Recent content by campchickens

Turns out my flock has mycoplasma. We lost four young birds, but everyone else is doing all right so far. Siiiiiighhhh.

We have about 25 birds-- mostly chickens, with a few guineas and ducks. We recently lost a few young birds in a row, so I took them to the state lab for a necropsy, which turned up mycoplasma. The tech said it was likely the whole flock carries it now. I've decided against culling since this is...

I was out of town this week, but had my trusty favorite teenager and her family looking out for my free range flock of chickens, ducks, and guineas. Two young (3 months) chicks died suddenly, no evidence of injuries but I wasn't there to see if necks were broken or anything. They were near each...

I have a pair of Muscovy ducks, both female, from the same hatch, living with a mix of chickens and a couple of other female ducks. One wandered half a mile through the woods and has moved herself into our neighbor's pond. The other one wandered around for a few days looking lost, and then...

No swelling, no bloating, comb is still its usual bright red (compared it to older pictures!), no mites. Our chickens free range for at least a few hours a day, and are supplemented with Layena crumbles (mostly to keep them interested in humans). She actually didn't come back to the coop last...

I did some research on checking for egg-bound problems, and she doesn't seem to have that. She's not dead yet! Up and around, just kind of wandering off on her own and being kind of slow and confused. Almost like a concussion or something. I'll continue to monitor. Mostly just curious for...

Jersey giant, about 3 years old. She's been not herself the past few days, though still eating and out pecking and scratching the ground. Couldn't put a finger on what she's doing differently, but definitely not herself. I just went out to the chicken area and saw her flopped over, presumably...

I also had a pair of ducks, and the male wad killed last night. :( My now solo female is about 7 months old and pals around with my chickens pretty well (they share housing), especially a rooster she and the male duck were raised with from day one. Will this be adequate? Should I try to acquire...

I'm definitely careful about fresh water, even when below freezing. Not sure what got the other guy, but I'm hoping she'll be happy with her chicken friends. She and the other duck (male) spent the first month of their lives together with a rooster chick in a Pack and Play in my apartment, so...

Sadly, one of my two ducks was killed this week. I plan to shore up the coop for her and I think she's young enough and has grown up around chickens, goats and people so won't be too lonely. Any additional tips to keep her warm and happy as it get cold?

The problem is they don't currently have protection from the wind or cold. They have a roof, but they sleep on the ground in the open part of the coop. I can't find anything on how cold a temperature they can tolerate. So far do good this week with it hovering freezing overnight, but I need a...

I have two Swedish ducks, who happily co-habitate with 15 chickens of varying sizes and breeds. They all live in a happy little tractor coop. As you can see, the roost is all enclosed, but they've got some room to have fresh air and scratch the ground before we let them out to free range...

Our friends down the road suggested it might have been the sudden fall weather. Sunday night was really cool (50ish) after months of overnight lows in the 70s. He was eager when I opened a new bag of food yesterday and very happy to take some baking soda. I found some more solid stool this...

I haven't actually seen evidence one way or another-- just that it was caked on his backside this morning. I followed him for a while but he didn't pass anything. He's free ranged a bit today, and ate, and got really excited when I opened a new bag of food, ate his portion right up. I moved our...

I have five goats. I was away for a few days, with colleagues feeding and watering in my absence. I came back to find my only buck's backside covered in loose stool, and he's lethargic. Everything else checks out ok-- pink under eyelids, happy flicky tail, comes to see me, has an appetite. I...