I have heard of tribes that are less strict in their pecking order. You would think a tribe like mine, where there is never a shortage of food, would be less interested in enforcing the order. Instead it seems like mine are even more invested in enforcing it than others. You always feel sad for the one at the bottom. I suggest you do what I do and treat them special. 😁
Good suggestion! 👍
 
I am so happy! Dr. Tacky's waddles are growing and they jiggle when she walks! :love
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Hi friends. I left my phone at home, so am checking in on an actual computer! What a treat! I am out with the flock and dog at the moment, so will read today's posts later.

I wanted to provide a quick flock update.

Dorothy - Her body language is excellent, but no eggs (I'm fine with that, as long as she's not laying internally. It's possible if not likely she's still dropping softies). Today was her last dose of enrofloxacin.

Ruby - Would you believe her swelling went down??? I'm so happy. I did notice that when she sits, she still breathes a bit heavily and tilts toward her right side, I assume to take pressure off her left. Not sure what's causing her discomfort and will probably not know until a necropsy someday. I'm just happy she seems to be enjoying herself and doing normal chicken things. Today was her last dose of enrofloxacin.

Minnie - She had REALLY tough time yesterday after work and this morning. Clearly not feeling well and drinking TONS of water, but not really eating. I suspected a back-up of some kind somewhere. I felt a small egg in her vent and a soft, fluidy crop in the morning. Today I'm pretty sure she laid the fairy egg with a brittle shell and significant meat spot in it, but nothing that resembled yolk to my eye. She's more active tonight, but still tentative. She did approach me somewhat expectantly, so I may try to sneak her a treat of baby bird formula with molasses and yogurt in case she's backed up. If she is, I think it might be secondary since she might be coming down with a laying disorder. She's my second Buckeye and Ruby is my first. What is up with these girls? They do not jump onto my radar as high production birds prone to laying issues.

I hope everyone had or is having a great day.
I wonder about your Buckeyes in the same way, and wonder what's in store for mine, as I too was trying for a non-high-production breed, even knowing so much less than I know now. BUT...if you look at the history, breeders since the middle of the last century have been trying to "help the breed survive" and so they have tried to make them more popular by "improving" them with higher egg production, also more leg meat. How they've done that I'm not sure exactly, but if they are selecting for those "better" layers and more eggs per year, then they are selecting for all the reproductive issues that lead to earlier death. I really hate this aspect of the "heritage" breed tinkering. But I understand breeders aren't out there keeping the breed going altruistically, like some animal genetics museum. I wonder if anywhere has kept any DNA of some of these "heritage" breeds and the even older ones? We need to get the Hawaiian chickens reintroduced!
 

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