Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I just got her set up a little while ago and she seems settled in nicely. How long was it before your hen's beak grown back?
Thanks. I noticed that she was approaching her regular feed rather gingerly, so I did prepare a mash for her and she pecked at that a little bit. She's separated from the others in her own "hospital" room.
Okay--thanks. I've separated her from the others, treated the area with vetericyn spray and antibiotic ointment. I also have made up some mash for her since it looked like she was having trouble eating her regular feed.
I just noticed this this evening while cleaning the coop. It apparently happened last night or sometime during the day today. I've not seen this before. Is this a broken beak? Is it chipped? Is there anything I can do to treat it or would it be better to leave alone? Will this eventually heal?
I had read from different sources that this would be an appropriate strategy, but I often check with the collective wisdom of BYC before making a final decision. Thanks for the confirmation! :)
I am bringing a group of pullets (3 months old) together with our existing layers into the same coop. I don't want to provide the layer feed with added calcium to the pullets who don't yet need it. But I don't want to deprive the layers the calcium they need for egg production. Am I okay in...
I was thinking the same thing. I have been watching my own hens and it looks like they are starting to develop crests like yours. I hope they keep them!
The picture showing on Family Farm and Home's interactive breed guide doesn't look like it has a crest--but I don't know if that means anything or not. Apparently this is the first season anyone has seen this breed, so we're all kind of "flying blind".
How old are they? Mine are about 4 weeks. After seeing your pictures, I looked a bit more closely at mine and they might be showing the beginnings of a crest.
That's what I was thinking as well. I'd like to know more about the breed such as temperament, general health, etc. but I can't really find anything on line, and I don't know which hatchery is producing them.
I've been reading this thread with great interest because we just picked up a couple of "Paint Sussex" from a local farm store here in Northwestern Ohio. As you discovered, I could only find a reference to this breed from Mt. Healthy hatcheries in Cincinnati, OH. I've attached pictures of my...
We live in Northwest Ohio. I believe the store gets their birds from Townline (Michigan) and Hoover's. But I searched online at both of those hatcheries and couldn't find anything about them. I did find a brief description of the Paint Sussex on Mount Healthy Hatchery's website in Cincinnati, OH.
We are adding to an existing flock this spring, so this is my second go-around for brooding chicks. All winter I had researched, and intended to look for certain breeds this spring. But because of the current craze in chicken rearing, those breeds have been hard to find at my local farm stores...
Family Farm and Home offers an exclusive breed called "Diamond Duchess". Does anyone have experience with this breed? I know nothing about their history, personality/temperament, egg production, etc. (other than what FF&H says on their website).
Three years ago, when we purchased our first 6 birds, no one told us how heartbreaking it would be when one of our hens gets sick and dies, develops a medical condition, or is injured by a predator, etc. Even worse, no one pointed out that when (not if) this happens, we would pretty much be on...
We live in northwest Ohio. When temperatures are seasonal, winters are cold, but not terrible. However, we do have cold snaps (like this past week) when temperatures drop below zero with even colder wind chills. I've done a few things to winterize the coop and so far the girls have come through...
That is exactly how I "trained" my adult birds to use the nipple style as well. Then just observed for awhile until I was sure that all them were using it consistently. I agree--I don't see why this wouldn't work with baby chicks as well.
Thanks! My girls figured out the nipple style pretty quickly as adults. I'll probably start the new additions with the inverted jar/dish style and then begin training on the nipple style a few weeks prior to moving them in with the older flock.