- Apr 28, 2011
- 11
- 0
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Hi! This is my first post...I think I might still have new chicken owner sparkles. This winter, we decided to get into chickens and were just going to get some chicks at the farm store and start out that way. Started to look for equipment, etc., online and ended up rescuing 2 hens (1 barred rock, 1 ameracauna) and 2 geese (embden and embden/toulouse cross) and got all of the equipment, fencing, etc., for a ridiculously low price. We've rescued lots of dogs and have soft spots for animals in need.
The barred rock had half of her feathers gone from one side, was scabby, and had lifted scales on her legs. Mind you, I have never had chickens before, so this was the immersion method into chicken care. I researched and treated her wounds, and thankfully, they healed quickly and she is beautiful once again. Legs were so bad that the scales will probably not ever lay down, but she is not in pain and walks just fine. The girls were in really poor digs...looked like no cleaning had gone on for months. But with lots of TLC (and singing to them every night), the Ameracauna began laying in 3 weeks and gives 6/week. The barred rock took about a week longer, but gives less (2-3/week). We were told both hens were about 3 years old.
Last week, something chased the hens in the yard (coop is almost done, whew!) and pulled tail feathers from the ameracauna and sent the barred rock into hiding overnight. We got snow that night (yetch). Honey (barred rock) was out the next morning like nothing was wrong and appeared normal. She hadn't laid an egg in about 10 days, didn't appear eggbound, so I chalked it up to the snap of every day rain and 35 degree weather. Then 2 days after it snowed, she laid an egg about 1.5" in diameter with a sandpapery thin shell. She hasn't laid since and has had diarrhea (watery with bits of white and sometimes yellow) since. She is eating and drinking. I gave her greek yogurt (by hand, spoiled thing), washed her poo-caked feathers in warm water, gave her a slice or 2 of olive-oil soaked bread, and we are putting electrolytes in her water today. She is now outside grazing, but doesn't stay out long and goes back into the temporary coop (garage) and lies under the nesting boxes with her head to the corner. What's left of her comb (looks like it froze off poor thing) and wattles are nicely red and normal, eyes seem fine although not perhaps as bright as usual. No hunching, and tail is up when she's outside. Prior to giving the "sandpaper egg," she was sitting in a nesting box for a couple of hours, clucking like she was going to lay an egg, and then would stop, repeating the behavior like 15 times. Now she won't even get into a nesting box.
I don't know what to do. I asked the farm store about worming and they looked at me like I grew antlers. I have heard to give wazine, but I have no idea how much to give or if I should give it. There are no visible worms in her poo at all. We have 20 meat beasts (cornish x) and 22 laying chicks also known as the meaties and the sweeties. They are almost 6 weeks old and neither they nor the ameracauna show any issues at all. Can someone please help? I love Honey already and I've spent so much time nurturing her, I'd hate to lose her if there's something I can do. BTW....nobody told me how much "butt stuff" there was with chickens! (but I still love my girls!) Thanks for any help...I'm worried sick!
The barred rock had half of her feathers gone from one side, was scabby, and had lifted scales on her legs. Mind you, I have never had chickens before, so this was the immersion method into chicken care. I researched and treated her wounds, and thankfully, they healed quickly and she is beautiful once again. Legs were so bad that the scales will probably not ever lay down, but she is not in pain and walks just fine. The girls were in really poor digs...looked like no cleaning had gone on for months. But with lots of TLC (and singing to them every night), the Ameracauna began laying in 3 weeks and gives 6/week. The barred rock took about a week longer, but gives less (2-3/week). We were told both hens were about 3 years old.
Last week, something chased the hens in the yard (coop is almost done, whew!) and pulled tail feathers from the ameracauna and sent the barred rock into hiding overnight. We got snow that night (yetch). Honey (barred rock) was out the next morning like nothing was wrong and appeared normal. She hadn't laid an egg in about 10 days, didn't appear eggbound, so I chalked it up to the snap of every day rain and 35 degree weather. Then 2 days after it snowed, she laid an egg about 1.5" in diameter with a sandpapery thin shell. She hasn't laid since and has had diarrhea (watery with bits of white and sometimes yellow) since. She is eating and drinking. I gave her greek yogurt (by hand, spoiled thing), washed her poo-caked feathers in warm water, gave her a slice or 2 of olive-oil soaked bread, and we are putting electrolytes in her water today. She is now outside grazing, but doesn't stay out long and goes back into the temporary coop (garage) and lies under the nesting boxes with her head to the corner. What's left of her comb (looks like it froze off poor thing) and wattles are nicely red and normal, eyes seem fine although not perhaps as bright as usual. No hunching, and tail is up when she's outside. Prior to giving the "sandpaper egg," she was sitting in a nesting box for a couple of hours, clucking like she was going to lay an egg, and then would stop, repeating the behavior like 15 times. Now she won't even get into a nesting box.
I don't know what to do. I asked the farm store about worming and they looked at me like I grew antlers. I have heard to give wazine, but I have no idea how much to give or if I should give it. There are no visible worms in her poo at all. We have 20 meat beasts (cornish x) and 22 laying chicks also known as the meaties and the sweeties. They are almost 6 weeks old and neither they nor the ameracauna show any issues at all. Can someone please help? I love Honey already and I've spent so much time nurturing her, I'd hate to lose her if there's something I can do. BTW....nobody told me how much "butt stuff" there was with chickens! (but I still love my girls!) Thanks for any help...I'm worried sick!
