Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[appps]

Its been a while since I posted mainly due to the fact that the flock has just been plodding along doing what chooks do......BUT NOW I THINK I HAVE A SICK HEN.

SYMPTOMS

Hen has a clear drool from the beak..she is one of the originals and is about 8 years old.....

Appreciate any advice,diagnosis

Check her crop is emptying over night, not hard etc. The drool was a symptom both times Carl had impacted crop.

Speaking of Carl, did I ever tell you guys I worked out her trigger? Scratch mix. I had run out for quite a few months and then bought some again. After 3 days she was going off her food again. Stopped the scratch mix and she perked up again. I think her crop just goes too slow for it and then it sits in there and sets off a chain reaction. (I only throw one and a bit handfuls to 7 birds)

 

[Kooka]

Check her crop is emptying over night, not hard etc. The drool was a symptom both times Carl had impacted crop.

Speaking of Carl, did I ever tell you guys I worked out her trigger? Scratch mix. I had run out for quite a few months and then bought some again. After 3 days she was going off her food again. Stopped the scratch mix and she perked up again. I think her crop just goes too slow for it and then it sits in there and sets off a chain reaction. (I only throw one and a bit handfuls to 7 birds)

Good observation, older bird...on scratch feed with the others....how to resolve?

Thanks for the prompt reply

 

[Fizzybelle]

Thanks Satay and Telia, also good luck with Blondezilla!

Beatrice is actually moulting, she's been dropping a lot of feathers today, and I'd noticed some prior to that, today just confirmed it. I'm looking forward to seeing if there will be quite a change in her patterning or not. It is of course the wrong time of year for a moult technically, but chickens march to the beat of their own drum. Right now they're all complaining about being locked away as a storm has hit. Heaven forbid I'm so mean as to lock them away during bad weather.

I spent yesterday afternoon pulling up maidenhair vine out of the garden, anyone dealt with that before? It's a total work out pulling it up, it's like rope! I was dripping with sweat, and red faced afterwards, but I accomplished a lot. The previous owner of our house let it go nuts. Girls got in the way of course, and had fun. Still got more to go, but now I've room for more plants like my blueberry to grow, and add to the girls foraging diet when it fruits. Our green waste bin is full, and there's still more to get rid of. It looks nice, but don't plant it in the ground!

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Thanks Satay and Telia, also good luck with Blondezilla

Beatrice is actually moulting, she's been dropping a lot of feathers today, and I'd noticed some prior to that, today just confirmed it. I'm looking forward to seeing if there will be quite a change in her patterning or not. It is of course the wrong time of year for a moult technically, but chickens march to the beat of their own drum. Right now they're all complaining about being locked away as a storm has hit. Heaven forbid I'm so mean as to lock them away during bad weather.

I spent yesterday afternoon pulling up maidenhair vine out of the garden, anyone dealt with that before? It's a total work out pulling it up, it's like rope! I was dripping with sweat, and red faced afterwards, but I accomplished a lot. The previous owner of our house let it go nuts. Girls got in the way of course, and had fun. Still got more to go, but now I've room for more plants like my blueberry to grow, and add to the girls foraging diet when it fruits. Our green waste bin is full, and there's still more to get rid of. It looks nice, but don't plant it in the ground!

 

[Susan Hampshire]

Interesting... my two sickly newbies (Hamburg bantams ) rescued in Oct from an over crowded farm and we're badly pecked with almost no feathers on their head/necks and rear end... They are just starting to regrow their feathers! And now I think they are moulting! Not laying as well which I believe happens when they moult. When is the normal time for chooks to moult?

 

[Anniebee]

Interesting... my two sickly newbies (Hamburg bantams ) rescued in Oct from an over crowded farm and we're badly pecked with almost no feathers on their head/necks and rear end... They are just starting to regrow their feathers! And now I think they are moulting! Not laying as well which I believe happens when they moult. When is the normal time for chooks to moult?

Around about Autumn of each year - from my observations - but - - - they do march to their own drum, as Fizzybelle mentioned, and great changes in weather could promote just about anything where hens are concerned ( I have also noticed ).

They do what they do - and we cannot change it !!

Chookies !!!

.. ( at times ).

Cheers - -

 

[Fizzybelle]

Around about Autumn of each year - from my observations - but - - - they do march to their own drum, as Fizzybelle mentioned, and great changes in weather could promote just about anything where hens are concerned ( I have also noticed ).

They do what they do - and we cannot change it !!

Chookies !!!

.. ( at times ).

Cheers - -

The weather has been weird here in Brissy lately, lots of storms and very unpredictable. Also, my little Beatrice is a complete princess who does what she wants, or if she can't, she whinges about it. Let's say her reasons for moulting are a 50/50 mix of the two

 

[Fizzybelle]

Susan Hampshire, wow Hamburg bantams, I didn't know they came in bantam size. Beautiful birds Hamburgs. Glad they're doing well with you now

 

[satay]

Thanks Satay and Telia, also good luck with Blondezilla!

Beatrice is actually moulting, she's been dropping a lot of feathers today, and I'd noticed some prior to that, today just confirmed it. I'm looking forward to seeing if there will be quite a change in her patterning or not. It is of course the wrong time of year for a moult technically, but chickens march to the beat of their own drum. Right now they're all complaining about being locked away as a storm has hit. Heaven forbid I'm so mean as to lock them away during bad weather.

I spent yesterday afternoon pulling up maidenhair vine out of the garden, anyone dealt with that before? It's a total work out pulling it up, it's like rope! I was dripping with sweat, and red faced afterwards, but I accomplished a lot. The previous owner of our house let it go nuts. Girls got in the way of course, and had fun. Still got more to go, but now I've room for more plants like my blueberry to grow, and add to the girls foraging diet when it fruits. Our green waste bin is full, and there's still more to get rid of. It looks nice, but don't plant it in the ground!

Someone forgot to tell my marans it's the wrong time to moult. A couple look like they could actually just be popped in the oven for dinner they have lost that many feathers.

 

[satay]

 The weather has been weird here in Brissy lately, lots of storms and very unpredictable. Also, my little Beatrice is a complete princess who does what she wants, or if she can't, she whinges about it. Let's say her reasons for moulting are a 50/50 mix of the two

We were driving back along the warrego highway at Dinmore yesterday when that storm hit. Worst i have been in in agers. Huge hail hitting the car wicked rain and sideways winds, branches flying across the front of the car.. Thankfully hubby was driving. We did have to pull over at one point for 10 minutes as you just could not see the road. His old ute must be pretty tough. I could only actually find one small dent on the car when we got home.