Hi from another Newbie,

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MsRae

MsRae

Chirping
5 Years
Aug 6, 2014
11
0
60
I'm Ms Rae.

I've been watching this site for a while. I really like the way y'all have in common, the desire to help each other raise happy healthy chickens.
I inherited a few hens (1 Buff Orpington, 3 Golden Sex Links, and a big white rooster) I'm down to just 2 Sex Links, and 1 Buff Orpington. Something got hold of other two while they were outside of the chicken yard. I replaced the rooster with a Rhode Island Red. He's turned out to be pretty mean. I have to put on my best Kung Fu, to go into the yard to feed, water, or gather eggs.
Only one of the Sex Links are still laying. I have no idea how old they are. I've been considering doing away with them, and starting over with fresh stock. I've thought about getting New Hampshire Reds. From what I've read, they'd be the perfect breed for me, and they are on the watch list of Heritage Breeds. I'm wanting good dual purpose birds.
Right now, I'm trying to determine if my Buff Orpington is broody, or sick. She lays around like she's broody, but she doesn't stay in the nest boxes. I've found her hidden behind one of the feed barrels, and in the corner behind the bale of wook shavings that I use for the nest boxes. She doesn't even try to cover the other hen's eggs. Any Ideas???

Again... Howdy!
Ms Rae
 
Hello and welcome to BYC!
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Sorry for your losses. However keeping a mean rooster is never a good idea. Nobody needs to constantly watch their backs with a rooster around. They can do serious damage to you or kids as well. So send the rooster to the stew pot. Most roosters act like alarms for the flock, rather than physically defend them. If you are only in this for eggs, I wouldn't keep roosters.

As for your hen hiding behind a barrel, you will know she is broody if she fluffs up and growls at you when you try to pick her up. She may even bite at you. When she is up and out, she would be cluck cluck clucking all over the place. But if you can pick her up and she is quiet and no fluffing or growing, then she probably is sick.

Give her an over all exam from beak to tail, looking for bugs, mites, lice, foot, legs or pad infections, full or empty crop. You might do an internal exam for a stuck egg. Put on a latex glove with some KY Jelly or vaseline on the index finger and gently insert your finger straight back. If she has a stuck egg, you will feel it right there.

You can also post this in our emergency section for more help...https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

I hope she is going to be ok.
 
Thanks for the welcome!
Will try these steps. Hope it's something simple.
Catch'ya Later!
Ms Rae
 
Thank you all for the welcomes.

I'll try these measures for the BO. Thanks for the suggestions!

Chicken and Dumplings sound real good about now. I'll go inform the mean rooster.

I'll be in touch.
Ms Rae
 
Welcome to BYC, Ms. Rae! Glad you decided to join our flock. Sorry about the loss of your two chickens. You have been given some good advice and a good link from TwoCrows. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. I hope your Buff Orpington will be okay. Good luck.
 

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