California - Northern

[lawatt]

Chicken math strikes again! Down one, up 3.

hopefully a few more will go tomorrow, my contractor is bringing his son by -- they have a lone chicken back at home, and want to find her some friends. fingers crossed they take several!

i've also done a bit of reorganizing today -- the two silver campine pullets, who just started laying, are now in a pen with one of the two boys hatched from Deb's eggs -- will see how they get along...

 

[BCollie]

Hi guys...so I have a little problem. My Light Brahma, Bertha, looked like the top layer of her beak just kind of...came off. It didn't seem to cause her any noticeable pain and it eventually healed up and went back to normal.
Then a couple days ago I noticed my other Light Brahma, Charlotte, has the same problem but worse. The tip of her beak had blood on it and she is in pain. Normally if I give them snacks she goes crazy and pecks very hard at them, but now she doesn't want to peck hard at anything because her beak hurts. I wiped it off as best I could(she would move her head away every time I touched it with the wet paper towel) then sprayed some Blue Kote on it.
But what could be causing this?? I haven't noticed it in any other birds, only the two Light Brahmas.

 

[OR4-hmom]

BCollie, have you given them an unusual treat lately? I wonder if she got a hold of something tough and peeled off the top layer of her beak trying to tear off a piece.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Do you have a concrete floor anywhere? Prolonged pecking into concrete?

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do until it heals on its own.

 

[tls_ranch]

Hi guys...so I have a little problem. My Light Brahma, Bertha, looked like the top layer of her beak just kind of...came off. It didn't seem to cause her any noticeable pain and it eventually healed up and went back to normal. Then a couple days ago I noticed my other Light Brahma, Charlotte, has the same problem but worse. The tip of her beak had blood on it and she is in pain. Normally if I give them snacks she goes crazy and pecks very hard at them, but now she doesn't want to peck hard at anything because her beak hurts. I wiped it off as best I could(she would move her head away every time I touched it with the wet paper towel) then sprayed some Blue Kote on it. But what could be causing this?? I haven't noticed it in any other birds, only the two Light Brahmas.

I had this happen to a hen who got her beak stuck in hardware cloth. She tried to peck at something outside the wire. Her beak got stuck then she panicked pulling back and " skinning" her beak. She healed fine, but it was painfully for a few days. Trisha

 

[BCollie]

BCollie, have you given them an unusual treat lately? I wonder if she got a hold of something tough and peeled off the top layer of her beak trying to tear off a piece.

Nope, no unusual treats.

Do you have a concrete floor anywhere? Prolonged pecking into concrete?

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do until it heals on its own.

We do have a concrete patio. I am teaching them to stay off of it but they still usually go on it at least once a day. Is there anything I can do to prevent this happening to their beaks in the future?

I had this happen to a hen who got her beak stuck in hardware cloth. She tried to peck at something outside the wire. Her beak got stuck then she panicked pulling back and " skinning" her beak. She healed fine, but it was painfully for a few days.

Trisha

That could be a possibility too, their entire run is protected with hardware cloth.

 

[tommysgirl]

The Pita Pintas are very friendly and the Boys get big fast. They are very smart too.

Coops can be very simple. I built a grow out tractor with left over wood and some hardware.

The wheels are from an old plastic wagon. They pivot on a screw to raise them. When the tractor is moved to the new spot, they are lowered.



I have a hinged lid on top so that I can get to the food and water.



There is a door on the front.




If I had predators, I would add hardware cloth to the bottom of the sides. The floor is chicken wire, so that the chickens can't pull out the grass. I have a 2x4 roost in there too.

How do I save these pics Ron ? it is exactly what I want to build. How many boys fit in there and what are the dimensions...I am thinking I want something to handle 10-15 at a time...should I build 2? Going to start cruising yard sales for toys with wheels. Today I was pushing a wheelbarrow and thought about just using a wheelbarrow wheel on a tractor. The wing nut to raise the wheel and make it sit flat on the ground is genius and I had NEVER thought of of that.

 

[ronott1]

How do I save these pics Ron ? it is exactly what I want to build. How many boys fit in there and what are the dimensions...I am thinking I want something to handle 10-15 at a time...should I build 2? Going to start cruising yard sales for toys with wheels. Today I was pushing a wheelbarrow and thought about just using a wheelbarrow wheel on a tractor. The wing nut to raise the wheel and make it sit flat on the ground is genius and I had NEVER thought of of that.

It is a grow out, so a bunch can fit in it if they are small. I did have the Australorps and Black Pene in it, so that was 7. You can make it longer. It is narrow enough to go through the gate I built but it is a very big gate.

I will measure it for you tomorrow. I know I wanted it to be something like 3 feet high. The chickens need to stretch right?

For now, here is the video that I used to attach the wheels:

 

[Audio51]

Ouch! Poor girl!

 

[tommysgirl]

It is a grow out, so a bunch can fit in it if they are small. I did have the Australorps and Black Pene in it, so that was 7. You can make it longer. It is narrow enough to go through the gate I built but it is a very big gate.

I will measure it for you tomorrow. I know I wanted it to be something like 3 feet high. The chickens need to stretch right?

For now, here is the video that I used to attach the wheels:

Thanks...I so appreciate it. I think I would make it longer, Do leave them in it all night?