It sounds like maybe sour crop? I had a chicken with this and her symptoms were similar to what you describe. It results is aspiration of liquids. Sour crop is a result of infection - bacterial or fungal from what I've learned. If it's sour crop, the crop needs to be emptied and she will...
I poured over Greenfire Farms' website last night (they sell liege chickens, kaching) and fantasized about owning some of the exotic breeds they sell. Have you ever owned an Indio Gigante?? They for sure are a reminder of the chicken dinosaur link.
I learned this also, red tail hawks in my area stay here year round. It's the fall that is the precarious time for the chickens, I've learned, when the leaves fall and the girls lose coverage. There are also hawks further north that migrate south around fall, I think, that can add to the party.
Holy talons. What a sweet face! I had an exhibition brahma rooster once and he was big, but not 13 lbs big. It seriously felt like I had Big Bird as a pet in my backyard. He was really shy though and the hens were all pretty mean to him. I now have a six month old Speckled Sussex who takes...
Your rooster is gorgeous. Btw, I think hawks are smarter than to fall for the statue, but if it works, please provide an update. What if the hawk picks a real chicken over the statue first? I've learned that hawks don't necessarily carry prey away. I had one kill and eat part of my silkie...
I'm entering Penelope into the handsome rooster contest. He has a girl name because we thought he was a girl. He's a gorgeous Speckled Sussex that is nice, so far. He really looks after the hens (the ones that let him anyhow). When the sun starts going down, he stands on top of the coop...
Farm Innovators Model HPF-100 "All-Seasons" Heated Plastic Poultry Fountain, 3 Gallon, 100-Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CCSJCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Z4ZJ2ADC0BF32VTHP5VV
I use this one (well, either the 3 or the 5 gallon, I'm not sure). It's only 100 watts so doesn't use a lot of...
I also gave my chickens grapes!
Thanks! I saw the idea years ago. Not much nutrition but they have fun making a mess of it. Pomegranate was a bigger hit. 😉
I just mentioned this product in another thread - I recently bought this radiant heater for my coop to replace the heat lamp because the illumination was triggering rooster urges:
Cozy Products CL Cozy Safe Chicken Coop Heater 200 Watts Safer Than Brooder Lamps, One Size, Black...
I've been a backyard chicken owner for many years, but this is my first midwestern winter with a rooster. I've used a red heat lamp with a thermostatic plug in the coop every winter without any issues. This year, however, when temps dropped and light turned on, my rooster got really rapey of...
Thanks for the suggestions. I've taken a twofold approach by creating additional hideouts for my chickens in my backyard, and adding a lot of shiny stuff to annoy the hawk. It looks as weird as it sounds, ngl. My backyard looks pretty psychedelic. I made a chicken teepee from branches and my...
Hey, I might actually have something to contribute on this topic!
I've been breeding worms for about 2 years now, quite successfully. I have learned of the importance of hydration. If the worms pupate without enough hydration, they don't make it to the beetle stage. That, and cannabalism...