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  1. W

    No tails and some bald backs and other spots.

    OK. Pause. Take a deep breath, then another. You are doing fine! I also have a naked butt hen--her name is Tush. As she preens, she plucks out the feathers at the base of her tail for a reverse mohawk. She also plucks the feathers under her wings and is bald there, too. I treat her for...
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    URGENT hen with potential water belly not eating or drinking

    Oh, yeah. COMPLETELY understand-- I'm not paying someone $300+ to tell me, "yes, that there is a dead chicken." I frequently do my own, just to see, like, worms, diseased organs, egg, etc. (One time, she had massive visceral fat; I cut back on protein, treats, etc and saved the rest of my...
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    URGENT hen with potential water belly not eating or drinking

    Did/will you necropsy?
  4. W

    Review by 'WunnySharbit' in article 'Feeding Your Chickens Oyster Shells'

    Answered all the questions I've been meaning to ask! Esp. shell v grit, sourcing, who to feed it to and when, and alternative sources. Great article
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    Chicken oddities: what’s something you wish your chicken/chickens didn’t do?

    She is calling you. Baaawk baaawk bawk bawk baaawk is your name, literally. See how she listens for your footsteps? She knows you will obediently join the flock if she calls you long enough. This is very similar to my chicken name: bawk bawk baaaaaawk bawwwk baaaaaaaàaaeeeewk. She calls...
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    Hey, Will Raccoons Eat My Chickens?

    I'm sorry if I missed this in someone else's post..... Unfortunately, a live and let live philosophy will not work with them. In addition to the diseases they can carry (rabies, distemper), they are a host for a parasitic brain worm. It is usually fatal in dogs and can be spread to humans...
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    Information Overload + Analysis Paralysis

    Welcome! Like many have said, relax and enjoy! (Watching my chickens helps immensely with my anxiety and helps me focus. Imitate them! Everything is new, interesting and worthy of rapt, focused attention. ) For your first chix, keep it simple. 1) keep babies warm and dry. There is a...
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    How to preserve insects for chix treats?

    In the fall, we are overrun by armyworms hatching from nearby alfalfa fields. We are talking millions of caterpillars! This year I would like to collect and process them for feed. I have questions about others' experiences and processing. Since there would be soooo many, the best option...
  9. W

    need advice on treating ducks that were attacked

    Oh, I just meant that some more soft-hearted readers might be disturbed by graphic descriptions. I toned it down, so it wasn't quite so bad. Raccoon damage is horrible to see and even think about. :eek::hit
  10. W

    Chickens acting very strange.....

    To answer your thread's question: Your birds are freaking out because they no longer have their leader. They are yelling : hey, HEY do we come out now? hey, HEY where do we eat today? hey, HEY I saw something moving HEY is that moving thing OK, leader, LEADER, tell us what to do. They will...
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    need advice on treating ducks that were attacked

    warning *graphic* If the head has a gash and the beak damaged/broken, injuries under the wing or around the tail--you have a raccoon. They grab the head to crush the skull, failing that, they will grab any part of the bird they can hold on to, be it the wing, feet, tail until they can hold it...
  12. W

    Can you force a chicken into broodiness?

    My chix knew that the plastic eggs were fake and refused to go near them, let alone sit on them. I would think you'd be better off letting them tell you where they want to lay and set. Also: I have had many, many chix over the years and have only had a handful go broody. Yours may not...
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    Dixie Rainbows?

    dual purpose breed https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dixie-rainbows-thread.636488/ enjoy!
  14. W

    Bottomless Hen!

    I agree--it's a brahma thing. Endless eating, porch pooping, toe-eating (my husband was NOT impressed :gig) ... Mine also stay out late looking for that last bug or last blade of grass ( or last tomato that she hasn't already pecked a hole in :mad:) . One day, my son got so tired of chicken...
  15. W

    Cockerels and boy related stuff !

    Their other role is to distract preds away from flock--running will do that. Think killdeer (the birds)
  16. W

    Got harassed because of my cat

    Maybe a dumb question--have you changed the litter in the litterbox. I mean actually changed it, like brands. Or started using a new laundry detergent/softener?perfume/cologne/shampoo, etc. My housebun started sneezing when we switched fabric softeners. I am deathly allergic to febreeze...
  17. W

    Sudden Death, Thick Orange Slime on Beak?

    pics?
  18. W

    What killed my duck?

    Well, this piqued my curiosity, so I did some checking: (caution:graphic) My vote for the killer, if not a raptor, goes to a mink or other weasel. Weasels kill by biting and severing the spinal cord behind the head, then moving around to tear out the throat. The photo with the single track...
  19. W

    Gigantic egg (double yolk)

    We call those "diet eggs!"
  20. W

    Pet Ducks Dumped in Neighborhood Pond, Help?

    I have really enjoyed watching this thread, and I hate to rain on everyone's parade..... I have had sooooo much trouble with predators--ESP neighbors' dogs and cats and now raccoons (kitty dishes and bird feeders from 9 new houses and 4-6 'new' neighbors after the older folks passed on)...
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