Recent content by capassar

I was reading through this old thread and knowing how we chicken people search a symptom thought I could help. So many posters expressed despair that there was no answer for the swollen rear abdomen problem. I have a definitive answer but it is not happy. I lost two hens to this problem: an 18...

I had the same issue with my Cuckoo Marans hen - my Roo's favorite mate. At the same time I noticed some wear on the backs of my Laced Wyandotte and one of my easter eggers. First I separated my Roo (a beautiful and otherwise sweet Brahma) and clipped and filed his toenails and spurs. Then I...

On the subject of Egg Shell problems, here is a great visual chart I found on an Irish poultry site: http://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf. It's a good resource.

I have two girls (Americauna, New Hampshire Red) moulting this winter (for Christmas!) and it has been going on for 2 months. They are less active, pale combs and wattles, eating less and prefer to roost in the coop most of the time. Of course they are not laying either. Concerned that there...

I'm so glad this post was helpful. Do you think it was the gizzard or the crop that was impacted? I have three girls who I'd hoped to free range but are technically pastured - that is they only roam free about 5 hours a day. We have too many dogs running around the neighborhood and have a had a...

I'm not sure where to best post this but really wanted to get this information out in case a someone has a similar problem. In late October I posted on this forum asking for help with my Ameracauna pullet who was in very bad shape and had been diagnosed by a local avian vet as having an...

Can someone give advice? I have a 29 week Ameracauna pullet that has not yet laid. She is lowest on the pecking order of my 3 hens, so rarely gets her fair share of the food. Four days ago I noticed she was unusually quiet and lethargic, not eating or drinking much. She would walk around a...

Thank you so much everyone for your help and advice. Can't tell you what a comfort it is to a newbie! The mystery continues: Took her to a vet friend who was also certain she was egg-bound. He ran an x-ray and found the outline of a forming but not yet calcified egg, and here's the weird part -...

Please help! My Ameraucauna pullet 29 weeks was acting normally this am. Then she went under coop perhaps to lay for first time. She stayed there 2 hours. When she came out no egg but very quiet, won't eat and seems sick. Head down, tail down, makes quiet peeping noise like a wimper.

I'm in Virginia and my chickens (Barred Rock, New Hampshire Red, Americauna)love stinkbugs and will eat as many as I throw their way! My only concern is that if they eat too many it will imbalance their diets. Anybody?

Hi All, I am also a new chicken keeper and have the same problem, same coop, same number of hens. Mine are now point of lay, but not laying yet. They are sleeping in the nest boxes and not using their roost bars either. After doing some research, I realized that the roost bars are also too low...

I am crying too!! I am so sorry for your loss and will keep you in my prayers. Don't wait too long to try again with another brood - it will bring you comfort.

Hi Folks, hate to jump in with bad news, but here goes: I am from Virginia and have just discovered blister beetles on my tomatoes. I am carefully hand-picking with gloves donned, but wanted to warn anyone who free-ranges their chickens near the garden like me, that the NIH has released...