There has been a sudden change in this 3 year old hen. Her comb, wattles, beak and feet have purply black discoloration. Has anyone seen this before?
She may have also lost feathers, as the colour is much lighter now.
Thank you!
As of 3 days ago, this hen is not thriving:
Mostly just stands in one place.
2 days in a row, when picked up and massaged crop area, she threw up. First time food, 2nd time mostly water.
It feels like there is a huge fluid build-up in her chest area. Not hard at all.
Her neck is held in a more...
One of my 2 baby chicks appears to be sick. She's collapsing a lot onto her knees and walking like she's drunk. Stepping on her own feet. Also shaking. She closes her eyes a lot. When she poops, she almost collapses and has to use her wings for balance. Any idea what might be going on?
Thanks!
It appears that my hens' chests are somewhat distended. They are behaving normally and laying well, but it appears that their shape has changed. Have you ever noticed this with your flock?
Today, when I cracked some eggs, I noticed a small white fluid filled sack in the bowl. I've never seen anything like this. I am uploading a picture, but my Internet is slow today. In the meantime, I'm wondering if it is ok to proceed with my waffles.
Has anyone else seen anything like this...
After losing 2/3 of my hens, I felt that the one remaining hen needed company.
So...I got 2 hens about the same age - one Americana and one Red Sexlink. I also got a cute Buff Orpington, which is not yet laying.
The problem is that my original hen, also a Red Sexlink, has become a major bully...
Around mid-day today, when I went out to visit my free-range hens, only 1 came running. Very unusual. Upon further investigation we found the bodies of the 2 missing birds. One had it's head decapitated, and the other had its neck broken and was partially buried. There were feathers everywhere...
I would like to get 50 meat birds this year - I am thinking at the end of June.
Questions, questions, questions:
1. I am thinking of using a 10x10 dog kennel with wheels added so that I could move it around daily. Is 10x10 big enough for 50 birds?
2. I know that meat birds do not have to...
I would like to try raising 50 meat birds this summer + 2 new day-old layers.
Could I raise them together for a certain period of time?
I'm not sure about the timing. I may end up getting the 2 layers sooner (late May) and the meat birds mid-June. I haven't worked it out in my little head yet...
Recently, my friends son proclaimed that he will not eat eggs because of the industry's cruel treatment of the male chicks.
The "edit" website has a short film showing the male chicks being put into garbage bins and "disposed" of.
Since the meat birds are a different breed, I guess there is no...
As we are coming out of our deep freeze here in Ontario, Canada, I've noticed the girls are scratching themselves a lot. They look real itchy. They haven't been able to have a sand bath since the Fall. Could that be the problem?
I've also noticed lots of digging down deep in their wood chip...
I am planning to buy a portable pen (used to exercising dogs), so that I could give my city chickens some fresh grass to play on. They come in both 3 and 4 foot heights. I am wondering if 3 feet would be enough to keep them in.
Alternatively, I guess I could put some netting over top.
Any...
Each morning I let the chickens out of their coup. One wouldn't leave the nest. So, I picked her up to place her outside. Just as I was putting her down the egg popped out. It was sooo cool! She is the one that I thought wasn't laying. I'm getting 2 eggs per day from 4 chickens, so I'm...
My 4 hens are averaging one egg per day amongst the 4 of them.
I think only 2 are laying. One young one and one mature one. I don't know their ages as they came from a big flock and were given to me. I have 2 mature ones and 2 young ones. I am hopeful that the other young one might start...
The 2 young ones - about 6 months old
This white one is the head of the pecking order and hogs the nest, but doesn't seem to lay.
The one gave me my first egg
Are there predators I need to worry about during the day in the country? I haven't yet received my girls and want to make sure I don't do anything silly.
TIA.