I agree with DL, and would add that solitary 'house chickens' aren't living a normal life either, they are flock animals and need flockmates.
Also the 'not in pain' story sounds all too familiar. How do you really know? She will act 'normal' as well as she can, which includes acting 'not in...
Some cockerels mature sooner than others, so it's 'early times' yet to be sure. Here, if I'm suspicious about a chick being male, it usually turns out that way. Post more pictures in two or three weeks
I miss Bunny, my 'steady Eddie' Arabian mare, born into my hands (literally!) out of my first horse, a cute little Arabian mare, also loved.
Whatever she did, it was easy to stay with her, and when she died, I was done riding.
She's buried here on our farm, along with her sister and...
I don't have a pressure canner either, which is why I only can fruit, and tomatoes with only lemon juice, no other added ingredients.
And I boil the juice or sauce for fifteen minutes before tasting it in whatever I'm making. Nothing wrong with being a wimp! And botulism is really ugly...
Mary
Add another waterer without additives, some birds won't drink 'adulterated' water at all.
Having a fecal checked would be a good idea, otherwise 'who knows', chickens don't act sick until very late in the game...
Mary
I'll be making tomato sauce, so I don't have to peel them! Wash, quarter, and boil tomatoes in a little bit of water, then run them through the Victorio strainer outside, way easier!
And then cook it down to desired thickness and can.
No peeling!
Mary
I just tried AGAIN to make peach freezer jam, and again seem to have made peach sauce! Yummy, but not the plan. IF I decide to make peach jam again, it's going to be the cooked type.
And I don't love the 'easy' boiling water to ice water peeling thing at all.
Mary
If either develop pointy hackle feathers, along with a brighter comb, they are cockerels. Nothing obvious, at least not yet. It's hard to see pointy hackle feathers on photos, given the coloring present.
Our male EEs were pretty obvious by ten weeks though.
Mary
Fantastic! So impressive, and great to find the perfect horse so fast.
I gave up riding when my 'steady eddy' mare died, and I had sweet young things, green broke, athletic, and the ground gets harder every year, at least for me.
Mary
I'm so sorry, it was time, but still very sad.
One of my mares, age 25, has this same incisor issue, and I've been very reluctant to have the surgery done, in part because of the aftercare necessary, and because she's eating fine, in fact, on the 'large' side just on pasture. And the cost...
Today the air quality and temperatures were finally in the 'do things outside' range, so got a few things going out there. Tomorrow, hope for more good weather, and more progress.
I moved our bantam EE rooster and his five hens to the separate coop area tonight, looking for maybe some chicks...
I wouldn't add birds not with this disease in your flock. Additions will stress your current birds, and extra stress isn't good for them either. Bringing healthy chicks home to expose them to this, not ethical IMO.
I agree about separating your cockerels, they won't be all that helpful, and...
Agree completely! Look at mill dates on each bag, and buy what's fresh where you shop. Here it's Flock Raiser, best price over Nutrena, and the store who has Kalmbach stores it outside in an open shed, not safe from weather or rodents.
Mary
Don't buy windows! Securely attach hardware cloth over window openings, MANY window openings, and then sheet vinyl over the windward sides in winter, at most.
Heat is your major weather problem, more open is best in your climate. Wide roof overhangs protect water from entering window openings...