Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Wishapup]

Hello friends! I have an egg situation that I'm not sure what to make of. The hen that laid this does lay smaller eggs but this is tiny! She was injured by a dog about a month ago but had recover and laid normal sized eggs for at least a week before this one. Any ideas what on earth? Thanks!

Not to worry, this happens and it's fairly common among chickens. Sometimes because of an environmental stressor or other external factor, other times seemingly spontaneously. I had an identical egg one morning from a BCM...it was her first egg. She then laid a bigger, normal egg that same day. I originally thought 2 hens had begun laying, but they were both from Mossy! Her "pullet egg" stage was over in a matter of hours and from then on she laid large eggs.

Occasionally I will get little eggs like that from hens. Usually it doesn't continue, and it's more of a isolated occasion.

 

[chicken pickin]

Okay so I just got this FBCM boy the other day and we'll he sneezes. He doesn't sneeze repeatedly. It's just he's sneezing more than normal chickens. And also he will not act like a normal roo. He is 10 months old and I put him in the pen and he acts like a wimp were as I got a cochin bantam roo day before yeaterday I put him in there and he acts like a boy. What is going on with the sneezing? And what is going on with him being a scaredy cat?
And a picture.

I would like to use him in an OE project .

It is extremely important that if/when you bring in ANY new bird/s, ALWAYS quarantine the new bird/s separate from your existing flock. Quarantine as far a spossible from your existing flock for a minimum of 2 week(4weeks is even better). Always tend to the quarantined birds last and wash hands after handling the new birds and items from the quarantine area. This allows you to evaluate the health of the incoming bird/s and if they are showing symptoms will allow time to fix the problem if its lice or mites etc you can treat them by dusting or if they are showing signs like a respiratory infection allow you time to cull before you accidentally infect your existing flock.

When I hear the word sneezing I immediately think the worst and assume respiratory infection but sneezing would normally soon after be accompanied by nasal and/or eye discharge possible wheezing or cough etc. It could be he has something in his nasal cavity that is irritating him like dust or a piece of food etc but keep an eye for other symptoms. Respiratory infections are not good and can infect entire flocks and those infected birds can be carriers for life and continue to pass on the infection to any other new birds or chicks. It might benefit you to go ahead and quarantine your new boys now just to be sure. The sneezing may be nothing at all but for me I always think worst case scenario and treat it that way to protect my flock.

 

[redrooster99]

It is extremely important that if/when you bring in ANY new bird/s, ALWAYS quarantine the new bird/s separate from your existing flock. Quarantine as far a spossible from your existing flock for a minimum of 2 week(4weeks is even better). Always tend to the quarantined birds last and wash hands after handling the new birds and items from the quarantine area. This allows you to evaluate the health of the incoming bird/s and if they are showing symptoms will allow time to fix the problem if its lice or mites etc you can treat them by dusting or if they are showing signs like a respiratory infection allow you time to cull before you accidentally infect your existing flock.

When I hear the word sneezing I immediately think the worst and assume respiratory infection but sneezing would normally soon after be accompanied by nasal and/or eye discharge possible wheezing or cough etc. It could be he has something in his nasal cavity that is irritating him like dust or a piece of food etc but keep an eye for other symptoms. Respiratory infections are not good and can infect entire flocks and those infected birds can be carriers for life and continue to pass on the infection to any other new birds or chicks. It might benefit you to go ahead and quarantine your new boys now just to be sure. The sneezing may be nothing at all but for me I always think worst case scenario and treat it that way to protect my flock.

He has been in there a week or two now and it's just the sneezing. I will try to quarantine him if u still think I need to, but my cochin boy is acting fine and he is just in with 2 OEGB pullets. I do not think I will quarantine the cochin bantam boy. But it just depends on wat u think, I mean you have probably been in this longer than me.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Okay so I just got this FBCM boy the other day and we'll he sneezes. He doesn't sneeze repeatedly. It's just he's sneezing more than normal chickens. And also he will not act like a normal roo. He is 10 months old and I put him in the pen and he acts like a wimp were as I got a cochin bantam roo day before yeaterday I put him in there and he acts like a boy. What is going on with the sneezing? And what is going on with him being a scaredy cat?
And a picture.

I would like to use him in an OE project .

Quarantining all new birds is your best option. If you just got him and he's sick, the rest of the pen is now at risk. Sneezing is not normal. He looks kind of hunkered down like he's not feeling well in this photo.

 

[redrooster99]

Quarantining all new birds is your best option.  If you just got him and he's sick, the rest of the pen is now at risk.  Sneezing is not normal.  He looks kind of hunkered down like he's not feeling well in this photo.

Oh but he was walking in that photo.
But if I take him out and non of my other chickens are acting sick they should be ok right.

 

[chicken pickin]

Oh but he was walking in that photo.
But if I take him out and non of my other chickens are acting sick they should be ok right.

If you have already had him about 2weeks and he has been sneezing this whole time and he has been in with your other chickens since you got him, then if he is indeed sick your flock has already been exposed. This is why we quarantine all new incoming birds(chicks included). I hope he isn't sick with something contagious and wish you luck.

 

[redrooster99]

If you have already had him about 2weeks and he has been sneezing this whole time and he has been in with your other chickens since you got him, then if he is indeed sick your flock has already been exposed. This is why we quarantine all new incoming birds(chicks included). I hope he isn't sick with something contagious and wish you luck.

Thankyou I am hoping he just has something in his nasal canal.

 

[redrooster99]

Also he walks around and eats and the only thing wrong with him is the fact that he sneezes.

 

[GaryDean26]

Respiratory illnesses are the most common illness in backyard flocks. Studies have shown that world wide 80% of chicken flocks get them. These illness are often asymptomatic meaning that your chickens live with them with no signs. They are chronic meaning that your birds are carriers for life and will never get rid of the illness. They typically only show signs when they are stressed from being moved to a new pen, having a change in diet, a change in the weather, etc. Sneezing is a sign that shows in mild cases. Moderate cases may show runny noses or foamy eyes. In severe cases they can get swollen eyes and if things get bad enough the bird can even die. Typically this is something that your flock will survive and isn't severe enough to motivate very many non-commercial flock owners to work for its eradication. The commercial flocks however work very hard to keep it out of their flocks because it leads to significant losses in profit. The longer I keep chickens the less that I am willing to live with in my flock. If a sneezing bird shows any sign of weakness it is culled. That seems cruel when you only have one cockerel to work with, but when you hatch 50 cockerels a year and start culling at 4 months with the goal of finding 3 to keep there is no temptation to keep a weak bird.

 

[redrooster99]

Respiratory illnesses are the most common illness in backyard flocks. Studies have shown that world wide 80% of chicken flocks get them.  These illness are often asymptomatic meaning that your chickens live with them with no signs.  They are chronic meaning that your birds are carriers for life and will never get rid of the illness.  They typically only show signs when they are stressed from being moved to a new pen, having a change in diet, a change in the weather, etc.  Sneezing is a sign that shows in mild cases.  Moderate cases may show runny noses or foamy eyes.  In severe cases they can get swollen eyes and if things get bad enough the bird can even die.   Typically this is something that your flock will survive and isn't severe enough to motivate very many non-commercial flock owners to work for its eradication.  The commercial flocks however work very hard to keep it out of their flocks because it leads to significant losses in profit.  The longer I keep chickens the less that I am willing to live with in my flock.  If a sneezing bird shows any sign of weakness it is culled.  That seems cruel when you only have one cockerel to work with, but when you hatch 50 cockerels a year and start culling at 4 months with the goal of finding 3 to keep there is no temptation to keep a weak bird.  

I understand and I would cull him, but I am unsure if I will do that or try medicine. Would medicine get rid of it for good in him.
I actually have 7 roos I could work with of different breeds.