Illinois...

[Molpet]

Still have Charlotte in the house. Her vent blew out after she laid that egg on Sunday. I've soaked her, cleaned her and put it back in but she's still missing so many feathers to be out in this cold. Plus her wounds are still pretty prevalent and I'm afraid way too peckable. She's so bored though!!! She wants to go back out there. I considered bringing a friend in to hang with her but I'm afraid not only would her friend possibly peck but then I'd have 2 bored chickens and one of them very able-bodied. Really hoping I can get her back out in the next few days.

Do you have room in the coop to have a cage she can go in on nice days?

 

[SnootyHen]

Do you have room in the coop to have a cage she can go in on nice days?

In the run, I do but I'm not sure we're going to have any of those until Sunday. High is 30 today and tomorrow with a chance of more snow and teens on Saturday. But hopefully Sunday is going to be 40 ish and up.

 

[cavemanrich]

SnootyHen​

Use BLUKOTE on the wounds if possible. Chickens do not peck BLUE,

 

[Molpet]

Ai in Will county.
I found a dead older meat mutt yesterday afternoon that looked like water belly, they are part CX. I put her in the garbage that was picked up before I seen this.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3155815878072316&id=1661035314217054

 

[SnootyHen]

Still struggling with 2 issues with Charlotte. Her bottom keeps popping back out. It seems to stay in a little better each time and she's pooping okay but her feathers are so dirty and I keep washing her and it keeps popping back out. Am I not doing it right or is it normal for it to take a few tries to get it to stay?

The other thing is her toe. Her middle toe appeared broken though she was still able to curl it, it was skewed to the side more than it should be. So I splinted it for a few days and she's walking on it and seems okay. I unwrapped it today because with all the washing, it's gotten pretty wet so I thought I'd let it dry and re-split. It's still skewed to the side but she's using it fine. Should I just let her get used to having a crooked toe or re-splint and see if I can get it to straighten out after a few weeks?

Snow here today so still no need to even think about putting her back outside yet but I am hoping Sunday maybe.

 

[cavemanrich]

re-splint and see if I can get it to straighten out after a few weeks?

If you can,, do this. I think if it is not in proper position, the bones will not fuse, and grow together. Result in time will be a toe that falls off. ,, Not the end of the world,, since I had a Cochin hen long ago that lost all her toes one, by one. Still was able to get around on the stumpy pads. I suspected Osteoporosis. or something similar. Since that time, I avoided chickens with feathered feet. Not sure if that was a factor,,,,, but the feathers on feet prevented me from seeing the toes going missing.

 

[Molpet]

Still struggling with 2 issues with Charlotte. Her bottom keeps popping back out. It seems to stay in a little better each time and she's pooping okay but her feathers are so dirty and I keep washing her and it keeps popping back out.

I have heard to use preparation h on prolapse, keeping them in dark ,no oyster shell or layer feed. So they don't lay eggs

 

[Molpet]

Backyard flock sorta near Bloomington IL has AI

https://www.facebook.com/439375076884538/posts/1124078405080865

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have heard to use preparation h on prolapse, keeping them in dark ,no oyster shell or layer feed. So they don't lay eggs

Good suggestion. When I want them to stop laying, I reduce light exposure to about 7 hours a day and decreasing protein will also help. Perhaps use a gamebird maintenance feed which is about 12.5% protein. Within a week, there will be no more eggs.
The calcium in layer feed just replaces the calcium in the medullary bone used to make eggshells, it doesn't support ovulation. Protein is what supports ovulation.

One of my neighbors unwisely switched all of his birds to a corn only diet after they started laying. It wasn't long before they all quit. He wanted to buy hens from me because he said his were 'broken'. When I found out he only fed corn, I recommended feeding 18% 'start and grow' they all resumed laying. 18% was the highest protein the neighborhood store had where we were. And since they had not been laying and though they needed a boost of amino acids, vitamins and minerals they didn't need calcium at that time.

 

[SnootyHen]

I wasn't worried about her trying to lay (after the one that was obviously already in progress) because I kept her in a dark bathroom for a week with no sunlight and she was bored and lonely. Not ideal laying conditions for sure!

The good news is she's back with her flock now and doing great! A little pecking initially but not a lot. She's getting around great and eating, drinking, grooming. I think my girl is going to be good as new! Still needs a lot of feathers but she's got them puffed up so you don't notice as much.