Ok 2 weeks ago a cockeral just died. He was fine and then he was very lethargic/limping hiding from the rest of the flock then he just died. I thought maybe injuries from fighting, but I didn't give it too much thougt. Now I have a 18 month old hen that is acting lethargic and nervous, hiding...
For varioius reasons I am considering taking babies from their moms. Is this cruel or inadvisable? They are still mostly fluff, but the nights are upper 60's and 70's so do they need a lamp?
Last night due to a sinus infection I did not put my chicks in their cage, nad this morning 4 of the five had been killed my a snake. Only 2 were eaten, the other 2 were just crushed and left. I knew we had had a snake hanging around but i thought it will be fine, and now I am miserable. I am...
I have a six month old pullet whose eye is leaking, and the right side of her face is very swollen. I picked her up today and tere was an odor of pus, and discharge coming from her nostrils. I know she eats and drinks, and that this problem has been somewhat in evidence for weeks, but should I...
Hi. My bantam cochin has sort of decided to go broody. It took her a few days to decide she was serious about this, she kept getting off the nest in the day and staying on eggs alll evening and night. Now i put her in a pet rate and she seems set. My question is how many standard size eggs an...
I am considering building some chicken tractors, and I am trying to figure out the logistics of watering my birds. I am wondering if they will drink from the type of waterer that you would use in a rabbit hutch. Anyone have any experience with this. I do not have running water available so it...
I have about a dozen pullets hatched in september. when can I expect them to lay. They are all mixed breed or EE. I guess I am wondering if being fall babies will make it a longer wait. also, i am seeingg their wattles and combs start to redden, is that a sign sexual maturity might be arriving...
I went on a cruise and whileI wa away we had record cold temps. i lost 3 birds, and one of mine has frostbit feet. i thought they were doing ok until this evening. They are black, and they stink. One toe is completelt mushy. I guess the bone rotted. Should I put this bird down?
I introduced a new rooster to my flock and they fought(of course). So now thye are mostly healed up, except one of them has a pocket of pus on his comb. My question is whether to lance it or just leave it alone? If it were my kid I would lance it, but I don't know how bad a comb would bleed. Any...
Earlier I found one of my babies (16 week old Bantam) infested with mites and lice. So I thought I would try to treat her with Tea Tree Oil. So I put it under her wings, and then decided she looked off so I took he in side . By the time I got her in the house she was almost completely...
I have several chicks, all around 16 weeks old. Most hatched from the same incubator. Some are banties, some are standard. Will the bantams sexually mature and start to lay at the same time as the standard breeds? Also, 1 of my banams is TINY! She is healthy as can be but the size of an 8 week...
I bought a bunch of mutts, and many are of EE type. ABOUT when do they start to lay? I am trying to remember when my other hens started, but I can't remember.
I processed my own chicken for Christmas dinner. It was a Cornishx that weighed about 15 lbs. It was at least 9 months old, she was adopted after the county fair at the end of August. I soaked her in ice water for about 36 hours after butchering her, and let me tell you it was the best chicken I...
I apologize if this should go in flock management, but here goes. I have a really good Buff orpington 10 month old roo. I was just given a really nice hand reared Plymouth Rock roo about the same age. I put them together but stayed as an impartial UN type observer, and it didn't work. So I...
I have some 3 month old babies that are still fairly small. It dropped to the single digits so I brought some of the banties inside for the night. But now that they are in I worry if it will be harder on their systems to come in and then have to go back outside. Any advice?
I want to see a chart that shows eggs and the chicken breeds that lays them. I do not have trap nests so i have no real way of knowing who lays what or how many. Does a chart exist somewhere? Thanks. ok so I just went exploring on this site and I found the egg pics next to every breed I feel...
O.K so I took a rockX in as a favor, yes I know I am a sucker. I also toook in a pekin duck. I had been told the rock X was a female, although she has a pronounced comb, but otherwise no more male physical charecteristics. however, she and the duck have bonded, and now she mounts the duck and...
This morning when I fed my chickens all of them were as healthy and active as can be. That was at 8 a.m. Now at 3 p.m. one of my babies (3 months) is unable to ealk or stand, it is very difficult to wake, and I honestly think it may die. I recently treated them all for cocci, so I don't think...