Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Kansas Prairie]

When I saw this picture it reminded me of my childhood and the loud sounds of guineas when they found a snake.


That snake is in trouble! LOL

 

[Beekissed]

That's a great pic!!!

 

[JulieNKC]

Ok, i have a few questions. My leghorn hen is only from last springs hatch, and has not laid an egg for the past 2 months. We had a really hot summer, but she laid perfectly for the first part. I think she is molting now, or developing male pattern baldness. Is there a chance she might lay again after molt? I'd cull her, but she's hubby's "pet" so will be a yard ornament when no longer laying anyway. The tips of her comb has also turned purplish over the last few days. She's always had spurs, but they have been getting sharper/longer, is that a sign somethings not functioning right inside? She was wormed twice with ivermectin about a month ago, and has been dusted with sevin within the last month too. She acts normal, eats fine, gets in the nestbox everyday, just no egg. No problems before stopping laying either.

 

[bruceh]

processed them chickens.. the wounded chicken turned out ok. lost some meat but most of it was fine.

thank you all for your response . not very happy with the end product. i posted the results on the thread " meat birds tell us who you did it "

 

[bruceh]

the leghorn issue. if she is from spring of 2011, she is probably molting . most chickens won't lay during a molt. if this the case she should resume laying in a couple months.

 

[bruceh]

just read your post again about the leghorn. i never had them. however most chickens are alike. so with that being said, the comb is turning purple or is it getting bluish?
blue indicates a organ like the heart to be in trouble.
is the comb and wattles getting bigger ? sometimes a hen who has an overy issue will stop laying and start to look like rooster mat even crow.

 

[JulieNKC]

the leghorn issue. if she is from spring of 2011, she is probably molting . most chickens won't lay during a molt. if this the case she should resume laying in a couple months.

Thanks! Is it normal for them to stop so long before or could it have been the heat? I usually sell/replace them before they molt, so I've only had a few actually molt.

 

[JulieNKC]

just read your post again about the leghorn. i never had them. however most chickens are alike. so with that being said, the comb is turning purple or is it getting bluish?
blue indicates a organ like the heart to be in trouble.
is the comb and wattles getting bigger ? sometimes a hen who has an overy issue will stop laying and start to look like rooster mat even crow.

Purple. I just noticed that today, along with the bald bright red head. Thought she might be turning into a turken at first before molting crossed my mind. Comb is the same size it's always been. But the purple tips bug me, along with the not laying and spurs because I remember reading somewhere purple comb tips can be from lots of testosterone.

 

[chickenlover89]

Depends on what's on that acerage. You could probably get away with a quarter acre if it was full of stuff for them to hang out in. My 6 till up to 30ish birds ranged only the edge of the woods and the clear area around the house which is maybe an acre or so. I'd imagine if I had 5 acres of field, they'd still just hang around where there is more shelter and under trees. They don't go far from home.

thank you!

 

[bruceh]

it could have been the heat. heat causes stress on a bird. a stressed bird won't lay well if at all. leghorn are noted as prolific layers. she may have burnt out if she layed a huge amount. i never had leghorns. so i don't the age to which they slow down or stop laying