I am also new to chickens and have a small healthy flock of five hens. I love all the information available here, but it has made me completely paranoid!!! If one looks too fluffy I immediately think "IMPACTED CROP!!" God forbid one should have a spot of mud on its toe, cause then I'm...
I have been giving my 5 hens parrot seed mix as a little treat to get them to go in the coop early. The LOVE it. So I bought a big ol bag of scratch and they won't touch it!!
"Clur clur?" = "Do you have any raisins?"
"Clurclurclurrr!!!"= "OMG, RAISINS!!!!"
"Clur-GAWK!"= "For the love of God, drop the raisins!"
"Clur buk buk BAWK!!!= "Mom! She took my raisinnn..."
"Clurrrrrkk..."= "Sigh. Mah crop is full of raisins."