please check out my butt

[drumstick diva]

did you ask why the legs were bound?

 

[trilyn]

Those really do look like saddle feathers. I'm thinking you've got a "low on the food chain" roo on your hands. Ummm....that naked tush could be from lice/mites. You might want to check for those and treat with poultry dust containing permethrin. Also a good worming would help. I personally like eprinex as there is no tossing of the eggs. Good luck!!!

 

[Judy]

Another thing to consider is that buff orps typically have poo on their tail feathers, because they are such fluffy butts. I just got through doing a routine check and found a fair amount of poo on one of mine. I'm not trying to say she isn't injured or whatever her problem is, of course.

 

[joebryant]

This post is VERY disappointing!

 

[Omniskies]

I agree; your lady's a man. Break it to him gently.

Hens have large, round feathers on their back. Roosters have what are called saddle feathers, which are long, thin, pointed feathers that hang down and make them look all regal. If you look at his back and compare his feathers with those of your girls, you'll see a huge difference.

Males are usually a lot darker, which is why he's a lovelier shade of gold than the girl he's standing beside.

 

[wpchicks]

Crap! I think you guys are right. I think we have a roo, which we really don't want. We are getting better photos as we speak.
So if we get rid of him (via - have the farm we got him from pick him up) then do we need to do anything for the
other four, or do we just watch for signs of mites or whatever else this could be? Or is it a bad idea to keep any of them
since the original flock may have had a bad bug going around. I don't know, I know very little about chickens, and even less about sick ones.

Crap, crap, crap.

The lady told us sometimes they tape their feet so they are easier to handle, she thinks the probably just missed taking hers off before they put her in the box.
We couldn't figure out what she was doing for about 5 minutes, then saw that her feet were taped

. Poor girl.

 

[wpchicks]

these pics aren't very good but enough to tell she's a he I think. His comb is much bigger than the rest as well.

But if it were you, would you still want to keep the other chickens, we've got to decide tonight so they can be picked up.
(keep in mind this is our first time with chickens)

One more thing, if we just get rid of him that will leave us with two SLW, one buff and one brahma.
Originally we had planned on having just one SLW, two buffs, and one brahma. Will the brahma get picked on too much?
I feel like I just went through the drive thru, ordered a milkshake, but got shaken milk instead.


Thanks again. I love having chicken friends.

 

[Judy]

Shaken milk... I like that!

You really won't know how the pecking order sorts itself out til you are left with your four. In the end they are individuals. There are tendencies in breeds, but variations, too. But they'll all be hens and all large fowl; I would think they would sort it out fairly peacefully and quickly. They will peck til they sort out who is #1, etc., then they'll still peck but it won't seem so violent. If they don't draw blood they'll be fine, and if they do, just wipe it off if you can and watch to be sure they don't carry it too far, gang up on the pickee and really start in. All chickens are vicious little cannibals, or they have that in them. No way of knowing which one will be #4.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i would suggest giving them a bath with warm water and Dawn dish soap to help clean off any potential bugs they could have, i follow up with a rinse of apple cider vinegar and a final wash off with just water-seems to work for mites/lice. check over their feet for any irregular bumps in the leg and foot scales-that could mean scaly leg mites, but if they are young they may not show signs of them yet. if you see raised scales you can treat with a few different items, i've been hearing WD40, Pam cooking spray for those with foot feathers (not sure this really works yet, but i'm trying), you can give them a foot bath of alcohol and then cover with Vaseline or PulVex, or i have also read you can use Nu Stock made for horses/dogs/cattle and can be found at the feed store-looks to be about $15-$18 per tube.

if they are not sneezing/coughing/gasping for breath or have any mucous coming from their nostrils or mouth i would not worry about them being sick. there are many different forms of poop that a chicken could have, and many are not serious but look really gross! this will be helpful while you get used to having chickens http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

roosters are not always a bad thing to keep around if you are allowed to have them on your property! many will see you as the flock leader and will leave you alone. but you will need to ack like the roo yourself! i am not sure how BO roos are on attitude towards humans touching their girls but the roos i have seem to just watch me and wait for food or treats. i may get an occasional wing dance but that gets stopped when they see a girl cross their path!

eta: after the bath don't forget to blow dry the birds off! they need to be kept in a warm area till they fluff back out too! (usually a few hours till they are oiled again and ready to go out) i would de-worm the chickens with something-either use pumpkin seeds and a mix of minced garlic as a natural remedy. pumpkin seeds will paralyze the worms but not kill them, garlic will help kill the worms and should help keep them clean of the internal worms and biting bugs. there is not much on the market i have seen that can be used with chickens being kept for egg laying that you do not have to toss the eggs for a few weeks, so using the pumpkin seeds i have found very effective for finding out if they have worms before going onto something more effective but needs a withdrawal period.

i also wouldn't be too concerned with the brahma being picked on, if all birds were raised together they are usually fine. that roo may have been picked on by a bigger roo or older hens that were establishing a pecking order on him.

good luck with them!

 

[wpchicks]

Giving a chicken a bath - hmmm, that could be fun.

This is reminding me of the first night we got our yellow lab puppy, - not at all what we expected, but I guess the best things in life never are.

Good advice, thanks.

Any more insights, anyone? Please keep them coming.