Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickflick]

Welcome newbies!!
Sorry about the losses. Not just a chicken to us.... they are our pets and worm themselves into our hearts.

So sorry, RaZ. I know how hard it is dealing with a sick parent. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[wcbpolish]

Me too, glad. My biggest egg user has quit buying eggs, and I'm getting a lot! Last week nine dozen went to a food bank. Good cause, but wish there were more actual buyers. Mary

I'd be up to my ears in eggs if I weren't putting them in the incubator. Doesn't bode well for what the situation might be in a few weeks when the 'bator is full (actually, it's full already, but it's getting replenished as things hatch... nearly 120 duck eggs in, 12 goose, and over 100 chicken in at the moment)
...And when the hatching winds down, not only will the fridge be full of eggs, but the brooders will be full too. I think I may carpool with a friend over to the swap in Imlay City on April 29. Just have to convince my wife to let me go.

 

[Fun Chicken]

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I haven't kept up with you, but there has been a lot going on. We finally built our coop under the back porch, and like some of you predicted, it didn't quite worked out the way we hoped. It did get us through the winter at least though! So now we are planning on getting a pretty good size shed to move them into. We have 36 chickens and hope to complete the flock to 40. I have a question (or set of questions) for you guys, if I may? A couple of days ago I went into the coop, and found one of my girls laying in the bedding. Thinking she was dustbathing, I thought nothing of it. But then I noticed she wasn't moving at all. She was dead. I checked her all over, and could not find what might have killed her. She had no wounds, was not skinny, nor overweight, was not eggbound. I figured she might have had a heart attack. Then yesterday I went into the coop expecting to find Dottie, my WR who never ever goes out with the others, but she wasn't there. I was glad, thinking she finally went outside. When I picked up a big rubber dish I sometimes give them leftovers or veggies in, out popped the weassel! Well, the chicken, any way. She was "hiding" under the dish. But then I noticed her right eye was closed, and she was acting really weird! I put her down, and she started moving her head and neck to the left, back and forth like a snake. I took her inside with me and put her in a box with some food and water. I tried feeding her and it was as if she were blind and couldn't find her food, yet I know she could see me out of her good eye. I put some arnica ointment on her eye, and eventually she opened it, but she is still moving her head the same way. I can tell she has problems eating as she tries to eat and can't quite get to the dish but she did eat some lettuce. She also laid 2 shell-less eggs yesterday. What is wrong with her? Are the situations with both chickens related? What can I do to help her? Is it an injury or a disease, do I need to be concerned about my other chickens? HELP!

 

[robyn8]

My first broody hatched 2 of her 4 eggs today!! Mom is a buff Orpington dad is a blue silkie. The babies are just adorable!

 

[JackieandChicks]

Baby pics! I do think my English Orpington rooster is doing his job LOL! I have 9 roosters with the flock and I get all the black/blues with fluff.

 

[robyn8]

Baby pics! I do think my English Orpington rooster is doing his job LOL! I have 9 roosters with the flock and I get all the black/blues with fluff.

So cute!

 

[robyn8]

Mama and babies!!

 

[1muttsfan]

Cute chicks

 

[birdman55]

It has been a good month and a lot of hatching going on around here. Make sure to follow my forum building paradise for the birds below

 

[Fun Chicken]

Hello, I'm sorry to interrupt your conversations this evening, but I really need your help and expertise with my chicken (the one from the previous post). She's not doing any better. I noticed a hard lump on her crop and wondered if maybe she had sour crop or maybe she was just impacted. Anyway I gave her some mineral oil and some water with a dropper, as DH massaged her crop and she acted like she was in pain! It was especially difficult giving her the water. She even bit me, which she has never done before. Then later, when I tried to check her crop aagain, instead I felt a bone and again she reacted as if she were in pain and bit me. She hasn't had anything to eat other than some lettuce, and only the little bit of water I was able to force down her throat. She's still moving her neck/head from side to side like a snake, but especially tends to lean more towards the left. Please, does anybody have any idea what might be wrong with her? I'd hate to have her put down if she's going to be fine later on; she's only 7 months old. But I don't want her suffering if there is nothing else to do for her!