Morning folks,
I have three chickens outside that are about 12 weeks old. One is a wyandott and the other two are orpingtons. Trying to make my story short as I can tell a long story, so here goes.
One Orpington I'm beginning to believe is a rooster. Not only did she start crowing a month ago, but her comb and wattle are bright red and getting bigger by the week. She's also HUGE. This one is my picker. Flaps her wings at the other two, pecks on their backs (not too often but I'm pretty sure the other two get a peck every morning)
About the time we shipped the chickens outside I noticed the other Orpington, Peanut, looked like she was losing a big of weight. A few or three weeks ago I noticed her comb looking a bit pail and then a week ago I noticed diarrhea and more weight loss. Ok worms. So I dewormed them a few days ago. The color of poo changed back to brown just still watery but not foamy. I've literally been smelling their pooh for three days. BUT, when they poo at night at roosting, there's no diarrhea. My fiance thinks maybe Peanut could be getting picked on. He's worried Peanut could be a boy also. Her comb in general seems a bit larger than even the grown hens I see on google. And her tail is pretty pointy for a girl. However, she walks around way more dainty than the Orp (Navora which I guess is a Navorito lol)
Will chickens get liquidy bowels if they are stressed? Is my flock maybe too small? While these are nice chickens, they are chickens, they act like chickens, they are workers and they aren't happy without a job. My bantams will sit around and lounge all day not my orps and wyandott. I was thinking if it's stress related either I give up on the idea of baby chicks this spring and put the rooster in the pot or I try a larger flock giving the rooster more to manage. I'm still treating Peanut as though she's sick though. She's been wormed and I'm bumping up nutrients and diotamacous earth and garlic and all that good stuff. But, if that's not it, then what? Thanks guys, sorry about the longish post, but I'm bringing in strangers to my world with no pics or videos. LOL
I have three chickens outside that are about 12 weeks old. One is a wyandott and the other two are orpingtons. Trying to make my story short as I can tell a long story, so here goes.
One Orpington I'm beginning to believe is a rooster. Not only did she start crowing a month ago, but her comb and wattle are bright red and getting bigger by the week. She's also HUGE. This one is my picker. Flaps her wings at the other two, pecks on their backs (not too often but I'm pretty sure the other two get a peck every morning)
About the time we shipped the chickens outside I noticed the other Orpington, Peanut, looked like she was losing a big of weight. A few or three weeks ago I noticed her comb looking a bit pail and then a week ago I noticed diarrhea and more weight loss. Ok worms. So I dewormed them a few days ago. The color of poo changed back to brown just still watery but not foamy. I've literally been smelling their pooh for three days. BUT, when they poo at night at roosting, there's no diarrhea. My fiance thinks maybe Peanut could be getting picked on. He's worried Peanut could be a boy also. Her comb in general seems a bit larger than even the grown hens I see on google. And her tail is pretty pointy for a girl. However, she walks around way more dainty than the Orp (Navora which I guess is a Navorito lol)
Will chickens get liquidy bowels if they are stressed? Is my flock maybe too small? While these are nice chickens, they are chickens, they act like chickens, they are workers and they aren't happy without a job. My bantams will sit around and lounge all day not my orps and wyandott. I was thinking if it's stress related either I give up on the idea of baby chicks this spring and put the rooster in the pot or I try a larger flock giving the rooster more to manage. I'm still treating Peanut as though she's sick though. She's been wormed and I'm bumping up nutrients and diotamacous earth and garlic and all that good stuff. But, if that's not it, then what? Thanks guys, sorry about the longish post, but I'm bringing in strangers to my world with no pics or videos. LOL