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I isolated a hen last week due to broodiness, keeping her elevated in a cage separate from the others. She has somehow torn her comb, appears to be from back to front, slightly detached from her head. Can't really tell for sure since she freaks out when I try to hold her (she has always been...

My Delaware has developed a taste for the paint that is peeling off the pickets of our porch (yes, that's on my list of jobs for the summer).This is her 4th year with us, so why the sudden interest? And is it harmful to her (and us through the eggs)? Benjamin Moore exterior oil-based paint...

Heat has been 102-104 over the past week here in VA. My hens have a large run that's always in the shade and are given frozen veggies, cold oatmeal, etc. in the afternoons to try to keep them cool but they are still panting like crazy. And don't seem to be drinking enough water. They get to free...

My 3 yr old Austrolorpe died yesterday; she seemed perfectly fine while free ranging the evening before, and I think she was with the others in the morning when I gave them fresh feed. After changing their water about 4 hours later, I wasn't hearing her grumbling as usual and looked in the coop...

This morning one of my hens had a long string of something white coming from vent area; maybe some blood on it too or poop. She did not seem to be in distress, looking normal in every other way. I have been finding a 'soft' egg 1-2 times each week for the past three weeks. All the others look...

I am anticipating an emergency with this. What should I look for and what can I do to minimize their reaction to ingesting lawn fertilizer and pelletized lime. I already know what to do to the husband who let this happen, so am trying to focus on the girls welfare. HELP!

Cookie, my two year old Austro. has always been the sweetest, calm, and passive hen in the flock of eight. She has been w/3 of the others for two years, and the other 4 for one year. Over the past two weeks, she has gone psycho - attacking the others (smallest first, working her way up the...

I'm hoping someone can offer help as I am really stressing over one of my two Cuckoo Marans, which I got last September(2010) - I posted about this last year but got not response. If this is in the wrong category, please let me know - but it is an emergency in my mind! This hen was one of a...

I have read several posts that say to 'give her a bath' when a hen has a nasty butt, but exactly how do you manage to do that? My husband will definitely think I've gone over the edge......

What is a Flock Block? and where do you find one?

My Barred Rock has experienced a serious molt over the past three days - the feathers literally fall off as I watch her. She looked fine last weekend. This doesn't seem right since it's December, the temps are in the 20s and snow is expected this weekend. What should I do to help her recover...

One cuckoo maran in my flock of 8 mixed hens has an incredibly nasty butt, caked w/poop which, I'm assuming when it comes out, is runny. In their run i don't see any strange looking poo, but have noticed loose-looking poop in the coop after being closed in at night. She is laying daily but...

1) Does it hurt? My Delaware lost a TON of feathers over the course of 4 days - you can see the skin on her shoulders (?) and her longer tail feathers. She does not look happy. 2) How long does it take for new feathers to grow? We are having nights in the 40s now - she's snuggling in w/her...

On most days my hens lay nice large eggs, but a couple of times a week I find a much smaller egg in the nest. Should a hen's eggs be fairly consistent in size? All of them have been laying for ten months. They are all pretty much the same size and based on the breed index, all should be...

My four ladies now have a huge new run and are sort of wandering around...any ideas for their entertainment? I installed two poles at different levels for perching, but they only seem to use them in the early mornings.

Thanks to all the experienced chicken-lovers who have so much knowledge to share about broodys. I have put mine a a wire cage as recommended but how do you know when the spell has been broken? When she stops swelling up and screaming at me when I speak to her? Will she just become docile like...

How do you know if a hen is egg-bound - I have posted on the emergency area of the forum too, but what are the signs for an egg=bound hen? I would think it would be fairly uncomfortable but mine is sitting quietly on the nest, and has been for the past 7 hours. She is a Barred Rock, 10 months...

My Barred Rock has been sitting in the nest at least since 11:00 am - it is now 6:00 pm. There are two eggs from other hens under her. She is being very quiet and still; when I touch her back she puffs up her feathers and once stood about half-way then sat back down. She is 10 months old...

Is it OK to use the old pine-shaving litter from the coop as mulch for vegetable garden plants? I'm thinking it wouldn't make the soil too acidic since it won't be worked into the ground until the fall when the garden is finished......my husband disagrees. HELP!

I have seen posts about hens having mites and needing to be wormed....how do I know if mine have these problems, and how to I manage it? I have only four hens that are 10 months old, all seem happy and healthy, good layers.