedom in the house and I wouldn't have to worry about the mess. The diapers also have enough room for an egg - though it does get heavy for them to drag around!

you can do a home autopsy, I have done this for a number of my birds and it helps give me a narrower range of things to read up on (usually) theres a link here - this site gives you step by step instructions and also a list of possibilities based on your findings at the end. It can be hard to...

I found this inside a hen I culled, it felt like a jelly filled sac but when I cut it open clear fluid that looked just like water and had no smell came out. it looks like there is a tube leading from it to the vent but there didn't seem to be an opening from the sac containing the water to the...

I've never eaten silkies, but I have eaten silkie crosses, they tasted just the same as any home raised chicken - I did take a picture of the bones though, completely black! The black must be a dominant trait. I can't find the picture now but if I do I'll post it.

if all they are getting is chick crumb then they don't need grit, it's just for helping to crush up grains and other big stuff.

Never had that happen but I did see a foot on day 16 or 17, it was amazing! Like a baby scan, lol

They do pip at the air cell - that membrane will be the outer membrane, the one just inside the shell - the air sac is between two membranes so there is still one to get through before the shell

He is out, but early - still has yolk attached, I've taken off the shell as he was kicking it about so now the yolk and inner membrane are still attached to his belly. He's staying laid down which is good, just hope he stays there till he's absorbed the yolk now. The other early pip has stayed...

one is starting to zip - I'm worried about the humidity the other way now, it's up to 85% is too high a humidity a problem at this late stage?

I have pippage! 8 remaining eggs from 17 set, the 9 discards were clear (I knew some would be infertile so they probably were.) now 2 are pipping and I had forgotten how exciting this part of the process could be! I've lost two of my rescued hens in the past week so really needed something...

I just did a bit of cursory research online and it seems the USDA has no guidelines at all on free range, so eggs from caged hens can be sold as free range!?! I never realised it was that bad!

Quote: In the UK free range has much stricter guidelines, with a maximum stocking density of 9 birds per square metre indoors with at least 250cm square of litter area/bird. Perches for the birds must be installed to allow 15 cm of perch per hen. There must also be one nest for every 7 birds...

Hi there - first thing to check is that the diatomaceous earth is food grade, if not then I would suggest not using it even in dust baths as there's a chance the chickens will still eat it. The food grade stuff is from a different source and is approved as a feed additive. To control...

it looks a bit too severe to heal to me - but I've been surprised before at what young animals can do in terms of healing. The hip joint looks possibly dislocated - can you move the chicks leg ok or is it stiff? if you can move it ok maybe some hobbles would help, like people have used for...

I think the vet is probably your best bet - only thing I can think of is that somehow laying an egg is causing her pain and walking afterwards just hurts too much for her to want to do it. Do you have a poultry vet or just an 'it's a chicken, kill it' vet?

I thought about that, but won't it get poop in too? - and shavings the amount chicks scrabble around!

Thankyou - I've sent an e-mail off, hopefully hear back soon

Thankyou! Yeah I know DE used to be a bit of a difficult subject to raise back at the ezboard, I thought things might have settled a bit. I also figured some accurate research into it would be good - if this project goes well I might do something similar but bigger for Masters or PHd -...