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  1. tralfaz

    Old and cold

    We have one former egglayer left from a max of 9. She's about 4 years old and a hybrid red. She has difficulty getting to the nesting box and lately isn't sleeping on a perch. At night she just huddles in a corner. Bella sometimes comes out for a walk around the yard, but between losing some...
  2. tralfaz

    Hen with loose stool

    She seems a bit lethargic and the butt area is very dirty. What could it be? And other symptoms to look out for?
  3. tralfaz

    Wheezing 2 year old hen

    One of my hens were wheezing this morning, she’s a two year old hybrid RI red. It’s been old lately in NJ at about 0F at night. Is there a medication I should use for the respiratory illness and consider separating her from the rest of the flock? Also her comb is looking dried and shriveled...
  4. tralfaz

    Hen laying odd formed eggs lately

    For about a week, one of my 6 hens has been laying misformed eggs. She's about a year old and a hybrid RI. Shells are hard not soft like they look. We use Purina Layena. Other hens seem to be doing fine.
  5. tralfaz

    Keeping water clean

    I use a 5 gallon nipple waterer for 6 chickens and refill from rainwater diverted from the roof. With summer coming along, and warmer temps there's added risk for microbes and bacteria to grow in the water. Should I change to daily water system instead?
  6. tralfaz

    Lethargic hen

    We added 3 barred rocks to the flock earlier this year, one recently died after a bout of a stargazer head injury. Now a second one is slow and withdrawn. She seems to be eating and doesn't feel thin but she's timid and likes to stay inside the coop. At night she is roosting. I've introduced...
  7. tralfaz

    Stargazer injury

    One of my new hens, a barred rock, appears to have stargazer neck. Not sure if it just developed or was injured. She really poor balance so rarely goes into the coop and sleeps outside at night. When. Inside she can't perch so just sits on the bedding. With the weather warming, concerned...
  8. tralfaz

    Black spots on chicken

    This hen was always missing some tail feathers. But today saw she is missing a lot more and also now has these black spots? Is it something which needs treatment or is she just getting bullied? Noticed the feather ends, sorry don't know the proper name, under her wing are also black where...
  9. tralfaz

    New Hampshire Reds

    I'm looking to add to my flock of 5 RI red hybrids and considering adopting 2 one year old New Hampshire Reds from a local. Mine are about 8-10 months old but I've read the New Hampshire Reds are considered an aggressive breed. Will they work will in a community with the other five?
  10. tralfaz

    Eggs laying drop off second year.

    Planning for next year, six chickens seem to be the perfect amount for our family but know there's a drop off in the second year of egg laying. If mine were laying 200 eggs a year. Typically what's the drop off in year two and three? Also when will they stop laying and what's the typical...
  11. tralfaz

    Don't wait till tomorrow

    For what should be done today. I carelessly avoided fencing off some areas where a fence post gap grew in the past few months. Apparently big enough for a raccoon a get in and snatch my beautiful Flo in the middle of the night. The family is heart broken and I feel terrible. I knew an animal...
  12. tralfaz

    First winter for new chix farmer

    I'm in NNJ and have 6 RI hybrid hens. It's been getting in the 40s at night and they are starting to slow down egg laying. What are things I need to do to prepare for winter. It gets to as low as l -10F on bad winter. I'm going to have covers installed for the screened openings and will need...
  13. tralfaz

    That's some egg!

    A slightly oversized egg found today in the nesting box. The other is the average size are we accustomed with. This one is over 6cm. She's some remarkable egg!
  14. tralfaz

    Chicken pool and spa

    More so a pool, maybe a spa to them My know-it-all younger told me to get the chickens a pool for the summer so they can cool down by dipping their feet as opposed to drinking extra water. We live in northern NJ, so still get a handful of 90+ days in July and August. I'm just more concerned...
  15. tralfaz

    Do eggs have beauty marks?

    Lately we've been noticing raised spots on our eggs. What causes this and are there any reasons for concern? Here's a pic, ignore the crack, mishandling by the spouse. Also two of our slightly older hens have a lighter colored and thinner shelled egg, like this, than the others, 3 months...
  16. tralfaz

    Orange yolks

    Is there a special feed to get eggs with orange yolks? While we're fortunate to get fresh eggs daily, they don't taste any different from store bought. Do orange yolked eggs taste different?
  17. tralfaz

    some meat in their diet

    I've heard its okay to intro some meat scraps such as boiled down chicken or any meat to a hen's diet. But my concerns are the raccoons and rats it may attract if not finished. What is your take on meat protein in the run?
  18. tralfaz

    Sterile hen?

    One of my hens have yet to start laying and her mates, which are all the same age at 6 months, have been laying for about 5 weeks. Now all but her are producing eggs every day for about a week. When should I be concerned and are there other issues I may need to monitor? I read here about some...
  19. tralfaz

    chicken with cracked beak

    One of my chickens has a good sized crack on her upper beak. The break is about half way upwards. She seems to be eating normally and not in any pain. Do we need to be concerned or will it grow out in time like finger nails?
  20. tralfaz

    Hybrid RI red?

    We recently purchased 6 RI reds at a local farm. Benni looks different and acts different from the others in flock. Could Benni be a different variety or hybrid? In particular, her comb is much smaller and lighter than the other five. She's also getting a tad larger as well. My kid calls...
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