***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

I noticed today that a few of my birds have cracks in their beaks. They aren't broken off, so I know I can do a sort of repair job on them. Here's my question: How do you immobilize a chicken for such a delicate procedure? I watched videos on chicken hypnosis, but I'm afraid they'd wake up while I'm putting the glue on. Any ideas? I'd like to stress them out as little as possible, while getting them as still as possible.

I don't know the answer, but do you know why / how your birds are cracking their beaks, that is not a common thing.

 

[NanaKat]

Quote: I agree with Kass. Most birds will use a stone or a rough perch to sharpen the edges of their beaks and sand off the tip so cracks are not typical.
To immobilize your bird, if you are right handed...hold the bird in your left hand/arm and wrap a light towel or piece of cotton cloth gently around your bird...like swaddling a baby. You want it snug, but not tight. Then the bird can be held in your lap to doctor the beak.

 

[NanaKat]

We picked another 3.5 gallons of blackberries this morning in two hours! They are cooling on the stove so I can run them thru a ricer to can the juice.
Chickens will love the left over pulp along with their frozen pea hulls today.

 

[dunnmom]

I assume they hurt their beaks on the hardware cloth covering the run. Either from being startled, or trying to catch bugs on the other side of it. There's been quite a few flies in there. I think it's a combination of heat, dampness, and chicken poop attracting the flies. Anyway, thanks for the advice, and if you have any more, it would be appreciated.

 

[limited25]

We bought a fly trap from Lumber 2 and attached it to a plastic lawn chair, which is near the coop ... but not too close. It's keeping the runs fly free and catching a lot of flies. We have a tractor coop so it's easy to move the lawn chair every time we move the coop.

 

[dunnmom]

NanaKat, that's why I think it's the hardware cloth. The cracks are up closer to their face, not close to the tips. They don't seem to be having trouble eating or drinking, but I do want to prevent future breaks the best I can.

 

[artsyrobin]

ad a great visit with @Poco Pollo this morning, she brought 2 duck hens for my lonely boy- he has been prancing around their pen all day, very happy boy!






she also picked these boys up for the swap- very sweet bantam cochins











ok, question- what predator does this?

 

[Ironsights]

ad a great visit with @Poco Pollo this morning, she brought 2 duck hens for my lonely boy- he has been prancing around their pen all day, very happy boy! she also picked these boys up for the swap- very sweet bantam cochins ok, question- what predator does this?

I'm guessing the opening is 6"x6" from the picture? Did you lose any birds? Any tracks? Any hair caught in the wire? There could be several possible suspects and some can go through chicken wire like butter.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote: thats the odd thing about it, the enclosure is on the porch where our dog sleeps at night, this dog ignores possums, but noting else, so i am assuming possum? No animals lost, no fur or tracks etc, moved that group into the coop, they are being integrated, adult hens - nothing caught in the trap last night

 

[artsyrobin]

Who do we get a necropsy done with in Oklahoma? I have a group of rescue 4 month olds that i'm suspecting have mycoplasma- yes quarantined- one i am pretty sure i will lose - i have them on denagard and tetracycline