Maine

[buckabucka]

The new babies have arrived. I clearly woke them from their nap for this pic. [Sorry Lg but I don't know quite what to say about your sneezing chicken. Give it a little time and see what happens I think. If she seems fine in all ways other than the rasping she might be fine. If she isn't rattling and gurgling don't worry too much yet.]

The new babies are beautiful! Good thing I was not able to deliver them for you because I would have kept driving right on by LG, I had a hen get something caught in her throat and she made a loud wheezing noise all afternoon and into the evening. By morning it was gone. I hope that happens for you.

 

[Jazor]

Jazor, do you have fake eggs in the nest? I've heard one reader suggesting and having luck by minimally filing the translucent point off the offender's beak (of course, you'd have to know who that is) so the beaks are more sensitive. Do you have school age kids? School break this week, perhaps you could get the eggs gathered hourly, and have some observation going on to see if the offender(s) can be caught in the act.

I have no idea who the offenders are, and no way to collect eggs hourly. I had golf balls in the boxes--made no difference. They just got covered with yolks.

I just read about this recently. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it is said to work:
EGG EATING
This is from Secrets of Successful Poultry Keeping -1929
"The most popular and incidently most useless is the filling of eggs with some nauseous mixture........, it is much trouble and rarely succeeds. Filing the hen's beak is again seldom effective.......
There is however a cure, and a remarkably simple one. In each nest-box place eight or ten eggs marked with a cross and as often as they are eaten replace them with others. It is the old story of the child and the sweets. In a few days it will be found that the birds have had their fill of eggs and none are missing. Leave the eggs in the nests for a couple weeks when may be safely removed and no further trouble will ensue.

Thanks Bucka! I'll be trying the overload method. I figure it makes some sense. Might as well try some logic before they all go to the freezer!

 

[lazy gardener]

Bucka, your post does make a lot of sense. Kind of like fight fire with fire. I went out to the coop with dread this morning to see how Lacy's breathing was... all was quiet except for them gently muttering to themselves... so... either she died, or what ever was bothering her, worked out of her system. She met me at the door, bright eyed and chipper as usual.

I think I've figured out how I can winter a larger flock in the existing coop next year. Perch space is the limiting factor. But, I can very easily mount one if not 2 perches perpendicular to the existing perches... kind of like the lay out of a tic-tac-toe game. The extra heat would be good, and they spend all day, every day down in the lower level anyways... That's 8 x 8 in the secure section, with an added 4 x 8 that's only sheathed with 1" chicken wire. I welcome comments on how that would do to house a dozen girls in the winter.

 

[ashandvine]

LG, if you are worried about that kind of blockage again I recommend oiled bread. Not usually what you feed a chicken but it has helped turkeys who have eaten prickly pears before.

OKAY, gird your loins, I have more baby pics. I just can't help myself.



note the one chick with feathered shanks on the right. A keeper for sure.




This face. THIS face is inspiring to me.

 

[lazy gardener]

You make me swoon with envy! Thanks for the bread and oil idea.

Just got confirmation from MMc that they do have RCBL! So, my order will go through, changed a bit, but I don't have to keep scrambling to get the birds I want. Getting 4 Doms, 3 RCBL, and 10 yummy Pioneers.

 

[MustardTiger]

TOO CUTE!

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I went out to the coop with dread this morning to see how Lacy's breathing was... all was quiet except for them gently muttering to themselves... so... either she died, or what ever was bothering her, worked out of her system. She met me at the door, bright eyed and chipper as usual.

I'm so glad Lacy pulled through, LG! I anticipate I will be losing my girl today. She barely opens her eyes anymore and I can't get anything into her. At least she looks peaceful and doesn't appear to be in discomfort.

OKAY, gird your loins, I have more baby pics. I just can't help myself.

So cute, ash!

 

[lazy gardener]

So sorry Izzy. do you have any idea what's wrong with her? Will you be doing an autopsy? It might be a good idea.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

So sorry Izzy. do you have any idea what's wrong with her? Will you be doing an autopsy? It might be a good idea.

Thanks, LG. I just found her dead. I'm not sure what was wrong. I have a friend who has been keeping chickens for years coming over to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious and also to make sure my other birds and the set-up look ok. I would like to have an autopsy done, but can't drive the 5 hours round-trip to the state lab myself. I would have to ship her tomorrow. Do you think that is too late if I keep the body chilled tonight?

Never easy.

 

[Jazor]

Thanks, LG. I just found her dead. I'm not sure what was wrong. I have a friend who has been keeping chickens for years coming over to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious and also to make sure my other birds and the set-up look ok. I would like to have an autopsy done, but can't drive the 5 hours round-trip to the state lab myself. I would have to ship her tomorrow. Do you think that is too late if I keep the body chilled tonight?

Never easy.

I'm pretty sure UMaine has a lab where you can pay to have a necropsy done for something like $30. Might be worth looking into. I've also noticed most of the time the person doesn't feel like they got $30 worth of information out of the deal when it boils down to something like malnutrition or some type of infection/disease. I'm sure you take great care of your birds, but as people have mentioned--sometimes animals don't thrive and there's nothing you can do for them. It's not a reflection on you or your care for your flock either way, that's what I would try to keep in mind.