For those of you wondering if extra calcium is really a concern, I just lost a 6 year old hen to extensive gout, which might have been caused by exclusively feeding Layena. Early on in my chicken-keeping I had tried to find feed without extra calcium, but I wasn't able to find a reliable supply...
I know this is an old entry, but I wanted to reply because I really enjoy my Langshans. I wish they were more common.
What made you decide to get this breed?
I got them about 2 years ago because I really like large chickens and especially the tall stance of the Langshans.
I just think they are...
I know this is an older post, but I wanted to reply in case anyone else has this problem. I have a number of hens with this issue and they all seem to be my "fat toed" breeds. Barred rock, Buff Orpington, Partridge Rock and Brahmas. The skinny toed breeds don't get it.
I just regularly clean...
Some are more stubborn than others... Usually a broody breaker cage works for me, with the hens snapping out of the broody trance 3-5 days later. I've got 2 dark Brahmas though that just stay broody regardless. Earlier this Spring they were each broody for about 5 weeks. They went broody again...
My Orpington has always laid soft shelled eggs...despite layer feed, oyster shell, yogurt etc. I don't like it because they often get broken in the nest, make a mess, the girls eat it. I also worry about them breaking inside her, but it hasn't happened yet. Otherwise she seems normal and happy...
I have a Buff Orpington that has always laid softshelled eggs, sometimes shell-less eggs. She frequently lays them at night from the roost. I figure she's got a weak shell gland, since they get layer ration and free choice oyster shell. None of the others do this.
Maybe you have something similar?
Hi all,
Easter Egger is a term people use for mixed breed chickens that are part Ameraucana or Araucana. They may lay green, blue, pink or brown eggs (each hen only lays one color, but a flock of Easter Eggers can produce a variety of colors), like colorful Easter eggs.
The most common color I...
I've had 3 roosters (Jersey Giant, Orpington and Barred Rock). They all started wagging their heads when they hit sexual maturity. None of my 40 hens shook their heads, suggesting it was a rooster thing, not an illness. I would be curious to hear from other long time rooster owners about this.
If it is the very exaggerated wattle waggle it is perfectly normal rooster behavior. It is done to impress the ladies, like the wing dragging stumble dance.
Some may also use it as a warning or display towards people, similar to raising their hackles.
I'm always surprised there isn't more...
It's Fall, days are getting shorter and she's molting (common to hens over 1 year old, in the Fall). These are both likely reasons your Barred Rock stopped laying. Other breeds that are bred for high productivity are more likely to continue laying when the days are shorter and even through a...
We've been having a terrible time with squirrels this year. We have trees in and around the run and they were just climbing down the tress. We kept finding them camped out in the feeder every day, and I even found them in the coop in the morning. They would go in the automatic door in the...
kar-bear
"Thank you for the response, I like the kind that dont look like ordinary chickens, I would like some that people dont usually see.....I like the Buff and Easter Eggers looks"
Please note that Easter Egger colors are variable. The photo posted above is lovely, others will have...
I agree that you may want to avoid rags. The can swallow loose threads and get them wrapped around their tongues (very bad...search tongue strangulation for some terrible examples)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/820508/strangulation-in-tongue-mimics-wet-fowl-pox-an-important-lesson-learned
Alternatively, could she be molting? One of my hens went through a bad molt and she was reluctant to come out of the coop in the morning, looked tattered and was bullied more than usual. Once her new feathers came in all was back to normal.
If your hen is broody I think it's normal for their combs to be pale and shriveled. That was the case for my 3 broodies. Once they stopped brooding and got close to laying again the combs plumped back up and turned red. Just changing hormones!
Roosters:
Tyson, jersey giant named after Mike Tyson
Manny, named after Manny Pacquiao
A$$hole, because he was one
Hens:
Mary, an Ameraucana
Not Mary, looked like Mary but wasn't
Sarah Plain and Tall, a jersey giant
Troody, my 2nd broody
Josie, or Josephine
Nugget, or NugNug
Pearl
Cricket...
I had a Jersey Giant cockerel that started charging me at about 3 1/2 weeks. He turned out to be very protective of the girls and very aggressive to people. I ended up calling him A$$hole. So it can start very early!