julie, do remember to buy a good chick feed. (it doesnt really matter if the hen eats it too). Oh, and when I say show the food and water to the chicks, I mean to touch their beaks to the food and water.
Hi, I would say to leave the babies in the nest with the momma and let them manage the babies for now. I let my OE bantam go throught this exactly last season. Even with lowered temperatures the hen will be enitrely able to keep them warm and protected. I think that you should let the nest take...
My stargazing hen is improving now in a more obvious way. When I open the coop (she is still broody), her neck, as of about 2 days ago, is no longer arched back!!!!!! Hoooray! This is a major improvement and a good indication that the hand feeding and daily vitamins are taking effect. She still...
Crazylilchick, we all try the best we can. I'm sorry about your ducks. Sometimes we make a mistake, or dont anticipate a problem where one could arise. My examples are the handful of birds I lost due to predators---I lost a few birds (one to a dog, and 3 bantams to predators getting at them into...
I dont think so. My experience with raccoons was different. The raccoon reached through the chicken wire (with one inch holes) and grabbed a bantam cochin pullet and pulled her through the wire. The only part left behind was her breastbone inside the coop. What a horrific way to go.
Since then...
I lost one of two EE hens (Miss Bonita) to the neighbors dogs. I let them out on the lawn to range, and went inside for a bathroom break and when i came back I only had one bird cowering in the coop--Bonita was one killed. I cried and looked everywhere. The neighbor came out with Bonita, dead ...
Yes, its definitely a mille fleur belgian d'uccle. I raised two this last year. As for being male, it might well be. I had one male and one female. I have a picture of the both of them on my myspace page if you want to see...
So far do good. I have been giving her the Poylvisol vits for about 4 days now. I have been hand feeding her each day to ensure she gets food (so I can guarantee she's had a full crop each day). She is so hard to get out the nest area---her committment to broodiness is unparalleled!! I do think...
Thank you unicorn and red-hen for your words of support and also the very sage advice and explanations. I am truly thankful for the help and sharing your knowledge.
I got the Polyvisol soultion with the whole range of vitamins, as you directed, she got her first dosage today! It was easy to...
WOW thank you for the detailed advice! I contacted a poultry specialist and she too believes, based on the information, that vitamin deficiency is the root problem. I Am most appreciative of the advice and I will defineitly get the product formulation and supplements you described. I hope, with...
Ok, I made a very very thiamine rich meal: cooled baked potato for a bit of a mashy paste, green peas, Basic Four cereal, nutritional yeast (its so tasty!) and also a quarter packet of a powdered drink packet that has 100% of the thiamine for a human/per day. I made two mini-bowl servings of...
I have you to thank: your post inspired me to try the search terms: Neurologic + Poultry! I have the gut feeling this is spawned by nutritional issues.....she is the bottom - rung bird in the hierarchy, and broodiness has left her not eating as much I'm guessing. No other bird has it, and she...
Oh my goodness, I found a scientific article online from the Journal of Poultry Science volume 5 pages 804-807 titled Vitamin Deficiency-Induced Neurological Diseases of Poultry. It discusses the vitamins and dietary requirements and consequences of not getting them...
Neurological, I think it could be too. It was so unnatural a movement. I'm sitting on here all evening watching for posts and am ready to converse with anyone that thinks they can help. (I just have a hard time thinking what possible diseases, I looked at a silkie video on youtube with wry neck...
Hello, I have 6 backyard birds. I have a broody cochin (exactly one year old and her first bout of being broody). I came home today and found her doing the STRANGEST thing. When i opened the door to the nest box, she was kinda looking skyward....like backwards at the roof, it was not too crazy...
Oh, I am so sorry about Billy. I can empathize. I had two easter egger sisters, and one, Bonita, got killed in my backyard...the neighbor let out the two savage chicken-eating dogs onto my lawn (for the umpteenth time). I was so furious when he came out of the house holding my bird by the ankles...