people with house chickens

[Reinsaway]

Rad poop was a whitish watery when I let her out just now.. Is this normal?

I get so worried about her, I want her to be around as long as possible!

 

[ChickenPeep]

That's not normal. Try cleaning out her waterer with hot water and soap and when you refill it add some apple cider vinegar. I also add a little Sav-A-Chick Probiotic powder. This has happened to my girls several times before and that usually does the trick.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

I think it's all length of day that regulates what animals do. It's hard to simulate though, if you have them in a room where the sun can shine in they should know the length of day. I would try making her cold enough to shiver. That ought to spark something.

I'm not entirely sure how that would be possible.... not without turning off the heat in the house. And I don't think that would make my family too happy.

This has been day four that I have been keeping the lights off in the room where her coop is. And it has been 5-6 days since I have gotten an egg from her, when she normally lays 4-6 eggs a week. I have also noticed that her behavior is very different. She is more tired and slower than usual. She has also been dropping a few feathers here and there. Maybe she is finally molting? I guess we'll have to see...

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm not entirely sure how that would be possible.... not without turning off the heat in the house. And I don't think that would make my family too happy.

This has been day four that I have been keeping the lights off in the room where her coop is. And it has been 5-6 days since I have gotten an egg from her, when she normally lays 4-6 eggs a week. I have also noticed that her behavior is very different. She is more tired and slower than usual. She has also been dropping a few feathers here and there. Maybe she is finally molting? I guess we'll have to see...

My chickens are not indoors unless they are sick or recuperating from illness or new juvies in quarantine. However my outdoor flock hens will get really droopy when they start their molt. For at least a month they will be reclusive, less appetite for feed, less outgoing and not very interested in treats, their comb pales, and of course the feathers start falling out all over the yard sometimes in big clumps. Hens are miserable during molt. They don't like to be handled during this time either because their sharp quills are growing in. I try to help them out by giving no-iron Poly-Vi-Sol children's liquid vitamins 2 to 3x/week but only one drop each time. Human vitamins are potent for chickens and should only be given as one drop dosage. A little extra protein during molt like hard-boiled eggs or cooked salmon or tuna or mealworms is good.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

She's molting! I just got home from work an hour ago, and when I checked on her I found that she has a whole bunch of new feather bumps forming all along her legs, wings, and on her chest.

 

[Reinsaway]

Just some pics of Radbird loving the indoor life!

 

[TOOCLOSE]

Just some pics of Radbird loving the indoor life!

Hi Rad Momma!
Looks like she's loving that house business!
Our big boy Marvin has decided he's quite happy hanging out with me and my husband! He'd love to come inside the house to hang out too. But that ain't happening! LOL He's stuck now sitting in his crate behind me in the porch room! I have to carry him outside on the porch now so I can clean his crate each day. He immediately turns around and starts knocking on the door to come back inside! I tell him to go in the heated pen area until I'm done! LOL

TC

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi Rad Momma!
Looks like she's loving that house business!
Our big boy Marvin has decided he's quite happy hanging out with me and my husband! He'd love to come inside the house to hang out too. But that ain't happening! LOL He's stuck now sitting in his crate behind me in the porch room! I have to carry him outside on the porch now so I can clean his crate each day. He immediately turns around and starts knocking on the door to come back inside! I tell him to go in the heated pen area until I'm done! LOL

TC

Is Marvin continuously kept in a crate or does he get leg room exercise? I couldn't quite understand what you do with him? Our small indoor dog kennel is 4'x4' but we only keep one chicken at a time in it and usually only for illness, quarantine, or temporary isolation.

 

[Reinsaway]

Hi Rad Momma!
Looks like she's loving that house business!
Our big boy Marvin has decided he's quite happy hanging out with me and my husband! He'd love to come inside the house to hang out too. But that ain't happening! LOL He's stuck now sitting in his crate behind me in the porch room! I have to carry him outside on the porch now so I can clean his crate each day. He immediately turns around and starts knocking on the door to come back inside! I tell him to go in the heated pen area until I'm done! LOL 

TC

If you would like I could show you how I made her diaper, she shows a lot more freedom of movement in the waistband type I made her than the ones with shoulder straps, she HATED shoulder straps

Either that or I could try and make him one.. But I have never made one without a Live model

 

[Sylvester017]

If you would like I could show you how I made her diaper, she shows a lot more freedom of movement in the waistband type I made her than the ones with shoulder straps, she HATED shoulder straps

Either that or I could try and make him one.. But I have never made one without a Live model

I don't know about TC but I certainly would like to see how you made your no-shoulder-straps diaper. I have an Ameraucana (my avatar) who absolutely hates diapers and refuses to walk, eat, or move when we put one on her. She is my freedom-loving girl and hates to be confined/restricted - really spoiled.