This is weird - one of my hens seems to be pooping as she lays an egg. I thought that wasn’t physically possible. But it’s consistent over the last few weeks. The hens have a laying house separate from their roost area, so I’ve never had poops in the nest or the house before. I suppose she could...
For chicks raised by broody hens, I've found my first group of chicks could easily pass through the fencing that I have, leaving Mama Hen looking out helplessly. I am looking at using a smaller mesh to enclose the chicks. I'm thinking 1x1 is safe, but also saw an option with 1.5 x 2 inch...
I have a Buckeye who’s in a hard molt. She has areas of no feathers, so I’ve been worried about her getting too cold. Temps down to 40 at night. I’ve been watching her, and I noticed she was looking a little lethargic. She did not join the flock for the scratch treat, and I pulled her inside to...
I found one of my hens dead. She was mostly eaten, and some bones (leg bones) almost stripped clean. I thought hawk, at first, but this hen had just been reintegrated into the flock a couple days ago after being separated while brooding her chicks, so it’s a bit suspicious. I know a flock can...
My hen is 1 year plus. She had a poopy butt so I bathed her and was surprised at how few feathers she had in the butt area. But I'm pretty new at this. (She needs more bathing.) The skin is a little pink but there was some dried on poop there - or is this possibly a sign of mites?
This is her...
I have (had) two flocks each with a rooster. One became human aggressive, and he is in the freezer. That was a very small (4 hens) flock). I am trying to integrate them into my other flock and the rooster is not having it. They were side by side for a long while, and each have their own feeders...
This is becoming a regular occurrence. I must not have enough nests (because 5 is not enough for 8 hens), so I added a few impromptu nest on the floor of the laying coop. They seem to like them - just rubber pans. Problem solved - cozy communal nest. The actual nest boxes are no longer used. I'm...
When adding birds to an existing flock, I know the newcomers should be isolated for a month. If I’m adding a group - how far away (distance) do I need to have them if they are all out of doors? Somethings can really travel - like Mareks - so I’m wondering how I’d do that. I’d put a sick bird on...
I am a new chicken keeper, so please help me figure out what to do here. This hen might be molting but my flock is 8 months old and it's winter so the timing is wrong, and the feathers look broken off. There are 8 hens and one rooster, and all grew up together. I removed her from the flock...
I have a small Buckeye flock: 4 hens (7 months) and 1 rooster. The hens have been laying about a month (nearly every day - I’m pretty impressed). The roo mates about twice a day, I think. The hens get quite wet just above their tails, I can tell just by looking at them that the roo has been...
One of my hens is laying eggs (she’s only 7 months) and they are consistently scratched looking. I included photos of one. It is marked on all sides. I have mats on the bottom of the nest box and straw as well, so I don’t think the bottom of the box is doing it. It would have to be her pecking...
I want to build a small coop/tractor specifically for a broody hen. When I search articles I'm just not finding portable options. I was hoping to create something for a hen and her chicks - for the time that she is laying on the eggs and the first 5 weeks so the small chicks aren't harmed by...
I have a hen whose beak has a split right up the middle. It doesn’t seem to be bothering her (I watched her eat this mornin) but it could get worse, so I am wonder if I should attempt to superglue it along the split for now. This hen is brooding and I think she’s been fighting with one of the...
I have a small flock of young Buckeyes - 1 roo (7 months) and 4 pullets (6 months). The other flock is Marans (4) and EE (3) and an EE roo (all 6 months). They are currently separated with their own small coops and runs. We are fencing in a 1/2 acre for them, and could allow them to free range...
Sick Hen / Lethargic / Runny Poop / Not Eating
** Poop Photo **
My 5 month old Maran has been acting a little off for a couple days but was energetic enough to run away from me when I tried to examine her, so I got her after dark and isolated her. She had an empty crop, but her feathers and vent...
I am trying to establish a flock and this is my first time. I am making so many mistakes. At this point I have a small Batchelor Flock of two (one to be added soon). I got the males in March, and the females mid May. (Did that backwards). I ordered 15 of each (what was I thinking) and the boys...
New chicken owner. Yesterday I asked about a different breed, but I do want to make sure I identify all the cockerels, and these two Copper Marans (3 months old) have redder and larger combs than the others. Also, the solid black one has always looked a little different from the others, and the...
I am having trouble determining whether these 3 month old Easter Eggers are pullets or cockerels. i ordered pullets and I know I have one cockerel because he’s crowing at 3 months. He has a very red comb, whereas these do not. I’m new to this and I know the neck feathers should be rounded for...
Help - what is this? (Sorry - unpleasant pics). I have chicks that are just over 5 weeks old. This stool I found this morning, on the board I keep their water on. It has red in it, but doesn't look like blood. (I am on the watch for coccidiosis due to their age). All look healthy, and this is...
Posting some pics. These two are Easter Eggers - 15 weeks old, small, and timid compared to the others. The other roos have hackle feathers are very long and thin, and the saddle feather also seem thinner. These are supposed to be roos, but they aren’t feathering in the same way. But they could...