Recent content by Zoopathy

Hey--sorry about your losses. I don't know how many you have left, but a couple of things I do when it gets really hot here (nothing like you, but up to the 105 range here in San Diego): I freeze gallon jugs of water then put them out in the coop for the chickens to lay against. The same...

Ace...here's an idea: Do you live near a zoo? I work for the San Diego Zoo and we sometimes help out the local community with large animals the need specialized xrays or whatever that we have the special, supersized equipment for (and local hospitals have done MRIs on our gorillas a time or...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, Ace...

Man, I love my vet...! He's not an avian vet, just a regular pet guy, but an office visit and set of xrays would have been about $50 cheaper than taking her to the specialist, so he is where I started. This is a vet who lets me call up with chicken issues and he'll give me advice or prescribe...

Well, I may be insane, but I'm taking Madeleine in for an xray right now. At least I'll know, for sure, one way or the other. And no, beekeeping isn't hard! I'm pretty new to it, but I'm loving every second! More soon when I'm back from the vet...

Sneaky chicken! LOL! Actually, Maddie has a rather secretive streak, too. I wonder...maybe she HAS hidden a nest and I've just been unable to find it? She still puts herself to bed at night with the rest of the girls, though, so if she does have a hidden stash, she's not THAT attached to it...

Quote: This is good to know. Every day I pick her up and poke around, hoping for any sign of anything! Then I grab my other hens and poke their bellies, too, trying for a comparison!! I think they're all running scared now! LOL! Some other folks have suggested to me that she could very...

Hmmmm... Well this is making me feel much better, I have to admit. I'm in my first year with chickens, too--got them as week-olds last July. I've never seen a molt or even a broody hen before, and they laid all through winter, too. So maybe sweet Madeleine is just taking a break. I would...

So they sometimes just STOP laying? For no apparent reason?

So how can you tell that she's NOT egg bound? Or how can you tell that she absolutely is, aside from feeling a hard egg? I've contacted an avian vet, but am dreading finding out the costs of an office visit and xrays...

Nope, she's definitely not eating them--there would be SOME kind of mess, somewhere, indicating that she or one of the others was doing it. Other ideas? Anyone?

Yep, I got two from a feed store, who got them from a hatchery in NM. One pale tan egg, and one light brown, nearly pink egg. No green or blue for me!

Sounds like you all are experts on egg bound hens, so I have a question. I have one that may be egg bound--I can't figure out why she's not laying. Her abdomen feels sort of full to me, but still soft and squishy, and she doesn't complain when I poke around. Can you always feel a bound egg...

Here's the dealio: I have a 10-month-old Easter Egger hen who has, for the past few months, been a very reliable layer. No shell issues, nothing. About two weeks ago, I stopped getting eggs from her. I've looked throughout my entire property (not *that* big) for a hidden nest--found nothing...

Remember, too, that egg laying is daylight dependent. Our days are still relatively short. That, combined with the molting and the malnutrition/lack of protein in their diets would definitely contribute. Keep them on the good feed, give them some extra calcium on the side, and give them a few...