This may be the congenital condition "stargazing." It is thought to be a problem with the inner ear. I've had two of these--the first I culled after several days because she was not going to survive, and now I have another. I have built a sort of brace out of aluminum foil, and I'm going to...
Wow! I have some bamboo growing (Planted it a year ago), and can't wait to give my hens some of the leaves. They have been eating me out of house and home (mostly because the squirrels keep helping themselves to the feed), so this will be a a welcome addition to the diet. Thanks!
I bought a dozen eggs; 7 hatched, all were roos. In desperation, I sent pics of the 3 month old roos to the lady who sold me the eggs and asked if by chance ANY of them were pullets. She felt bad (and she is generous), so she sent me free eggs--33 of them. 17 hatched, and I'm happy to say the...
Hello! I hatched a dozen beautiful Pavlov chicks this past spring, and gave eight away after keeping four, one of each different color in the hatch.
Now I think I may have three roosters and one hen. My question is this: Do only the cockerels have the crest? The one I think is a hen has...
So I hatched way too many birds this spring, and had eight Marans. Using wing sexing, I gave four away, HOPING that I had kept four hens. But now they are six weeks old, and I fear I have four cockerels. I've attached four pictures, but the color isn't showing up well--two are mostly black...
Hi! I have a beautiful 13-month-old Australorp that started losing neck feathers about a month ago. I thought our rooster might be pulling some out, but we gave him away and she has lost more feathers. I sprayed her with Poultry protector in case it might be lice or mites, but didn't see any...
I like the mulch/garden idea. Or take up what you can, and put sod over the rest of it. Or hire someone to cut a tree into circular rounds for you, about 3 inches thick, and scatter them over it as "stepping stones."
I asked my friend if it was electric or kerosene or what, but she didn't notice. But a quick google for "antique incubators" turned up several kerosene models, but not this exact one. Fascinating!
A friend of mine sent me this picture taken in the mud room of a Custer County NE sod house. Amazing! Thought those of you who love hatching might enjoy seeing it.
My first hatch was a disaster, too--no hatches at all. Second hatch attempt I got one chick. Next one, I got two chicks. But now I'm averaging a 70 percent hatch rate on shipped eggs--but I've learned some things.
First, I got good incubators and watch the temp and humidity like a hawk...
Thanks, everyone, for your input. I went over her bum very carefully, and there was no vent. That, plus the fact that she was very unhappy and would only get worse, I culled her. Never thought I'd see that situation, but . . . I'm sure stranger things have happened. Thanks again!
I truimmed some feathers away so you could see—I am beginning to think she doesn’t have a vent. (i had a severe cross beak in this same clutch). You know how you can see the vent pulsate when a chicken is chirping? I can see a place that moves when she cries, but it’s not a vent. It’s just...