Recent content by stretchc1

  1. stretchc1

    Hen with a swollen abdomen and I have to leave town tomorrow!

    I noticed yesterday that one of my 3-year old hens, a red sex-link named PeeWee, was lethargic. Upon closer examination, I could see her walking funny--not like a penguin, but sort of swinging her legs out and around. She was spending a lot of time just sitting down and kind of rocking back...
  2. stretchc1

    Hen passed something--shell-less egg or something worse?

    My three-year old red sex link, PeeWee is usually my most rambunctious hen. She was fine yesterday--she had been eating and pooping normally. She has not started laying since she took a winter hiatus (she layed all winter last year). But today she is very lethargic, unsteady on her feet, and...
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    How significant is interior coop height to chickens' welfare

    I just spent the weekend lowering the roost in my coop, which involved building new nest boxes since the roost and poop board were on top of the boxes--quite a project for a "re-do." I lowered the roost for two reasons: 1) my big, fluffy buff orpington was having trouble jumping down from the...
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    Design Help 10' by 10' foot print.

    Hi, I agree with teach1rusl: use the back wall as a starting point for a coop that can be secured at night. The coop itself doesn't need to be big or fancy--it might not even need to be totally enclosed (see some of the Southern coops that are more like sheds enclosed in good strong wire...
  7. stretchc1

    Two hens with egg issues--I'm stumped, please help!

    Thanks, ddawn and Chick Named Lola. I gave all of them a can of tuna last night, with extra for the two affected hens. I also put some poly-vi (w/o iron) in their water yesterday and today. Fingers crossed!
  8. stretchc1

    Two hens with egg issues--I'm stumped, please help!

    Hi All, Two of my 2-year old hens are having ongoing egg-laying issues. The hens are eating Purina Layena crumbles, and they have free access to crushed oyster shell. They spend between 1-5 hours/day free ranging on grass, scratching in wood chips for worms, and trying to get into my vegetable...
  9. stretchc1

    Shell with large deposit--dangerous to hen?

    One of my five hens is laying eggs with what look like calcium deposits on them. Usually they are little bumps, but today I got this one: Is this likely to be hurting the hen internally? What causes it? Thanks for any insights!
  10. stretchc1

    Sour crop relapse?

    Four days ago, my 2-year old Red Star, Pee Wee Reese, was lethargic, not eating, had liquid poo w/only white stuff (ureates), and had a squishy water-balloon crop. I followed as much of Threehorses's advice as I could (probiotics, applesauce, boiled egg yolk, massaging the crop downwards...
  11. stretchc1

    Sour crop--are we out of the woods?

    My 2-year old Red Star hen, Pee Wee Reese, has had what I'm pretty sure is sour crop (bloated, squishy crop; lethargic; liquid poo; not eating). I followed as much of Threehorses's advice as I could for the last two days (can't afford the vet), and today Pee Wee seemed much better. She ate an...
  12. stretchc1

    PHOTOS OF IMPACTED CROP and NEED HELP

    I am in the middle of a similar problem with my Red Star Sex Link, Pee Wee Reese. I'm pretty sure she had sour crop--squishy, water-balloon swollen crop, lethargic, not interested in food. In my searches for information, I found a lot of conflicting advice. I wound up following the advice...
  13. stretchc1

    How many of you use foodgrade DE?

    When you use food grade DE (which I do), can you put the shavings in the composter and then put the resulting compost in the garden without killing worms and other beneficials?
  14. stretchc1

    It's a dirty job................

    Every day's a new day when you're a chicken! That's one of the awesome things about them--they don't hold grudges!
  15. stretchc1

    Hen laying while roosting?

    My Barred Rock just began laying again after a hiatus of a few weeks. (She didn't go through an entire molt, but did lose a fair number of feathers while the other girls molted for real.) I have found two eggs on the poop board under the roost in the last week or so, and another laid outside...
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