***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[ladykat138]

Moving to a new location is stressful on them it will interfere w/ their laying.  Also not all hens, not all breeds lay daily even in high lay times like spring

 

[ladykat138]

Thank you

 

[NanaKat]

We just got two chickens, one of a Rhode Island Red and the other the guy wasn't really sure what she was, she's black with a few reddish feathers on her neck. He said that they are about a year old. These are our first chickens. They aren't laying everyday, we have had them a week know and have gotten 5 eggs. The past two days we haven't gotten any eggs at all. It is normal for them to not lay for a few day?

@ladykat138.
Yes, it is acceptable for them to take a break. This can happen when we move chickens from one pen to another or make changes in their diet. It will also happen when they begin their yearly molt...out with the old feathers and in with the new.

 

[NanaKat]

Found a chick under one of my broody hens that had its shell crushed and partially shrink wrapped in the membrane....two days early for the hatch date. The chick was alive and way too sticky from yolk. Took it out, cleaned it up, gave it Nutridrench and put it in a container in the bottom of my cabinet incubator after showing it where its water cup was. Just checked on it...didn't think it would survive. It has fluffed up, is standing and cheeping this morning!!

  Go little chickie!!!

Not wanting the chickie to be all alone, I moved the chick out to the barn and put it under a Bantam hen whose chicks were hatching. She is quite happy with her three babies. Sweet baby has a good mother!

 

[jrjoplin]

Had a hen insisted on being broody. After breaking her off the nest 3-4 times I gave in and let her have her way. After about two weeks she's out foraging with the others and shows no signs of returning to the nest. She was roosting with the others last night so I'm guessing she changed her mind. Some development in the eggs but I'm not very good telling where they are as far as days to hatch goes. The good thing is that they are just random barnyard mix eggs and not the chicks I'm going to try for this spring. I've never had much luck with incubators but I'm debating investing in one since I'm really hoping to hatch out some of the SPRs this spring.

 

[limited25]

Need advise please. I tried to upload a video of my hen but it didn't work so I will try to describe what is going on with her. She walks around (eating and drinking fine) but her head kind of twists down and off to the side repeatedly. She has been doing this for about a week now. What can I do to help her?

 

[BetsyOK]

I had a silkie pullet like that only worse several years ago. Her head stayed under her breast most of the time, and she could only walk backwards. She was managing to eat and drink with great effort and resulting in her being soaking wet all the time. Assuming she'd been injured through her nearly exposed brain, but obviously wasn't being attacked by anyone in her pen, I left her with the others while I worked with her so she wouldn't be stressed by being isolated. Some information I had indicated that Vitamin E is helpful in this situation. I worked with her at least twice a day, giving her Vitamin E and carefully unwinding her head and neck, helping her eat and drink. Of course, it quickly returned to that position each time, but began to take longer and longer. I don't remember how long it took--somewhere between two weeks and a month, but she finally recovered.

She was an outstanding bird, and I sold her to a young girl for a very low price, explaining to her and her mother what had happened and that I couldn't guarantee she would stay well. I heard from her new owner later on, and she had not reverted to that position, and had won top honors in a show.

I think it is possible there can be more than one cause, but this was my experience with it.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Barn Yarn: Retirees Knitting Sweaters For Chilly Chickens

http://m.news9.com/story.aspx?story=34736149&catId=112032

 

[NanaKat]

Need advise please.  I tried to upload a video of my hen but it didn't work so I will try to describe what is going on with her.  She walks around (eating and drinking fine) but her head kind of twists down and off to the side repeatedly.  She has been doing this for about a week now.  What can I do to help her?

Try giving her some selenium. brewer's yeast is an option too.

 

[rosaroca]

did you ever find a home for your free hen?