Recent content by HeatherLynn

Hey all. We are looking at moving to the houston/conroe area this summer. I am just trying to get to know some in the area and figure out what we will be able to keep once we settle in. I am currently liquidating my flocks and herds in anticipation of the move.

We are in a bit of a downhill slid. A couple years ago I introduced Marans to my flock. I paid premium prices but these are not premium birds. I have had nothing bug genetic issues in my hatches and birds with a weak immune system. Egg bound and sour crops too. Only ever with the marans. All my...

I would cull personally. They would reinfect others coming in so you could not bring others into your flock and from what I read treatment does not erradicate it. They can relapse when treatment is ended. Better to get a fresh start. Others with more experience would have to comment on...

Ok I agree that most chickens do not lay every day so your girls have done wonderfully. Losing any feathers? Possible moult? Also that picture you showed does not look like something ate the egg unless its a snake. So snake or maybe egg bound and passing a broken egg? Is she acting funny at all?

I had a dog do this to a goose. It was horrible. Vet would not treat her so we were on our own. We sprayed the wing area with scarlet oil and did that every day. Kept her separate in a clean area inside. When it first happened I did give a bit of sugar water in case she was shocky. We did not...

On the leg you may look for hot placed. I have had a few breaks with my birds due to neighbor dogs and thats usually how I find out about the break. Chickens are so hardy sometimes that they do not show pain like we would so they can trick you into think they are not injured. Feel along the leg...

Have you checked him for mites? Sometimes when they are weak from mites they will act like this. I have also had gnats cause this. Have you brought any new chickens into the coop recently? Breathing ok? How is his comb color? Backside clean or do you see any bloody poo about the chicken coop? I...

Ok did a quick read and I would try to get some activated charcoal down her. I keep it in capsule form for myself and have given it to my livestock in an emergency. You can get a paste from TSC also.

Thanks so much for this. I just have not been able to bring myself to raise these because of all the stories. I raise healthy happy birds and that is my one consolation when I do process some birds. If my care can make this big a difference from the stories that this could be well worth it for...

Can you get Diatomaceous Earth? I have always found it effective. I also mix that and ash from our wood furnace in a bin for the chickens to dust in. We have power washed with bleach water also.

This might sound stupid but have you been wiping its bum? It seems like every now and then I have a needy one. It takes them longer on the whole poo thing. Warm rag wiping bum now and then seems to stimulate it. Sometimes if they are not pooing regular or are blocked up a bit they will hesitate...

No new bedding BUT it has been dryer than usual. We got some rain but in the coop itself its wicked dry and outside the coop in run and areas around it the dust is high. The turkey flock coming in the area to forage may have stirred more of it up. These are wild turkeys. I had wild turkeys and...

I will give it a try. Heck I was about to dose the poor thing with my elderberry syrup. I have antibiotics and am not afraid to use them but I really do not use them enough to be experienced. My family has used antibiotics on ourselves I think twice in the last few years and one calf had to be...

You can always use the easter egg or wood egg method. I had a roo that would do it. We set up a nest in one of our isolation boxes with the wood eggs. He was a very frustrated little man. Also just gather promptly, we know roughly when our will lay. My son will sit there and watch them lay and...

Yesterday everyone was fine, today one is making an odd mooing sound when she breathes. Obviously respiratory. GREAT!. She falls over when I catch her and she is gurgling. No one else is showing symptoms yet. She is separate. I have tetracyline water made up for the entire coop and I have...