Michigan

[keyt1969]

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Well, it appears I spoke too soon. Gizmo has been staying on our porch (mud room) and every once in a while I let him out to run. I did so last night and he did the flopping over thing again...several times. He's eating like crazy...which he's actually done all along....drinking and pooping fine. He was hopping around normally but every once in a while he'd flop over to his back! He did it a few times while in his cage too. I don't get it! He doesn't act like he's in pain or anything!? Poor thing!

Got another afghan order today woohoo. It's for the American flag I made a while ago. Takes a while but it's a BIG money maker! I created a pattern for a shopping bag too so hopefully I can sell some of those.

Keyt it sounds to me like he has wry neck or an inner ear infection. Without seeing him I don't know really what to tell you but those are my best guesses. Does he hold his head tilted at all? Are his top lips drawn back? You may want to take a look in his ears and smell the inside to see if it has that infection smell to it. (would smell yeasty) If it's an infection you'll be able to treat it...unfortunately if it's wry neck it will only get worse.

Oh no! Well his ears are fine, but he does sit with his head in his food bowl all the time, even sleeping that way. He never did that before. I'm so worried about him. He's still on the porch. I don't wanna take him out to his hutch yet, I'm afraid the cold might make him worse!

 

[Olive Hill]

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I love Muzzy hunting... I use my dads 54 cal Hawkin. Darn thing is dead on! It's easy really, you should try it. Going out this weekend matter of fact!

Oh, it's not an issue of it being difficult (or that I perceive it to be) usually by this time I'm just done hunting. Have never had the desire to go out during muzzle loader season and am quite satisfied using a shotgun. *shrug* Still don't really have any desire, to tell you the truth. I might shoot the hubby's a few times just to get a feel for it in case this situation ever pops up again, but otherwise I have to be honest it's not an activity that's on my radar.

 

[slc]

Hi folks. Well here in the U.P. school hardly ever gets canceled, except for Deer Day of course. It's -13 right now, without a windchill. There is glitter falling from the air since its so cold that the moisture in the air is freezing without a cloud in the sky. We have a 11x22 chicken house, insulated, but unheated. It houses about 35 chickens and 3 turkeys. Even in the coldest temperatures it rarely gets in the single digits inside. Chickens produce about 50 btu per bird, sometimes more if you feed them extra grain. Last year we let the chickens out on a cold but sunny day and the roosters lost the points on their combs from that one day. We do not let them out now. They have plenty of room to act like chickens inside anyway. Odd thing that a few of my chickens do is when it is the coldest part of the winter they abandon the nest boxes and dig down in the deep litter and lay their eggs then cover them! There is one corner of the coop that I find them, buried, like digging up potatoes! Other eggs are found frozen, but the buried ones are never frozen. Maybe chickens are smarter than we think.

 

[justcelia]

I worry about our two girls. It is so cold! They came out of the coop (coop and covered run) 2 days ago when Tweek was cleaning snow off the roof. They went about 4 feet from the coop and got on top of a small raised bed (also covered with snow). They would not come off the bed! I had to pick them up one at a time and put them by the coop door.

Yesterday they stayed in all day. We added a 4X4 foot covered addition and they seem to like it. That gives them a 10x4 foot roofed and plastic covered run area.

Today they were scared out of the coop by a SQUIRREL! Missy (Yorkie) chased it out. They wandered a bit and pecked at the ground a bit but then the girls were back on the raised bed! I had to pick Maggie up and take her by the coop door. When I went to get Edith she finally hopped down and went to the coop on her own.

Should I just keep them locked up?

After the squirrel deal I shut the door.

is 4X10 enough room for 2 hens all the time? I do get them to come out when I feed them warm goodies but then they go right back in!
They will eat out of our hands now. Its so cute! I love them so much and want them healthy and happy.

Celia
2 Braham hens and a Yorkie

 

[Olive Hill]

They will seek out warm places to roost during the day (the raised bed is likely warmer than the ground). They will choose comfy places out of the wind, seek out cover a little more actively than they do in the summer because foliage is scarce. They will spend less time foraging around simply because there's less to forage for. They'll not expend as much energy running around so as to have the energy to keep warm and comfy. All of these are coping mechanisms, instinctual ways in which they know how to thrive and survive in what mother nature is throwing their way.

Coping is not a bad thing. It's a good thing. We all do it. We have our ways -- we put on gloves and hats and have invented ways to heat our environments -- chickens have theirs. Leave them to their devices and do no worry. As long as they have shelter, food and water they will be fine.

Still not convinced? I have a picture of one of my hens in the -20 blowing winds in the midst of the storm we got the other day. I can post it up for you. LOL!

 

[justcelia]

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Thanks. I needed to hear that.

They act "cheerful" and still expect goodies. They just arn't as willing to trudge across the snow to get them! (Spoiled)
I can't wait for spring. I have such wunnerful ideas for the new coop!

Celia
A worry wort.

 

[michickenwrangler]

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Your partridge cochins? <rubs hands together excitedly> If I come hang out in the coop and catch the eggs as they come out of the birds' butts can I hatch 'em?

I think it's the splash, since she's squatting when I got to pick her up. The blue, black and partridge hens all just try to run away!

I used a cochin egg when baking the other day and saw that it WAS fertilized.

It's amazing how we all get excited about our chickens' love lives!

Olive, you're welcome to come on up in spring to get some hatching eggs. They're LF and here's some pics of hen and rooster. But please wait until spring. I'll probably start giving them some ground beef and breeder food come Feb. I get organic, grass-fed beef from a dairy farm so the birds will be getting that come breeding season.

 

[keyt1969]

RIRJen and Vicki....

It appears that maybe Gizmo is getting worse. Not really sure, but he definitely isn't acting right. Jen, I looked up wry neck and he has SOME of the symptoms, but not everything. He rolls, but not all the time. We still have him inside and we let him run around the porch. Occasionally he will roll when he hops around or when he's just sitting in his cage. He sits with his head in his food dish even when it's empty. He also occasionally shakes his head, but doesn't hold it sideways as I've read rabbits with wry neck do. He has also lost weight, but symptoms say wry neck causes loss of appetite and that's definitely NOT the case with my dear Gizmo!!

I guess i need to call the town vet. My vet instructor friend can't see him because he's out of state but he's definitely concerned. Gizmo's ears appear fine, no smell or anything even though he shakes his head as if something is in them.

Originally I thought maybe he hurt himself when he jumped into the dog run to see his friend Elvis, but it wasn't that far of a fall and he landed in leaves so I don't think he hurt himself that way. He doesn't act as if his legs or back are hurting either

I feel so bad for him! Just about every hour I am out there checking on him, talking to him, holding him or letting him out to hop around. I'm so scared I'm going to go out there and he's going to be dead!!

Any other ideas? Why do these things happen when I'm financially wrecked??? I'm gonna need to borrow some money because we just put money into Alto Gas! Oh well, he's that special to me and I want to find out what's wrong!!!

 

[SillyChicken]

Hope it's nothing serious with the bunny.

 

[Olive Hill]

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I'll definitely take you up on that offer when the weather warms.