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  1. Hishigata

    Looking for Advice on Caring for Elderly Hens

    I feel like she has always finished her body contour before dropping the last of her wings and tail. I did not see any mites or external parasites when I gave her a once over this afternoon but I will continue to keep an eye on that. We should get a break in the heat on Sunday (only 95!!) so...
  2. Hishigata

    Looking for Advice on Caring for Elderly Hens

    Thanks for the advice and research I live in the city in Texas where we have had 101+ days every day for nearly a month now. There is only so much I can do to mitigate the heat, lots of water and shade has been provided. My oldest hen is a feed store easter egger, not a fancy breed just a...
  3. Hishigata

    Introducing 2-3 chicks with one adult?

    I think getting new friends for Irma is a great idea! Chickens really are flock animals and seem a lot happier in a group, even if they occasionally pick on one another. I have introduced new chickens several times to an established group. If you get new pullet or adult hens you will need to...
  4. Hishigata

    Looking for Advice on Caring for Elderly Hens

    I frequently see posts stating that chickens live to be 8-13 years old on average and up to 16-20! However, I rarely see information on caring for elderly hens. I had a pair of hens who turned 6 this spring and one creeping up on 7. They are all still laying, only late winter to late spring...
  5. Hishigata

    Fitting A Chicken Harnesses?

    Chicken harnesses really only come in small, medium or large. Most harnesses have an average weight range to help you pick a size. I would weight Owl and use that to choose a harness. That being said, I don't know any chickens who tolerate a harness. I think they are more a gag for entertaining...
  6. Hishigata

    Feather loss on tail and under wings

    Sevin is a carbaryl based neurotoxin that mimics acetylcholine and slows down reactions. I have used it once on one of my hens to treat mites on her tail. One application was enough to not require further treatment but if you can access less toxic solutions, that might be better as your hen is...
  7. Hishigata

    Feather loss on tail and under wings

    Yes, only scratch at that age does seem like it could lead to a less than optimal condition. She could have been eating her own feathers or other similarly protein hungry chickens could have plucked them off of her. I think giving her better quality food will make a huge difference. As to...
  8. Hishigata

    Broken toe, or just oddly swollen?

    I would look into the roost and nest box height. Make sure they have a soft surface to land on in the coop when they jump down. Some of my hens are just intrepid explorers (and fliers) and I cannot chicken proof my whole yard (or the neighbors) so a few bumps and scrapes come with the territory.
  9. Hishigata

    Sick chicken

    That's great! I'm glad she still has an appetite (for treats at least). How is her attitude? Is she still alert and attentive? Ideally, you should take her to a vet to diagnose the issue: parasites v infection. It is not something you can accurately diagnose without testing. If a vet visit is...
  10. Hishigata

    2 week old baby Malay with half of his body swollen

    Hmm...that is unusual. Could she have gotten bitten by an insect or other animal while outside? Any sign of a bite mark on that half of her body anywhere?
  11. Hishigata

    Feather loss on tail and under wings

    It could be a molt but she seems young to be molting already. I am not sure what the white stuff was at the base of her tail in the first picture. Could it be a parasite like lice or mites?
  12. Hishigata

    Lethargic chicken

    I am sorry for your loss. Diagnosing illness in chickens is difficult. I do not have any experience with the type of symptoms you described.. If you are concerned about the health of the rest of your flock you can have a necropsy done on the bird to try and determine the cause of death.
  13. Hishigata

    Please help

    It could be an egg or runny poop. Give her a warm water bath with mild soap to clean her feathers. Here is a link on washing silkies. Keep an eye out for loose stool or trouble laying eggs.
  14. Hishigata

    Broken toe, or just oddly swollen?

    Yes, I mulched three trees this week and all have been dug about in by the hens. All yard work is always for the hens enjoyment (in their opinion). It does sound like she is doing better. Hopefully she just continues to improve. Hens can be quite resilient.
  15. Hishigata

    Sudden feather loss?

    Yes, moulting is completely normal. Some hens just lose a few feathers at a time and it is a gradual change your hardly notice aside from a few more feathers collecting in the coop. Other times they go through a hard moult losing a lot of feathers all at once before growing them all back (I am...
  16. Hishigata

    Sick chicken

    Chicken stool can take on a greenish tinge if they are not getting enough food passing through the digestive tract. Here is a link to an article on how poop can tell you about your hen's health. Have you tried giving her treats (scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt)? My hens love scrambled egg and...
  17. Hishigata

    Broken toe, or just oddly swollen?

    No, I do not see anything that stands out in the photo. There is a dark spot toward the top of the center toe but it could just be dirt. I would clean her whole foot off in some warm soapy water and give it a good looking over for injuries. Bumblefoot is fairly noticeable. Here is a link to a...
  18. Hishigata

    I hope I didn't just Create an Emergency!

    I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like Lucy lived to a ripe old age and had excellent care. She was a lucky girl to be adopted into your home. I have never hatched eggs as I cannot have roosters where I live. Usually hens stop laying when they are ill so it doesn't seem likely that her eggs...
  19. Hishigata

    Sudden feather loss?

    I find molts often cause the most feather loss in the tail, wing, and neck area. Here is a hen in a molt, maybe it is similar to your hen when the feather loss was bad?
  20. Hishigata

    Sudden feather loss?

    Could it just be a hard molt? One of my girls did not molt her first year and then had a hard molt in her second year and lost a lot of body and contour feathers all at once. She looked pretty pathetic but was healthy otherwise.
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