Recent content by The_Chicken_Tender

  1. The_Chicken_Tender

    Lethargic, puffed up hen with pasty butt

    She is around 4 years old I think. Her belly is definitely swollen, but she's not struggling to breath. She seems to have perked up a little, like she is clucking a lot more and isn't fluffing her feathers out. Her crop ended up emptying a little bit, but there was still a small amount of food...
  2. The_Chicken_Tender

    Lethargic, puffed up hen with pasty butt

    Another update in case someone reads this: I realized that she is extremely skinny, like no meat on her bones whatsoever :( I feel absolutely awful for not noticing, but she just finished molting and became much fluffier than she was before, so I couldn't tell. I think something has been going...
  3. The_Chicken_Tender

    Comment by 'The_Chicken_Tender' in article 'Understanding the Confusing and Mysterious Language of Chickens (With Three Tips to Become More Fluent)'

    I know I'm two years too late, but thank you for sharing this! My rooster has done this too, and the ladies never seem impressed. Your hen sure doesn't :lau
  4. The_Chicken_Tender

    Lethargic, puffed up hen with pasty butt

    Update: I just bathed her again, and her abdomen is very swollen compared to yesterday. I'm worried this could be water belly :( She is now hardly able/wanting to stand, and she just wants to sleep. I tried giving her more nutridrench but she would hardly swallow any. Do these symptoms point to...
  5. The_Chicken_Tender

    Lethargic, puffed up hen with pasty butt

    Sorry for the long post, but I'll try to include as many details as possible. Two days ago, I noticed one of my hens asleep standing up in the middle of the yard. Her feathers were very puffed up. She also had a lot of poop stuck to her feathers and completely covering her vent, so my first...
  6. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    I'll have to try that!
  7. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    I wish I could feed them raw eggs, but they would probably start eating them out of the nest boxes!
  8. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    Looking at the feed label, it seems most of the protein does come from plant sources. I know about bioavailability of animal vs plant protein when it comes to humans, and I never thought it would be an issue with chickens. Thank you for opening my eyes to this! As a start, I will start giving...
  9. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    Good to know! I haven't seen layer feed with that much protein, but I'll look next time I'm at the feed store!
  10. The_Chicken_Tender

    Weird sound

    It sounds like she is sneezing. I have one hen that often sneezes when she eats. I think the dust irritates her throat.
  11. The_Chicken_Tender

    Review by 'The_Chicken_Tender' in article 'Can Chickens Eat Organ Meat?'

  12. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    Interesting. I am currently feeding scratch and peck 18% protein, and they get mealworms almost everyday. I just replied to another comment about this, but I don't think I want my chickens eating the kibble, since the ingredients are not 'clean,' especially since we eat the eggs. Would you...
  13. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    Great! I got a small cat door, and hopefully they can't figure it out :fl
  14. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    That is also my concern. I feed Scratch and Peck, which is supposed to be very high quality, and kibble definitely isn't on the same level! I even feel bad feeding it to my cats, but there really isn't a better solution for that at the moment
  15. The_Chicken_Tender

    Chickens addicted to cat food! Will a cat door keep them out?

    I have an outdoor cat, and we feed her at a little table outside our door (pictures attached). However, the chickens are completely addicted to the cat food! Every morning when I let them out, the entire flock makes a beeline to the back patio to get their breakfast. I take the bowl away before...
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