Not emergency, but new chicken owner questions.

[Flowerladies]

Hello!
I’m new raising my Buffy’s but I have a few questions.

1. Is it normal that one of my girls has “displaced feathers”? Making sure it’s not a deficiency.

2. Hard to tell in photo, but all girls have a slightly dry comb. Just little white lines. Sign of anything?

3. I am shocked by the size of some of these girls poops! Maybe too much food? About a 1 1/2 cups crumbles each. Veggies, worm treats. If their crop is full, does that mean they don’t need more food? I’ve read that Buffy’s eat too much. The poop picture with the chicken is just huge, not runny.

4. Runny poops! All three eat the same things and all three have a couple runny poops in the day. Difference between normal and diarrhea?

Thank you so very much. I just adore my girls!

 

[Eggcessive]

Chickens should have free access to their balanced layer or flock raiser feed (and water) all day until they go to roost in the evening. Is that all they get? They don’t need any extras except for free ranging for bugs, worms, and grass. If you are giving scratch, corn, table scraps or other things, then they might be getting too much. Those things should be considered treats, and given sparingly or not at all. Chickens poops can vary in color and consistency during the day, and might be runny if they are drinking more water. They usually pass a couple of cecal poops daily, the shiny, sticky, fowl smelling droppings that have been fermenting in the 2 cecal between the small and large intestines.

As far as their feathers, is one a rooster? I am not sure about the one with the feathers sticking up.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

1. Is it normal that one of my girls has “displaced feathers”? Making sure it’s not a deficiency.

It's normal. As you deal with more chickens, you may find that some hens want their feathers 'just so,' while others don't really care. Sometimes it's just their personality when it comes to how much they preen.

What isn't normal is when you start seeing bald spots when nobody is molting. Common bald spots are (though not limited to) bums, backs, and around the neck.

2. Hard to tell in photo, but all girls have a slightly dry comb. Just little white lines. Sign of anything?

This is normal. Does your girls have access to fresh water 24/7? It's always good to ensure your flock has plenty of water at all times. Sometimes offering them treats like watermelon helps hydrate them.

3. I am shocked by the size of some of these girls poops! Maybe too much food? About a 1 1/2 cups crumbles each. Veggies, worm treats. If their crop is full, does that mean they don’t need more food? I’ve read that Buffy’s eat too much. The poop picture with the chicken is just huge, not runny.

I wouldn't be concerned about their poops. They seem pretty normal to me, size included. A chicken normally knows when their crop is full, so they will naturally stop. I typically have access to food for my flock available at all times. Do you offer your birds any grit or oyster shells? Things like those helps grind up the contents in their crops.

4. Runny poops! All three eat the same things and all three have a couple runny poops in the day. Difference between normal and diarrhea?

An occasional runny poop is always normal and the pictures you provided are showing that they are the normal colors for the diet they are eating.

What isn't normal is when your chickens are only having running poops that might be foamy, have worms, or even discolored (often with signs of other things going on with your bird).

I hope this is all helpful. Best of luck to your lovely flock of Orpingtons!

 

[Flowerladies]

Chickens should have free access to their balanced layer or flock raiser feed (and water) all day until they go to roost in the evening. Is that all they get? They don’t need any extras except for free ranging for bugs, worms, and grass. If you are giving scratch, corn, table scraps or other things, then they might be getting too much. Those things should be considered treats, and given sparingly or not at all. Chickens poops can vary in color and consistency during the day, and might be runny if they are drinking more water. They usually pass a couple of cecal poops daily, the shiny, sticky, fowl smelling droppings that have been fermenting in the 2 cecal between the small and large intestines.

As far as their feathers, is one a rooster? I am not sure about the one with the feathers sticking up.

Funnily, we thought Tulip was a rooster for a long while. She just not as round and all her feathers almost seems slightly raised on the edges, where the other girls are totally smooth. I mean, I don't want to body shame her.... but making sure shes ok

 

[Flowerladies]

The other thing I am seeing a lot of is that unlike other breeds, buffys in particular will over eat and to take away food in the afternoon or measure their food. how much would a non-buffy eat in a day?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Their poops look normal to me. Sometimes it depends on what they eat and how much water they drink.
Oh my gosh you should see how ginormous my hens poops are.... almost the size of a small egg!!!!
I had a hen named Puddles that, like her name, always had very watery poops. She always tooted when she pooped
A chicken eats 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of feed per day, excluding greens that they get from free-ranging etc.

 

[RoyalChick]

Everything looks fine to me except you need a bigger container for feed and ideally hang it up or elevate it on a block so it stays clean.
I have one hen who thinks she is an elephant from the pooping perspective. Don’t think yours come close to what Bernie can produce!
And another one who has a single feather that always sticks out sideways.
Nothing to worry about.
Enjoy your flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

I prefer gallon size feeders and waterers, since they are harder to knock over. The feeders can be hung or set up on bricks. They will try to jump up on them and knock them over.