We noticed today that one of our hens was getting pretty beat up by the other girls (10 total in the flock). We removed the girl getting beat up and left her out of the run to free range by herself. I saw that she was a bit lethargic and I assumed it was from the stress of getting beat up...
I can't have goats at my house. City zoning laws require 1/2 acre, I have 1/3. I have an acquaintance at church who has at least 1 acre and live only 5 minutes away. They don't use a lot of their land and in the past have let others use their property for gardening. I am considering asking them...
My first batch of chicks, all hens for eggs, I raised indoors using the mamma heating pad method. They stayed in the house for 8 weeks. I'd like to raise meat birds, probably about 2 dozen, but I don't want to keep them in the house for 8 weeks. That's practically butcher time! And I don't have...
Oh man! I hope you've been able to get rid of your skunk problem! I have been low on eggs for the past week or two and couldn't figure out what was eating my eggs! Well, tonight when went to check on the chickens I saw a souns in the run! I'm just glad it left my chickens alone and only went for...
I'll see if I can get a hold of a dog crate. The pen is set up for her shares a fence with the run. She was sticking her head through the fence trying to get into the run and it looked like she was going to rip up her neck worse. She was panting so hard too, like she was super thirsty even...
We went out of town for a week and came home to fine one of our chickens pecked up pretty badly on the back of her head. I want to make sure I'm not missing anything that I should be doing for her.
Here's what I've done so far: Cleaned up the wound with hydrogen peroxide and then saline...
Why 6 eggs?
Is there a good way to sequester her without moving the nest boxes? My two nest boxes are connected to each other. Would a curtain or covering of some sort work well enough?
I've got a hen who we have seen sitting in the nest box for a day and a half now. I assume she is going broody. I'm a first timer, so this would be my first broody hen. How will I know for sure that she is actually broody? If we want her to hatch some chicks how soon do I need to get fertilized...
Thank you everyone for your support. She is gone. Quite dramatically.
I picked her up and massaged her crop and liquid started coming out. I took her outside and kept massaging, taking breaks so she could recover. A bit came out her nose at one point, which I know isn't great. Then she...
Definitely sour crop. Her crop is still full and squishy this morning.
@CSAchook We tried several times making her thow up, but nothing came out. I got some of the cinnamon mixture mentioned in the article down her. Now she's laying down and has very labored breathing. I'm at a loss for what to...
@TheYLWFlock , thank you! No blood in her poop. It looks fairly normal this morning. Unfortunately her crop is still full and squishy. She won't eat or drink on her own. So looks like I'm gonna have to do some force feeding...
@CSAchook, thank you for the article! This is just what I needed...
@Dawnclucks22, Thank you. Her crop feels squishy, almost like a balloon with air or water in it. Usually with full crops I can feel the feed particles, but with hers it's like it's just got gas or something in it.
She's not eating or drinking on her own at all. We've been forcing the electrolytes. She hasn't pooped since she's been inside at around 7:00 this evening. The poop in the picture is the last know at about 5:00.
I do know that she laid an egg today, so hopefully that rules out reproductive issues.
I have a chicken who is lethargic and has diarrhea. Her crop feels bloated. She won't eat or drink. At this point I'm suspecting a sour crop. If it's not sour crop, let's get some other ideas too. I'm not smelling anything sour from her and hubby says her crop felt just like the other chickens'...
I got chickens because it sounded fun! What's better than a pet that gives you eggs!? I am loving the eggs! 7 hens supply my family of 5, my in-laws, and the remaining eggs will be sold to a friend. I'm hoping the 4 dozen or so sold each month will pay for most of the feed.
Eventually I want to...
I know this is an old post, but I am very grateful for the information on this site. I asked my husband if he could help me lance an ingrown feather tomorrow. His reply, "you looked it up and everything?" expecting that I had... Well thinking I already knew what is was and how to treat it I...
Will you please post the link to your new thread when you get it up?
My hens have been having the same pecking problem. One is missing a bunch of feathers just in front of her tail. Another has been pecked at so much that her comb is bloody and scabbed up.
I'm interested in what other have to...
I have EEs, Barred Rocks, and Australorps. Apart from the EE eggs, I'm not sure who lays which brown eggs. They're all about the same color, though I have gotten two brown speckled eggs!
I've noticed over the past few days that one of my hens (Adele) had bloody spots on her comb. This morning I confirmed that she is being bullied. One of the other hens flew at her and full on attacked her! It was brutal! I am still in shock to see such a mean display. Poor Adele, she seemed so...