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  1. Rivers

    Fox broke my roosters neck...

    Had a fox attack last night when I forgot to lock up the birds about 3 hours after dark. Heard a rawkus and ran out to find my two hens cowering near my house door and a pile of white rooster feathers next to the coop! Thought it had been nobbled for sure. I went and found my other rooster then...
  2. Rivers

    Hen with crusty flaky feet..

    My oldest hen, about 2 years old has developed very thickly and unevenly scaly feet. They have uneven big scaly ridges which look like they would peel off if you tried, (but they are actually pretty stiff). The feet are dry, pale and and look flaky. I looked up fungal infections of chicken...
  3. Rivers

    First Incubator hatched chick died, what went wrong?

    Ive made a thread in the incubation section, would appreciate some advice over there. No one has replied so far. Thanks; https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/663729/first-incubator-hatched-chick-died-what-went-wrong
  4. Rivers

    First Incubator Hatched Chick, died. What went wrong?

    -This thread will contain pictures of dead chick- After my favourite hen got eaten by a fox a few weeks ago, I rapidly bundled together some eggs and put together a makeshift incubator in the hope of hatching some of her offspring. Things were a bit unstable at first in terms of temperature...
  5. Rivers

    Murder Most Fowl

    A few days ago I couldn't find one of my hens when I was locking their coop for the night. I assumed she was sleeping in a bush somewhere which mine tend to sometimes, nothing out of the ordinary. But in the morning I couldn't find her. After lots of searching I eventually came across a most...
  6. Rivers

    Is there a DIY method for egg incubation?

    My favourite hen got eaten by a fox. I was expecting one of my 3 hens to get broody as the weather got warmer, so my hens would get to have some of their own offspring. (I had a hen go broody last year and gave her surrogate eggs as we had no cockerels then). Anyhow, as this was my "favourite"...
  7. Rivers

    The use of stunning in livestock slaughter

    What do you think of it? Most people here in the UK seem to be under the impression that it is more humane to stun an animal before slaughter as it apparently reduces the pain/ordeal of dying. Traditional methods of slaughter (knife to the jugular done by hand individually) is typically only...
  8. Rivers

    How do I make sure to get the Jugular only?

    I need to dispatch my first bird. Id like to do it by cutting the jugular and letting it bleed out. Ideally with a "killing cone" (which I am yet to make). I was just wondering if there is anyway I can make sure not to cut the windpipe?
  9. Rivers

    Gentlemen cockerels...

    I have four hens and three cockerels. These guys are enormous and eat huge amounts of food so I know at least two need dispatching. When getting chickens I had looked forward to tasting some home grown poultry too! But my problem is, these cockerels keep showing me high levels of intelligence...
  10. Rivers

    Little Man and Big Girls?

    I have two large hens, seems to be all my small city garden can cope with. They keep the grass very short, eat like monsters and leave epic quantities of droppings. But I feel they need a little more company, plus I think it would be fun to have a rooster. So I was wondering what would actually...
  11. Rivers

    Has my hen got Mycoplasma gallisepticum?

    I had a hen die a around 7 weeks ago, was very sudden. Only symptoms were a bit of gaping on the day it died and lethargicness/dosility. Yesterday, I noticed my youngest hen being worringly dosile. I then noticed it had developed a lump near its eye, and that all the skin on that side of its...
  12. Rivers

    Applying liquid permethrin to birds?

    I have been suspecting that one of my hens may have some mites/lice. I have not seen any but the hen scratches her head a lot, and has shown a detiororation of feathers especially at the neck, but also all over colour has become dull. This is a youngish bird, has not even layed yet. I just...
  13. Rivers

    Help me identify why my hen died (blood in throat)

    This thread is a follow up from the one here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=443006 I still need help! Basically the story is: In Early december I buy four young hens, I was told the age was 20weeks. This is the first time I have had chickens, so I mightve have missed...
  14. Rivers

    Quartet becomes Trio :(

    Ive had my young hens only since early december. 4 different hyrbids. One of them, a "bluebelle" was always the most timid, and almost worryingly placid. Always very easy to pick up with even one hand, it would not really squirm/jump. It would never run as fast as the rest when I brang them...
  15. Rivers

    Dairy for Poultry?

    Ive seen a lot of people recommending yoghurt and even milk for chickens here, and even pictures of chickens enjoying devouring these dairy products. I was just wondering though, how do birds manage to digest milk, and specifically the lactose in the milk? Mammals are born with plenty of...
  16. Rivers

    Shall I get grower feed for my pullets?

    I got my first 4 hens recently. 3 of them are 21 weeks old now, and one ( buff orpington) is younger, perhaps 17weeks but im not sure. I got them when the weather here just got very cold and snowy. Its been no warmer than -4ºc since they have been here. They havent layed anything yet, im...
  17. Rivers

    Can I make my own poultry spice?

    I have some <5month old birds which are having rouble adjusting to a new home and lots of snow. Ive heard poultry spice is good for them in times of stress, like some sort of tonic that also helps them eat more? I looked at the ingredients, and other than the mystery mineral mix I have abundant...
  18. Rivers

    Does my hen have a cold?

    I got (my first) hens about a week ago. It has been a very cold winter so far and had gotten down to -10ºc the days before they arrived. Luckily when they did arrive a warm spell happened so it was +4ºc for a couple days. The breeds I got are: 1 black rock, 1 brown hyline, 1 bluebelle, 1 buff...
  19. Rivers

    Thinking of putting Fairy lights in my Coop

    Ive only had my hens a few days, but I feel bad about how short the day is for them. Its winter here and the days are very short. I dont have a run, so at night they get locked in the coop where they have to sit in the dark between 4pm and 8am. So Im thinking of putting in a light to stay on...
  20. Rivers

    Is it cruel to force chickens onto perch if they cannot get back down?

    I just got my first ever "flock". Three of them are 18-20 weeks old, one is much smaller but forgot to ask how old it was. Ive only had them a couple days, but only the biggest (a flightly black rock) has shown the ability to fly up onto things and jump. They are not used to their new coop yet...
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