17 birds...just started laying...getting about 8 eggs a day... in a 11'Lx11'Wx7'H coop/run...just finished sleeping quarters/roost up off the floor or run...3'x3'x8'. Tomorrow, under the roost, I'm going to be adding a 3'x8' wire platform under the roost...essentially adding another 24 sq. ft. of run space to the floor space I already have.
I know this run is small, but it going to have to work until spring when I build the new and bigger coop and run.
Had a Brahma hen that got her rear end picked bloody so I separated her for nearly a month in a wire crate while she grew her tail feathers back out. She was looking great.
So 2 days ago I spent all day working in, changed bedding out, and finishing the elevated roost box and she was looking so good I decided to place her back with the flock while I was working. Mainly because I needed to move the wire crate off of the roost platform. I worked up there all day and watched while she was taking to being picked on like before. She beat the crap out of 2 birds that tried to size her up. I figured she'd be OK and when it got near dark I quit work in the run and let the birds go to sleep on the floor as they had been.
Next morning went to feed, every bird looked fine and acting normal. By evening time when I went to water and check on the birds she was underneath a board and wouldn't come out. Naturally it seemed out so I took a stick to try and coax her out and when she did move I could see the other birds had totally plucked out all of her new butt feathers/down and she was real bloody. So, I grabbed her up, removed her from the flock/run, and placed her in the garage in the wire crate.
Next morning I check her and she has a white discharge coming from her vent. Being new to chickens an internet search revealed this may be a yeast infection called, "Vent Gleet".
I'm going to get some plain Greek yogurt and vinegar with the "mother" and try and treat this.
I have one Golden Laced Wyandotte with a bare rump, but no discharge or blood...she's been this way for a month.
I recently acquired wooden shipping crates that will allow me to separate some birds and make more room in the coop/run. Those crates are 3'x6'x5'...I think I can put a divider into each crate essentially making each crate have two floors...or 36 sq.ft. per floor. I could potentially put 4 birds per crate...this would ease tensions in my big coop/run and allow more floor space per bird.
I'm going to get some vinegar with the "mother" tomorrow, but I have plain apple cider vinegar now. I wonder if that will work until I get the other tomorrow?
Does anyone else have any suggestions on additional treatment?
I know this run is small, but it going to have to work until spring when I build the new and bigger coop and run.
Had a Brahma hen that got her rear end picked bloody so I separated her for nearly a month in a wire crate while she grew her tail feathers back out. She was looking great.
So 2 days ago I spent all day working in, changed bedding out, and finishing the elevated roost box and she was looking so good I decided to place her back with the flock while I was working. Mainly because I needed to move the wire crate off of the roost platform. I worked up there all day and watched while she was taking to being picked on like before. She beat the crap out of 2 birds that tried to size her up. I figured she'd be OK and when it got near dark I quit work in the run and let the birds go to sleep on the floor as they had been.
Next morning went to feed, every bird looked fine and acting normal. By evening time when I went to water and check on the birds she was underneath a board and wouldn't come out. Naturally it seemed out so I took a stick to try and coax her out and when she did move I could see the other birds had totally plucked out all of her new butt feathers/down and she was real bloody. So, I grabbed her up, removed her from the flock/run, and placed her in the garage in the wire crate.
Next morning I check her and she has a white discharge coming from her vent. Being new to chickens an internet search revealed this may be a yeast infection called, "Vent Gleet".
I'm going to get some plain Greek yogurt and vinegar with the "mother" and try and treat this.
I have one Golden Laced Wyandotte with a bare rump, but no discharge or blood...she's been this way for a month.
I recently acquired wooden shipping crates that will allow me to separate some birds and make more room in the coop/run. Those crates are 3'x6'x5'...I think I can put a divider into each crate essentially making each crate have two floors...or 36 sq.ft. per floor. I could potentially put 4 birds per crate...this would ease tensions in my big coop/run and allow more floor space per bird.
I'm going to get some vinegar with the "mother" tomorrow, but I have plain apple cider vinegar now. I wonder if that will work until I get the other tomorrow?
Does anyone else have any suggestions on additional treatment?
