Recent content by kproffer

I don’t usually buy more than a month of feed at a time just due to storage space, but I’ve never thought to pay attention to the mill dates. Are you saying you think the issue with your bird was possibly from quality degradation?

Ugh. My gut tells me she would have improved if she were going to, but I’m not sure I have the heart to put her down yet. Thank you for the advice

…So it’s been two weeks… the black spots have cleared up, leaving her with a very pale comb and wattles. The respiratory symptoms are completely resolved. No improvement in the wry neck symptoms though, even with the vitamins. She will stand for short periods and kind of walks slowly in circles...

Yes, she has debris stuck there. Sunday before I removed her from the coop she was in the dirtiest area under the roosting bar flopping her head around in the sand, but there were no fresh wounds that I noticed. I moved her outside where she pooped and then lay her head in it, picking up that...

The “down” side

The “up” side

Home late tonight. She seems a little improved, her eye has fewer bubbles and she was more willing to take water from a dropper. Still not eating. I don’t see any evidence of lice or mites. We don’t have a rooster. Some of my hens are quite bossy, but she is not usually one that gets picked on...

Ok, things are starting to make more sense…she seemed somewhat better when I got home from work, holding her head up a little more and more alert. She still won’t eat or drink. I tried washing the debris off her head and it didn’t come off. I’m guessing these dark spots point to fowl pox and the...

@Wyorp Rock I’m at work right now, I’ll get pictures when I get home. Yesterday her crop felt empty and abdomen normal. I have no idea when her last egg was. I have 31 hens (probably 22 laying?) and her egg color is not unique so I don’t keep up. Honestly none of them have been laying as well...

Well somehow she’s still alive. She had two poops yesterday, one yellow one green. I don’t see any discharge around her eye this morning and she seemed a little more alert. She still won’t eat but I got a few more drops of vitamin water in her. She has some dark spots on her comb and wattles but...

I was trying the polyvisol for the vitamins in case it was just wry neck. That was a suggestion I read elsewhere anyway. I’m very concerned about how dehydrated she’s getting but since forcing the liquids earlier (it was about 1Tbs) she seems to be gurgling with breathing. This is awful

I will definitely be keeping a close eye on them. Do you reference the testing to be certain what I’m dealing with or do outbreaks need reported for conservation/control?

My 4yo black star seemed lethargic for a couple of days, but would get up and act normally at times. Yesterday afternoon I found her laying down with her head twisted upside down. Her vent an head are clean, no signed of lice or other infestation. I would be very surprised if this is wry neck...

Good points. Do you use a run or a moat yourself? Foxes are the main predator we have right now so we definitely need something secure. I don't understand how people with the open top, double fence moat construction make it work long term. Maybe they don't... Maybe that's why I can't find any...