post your chicken coop pictures here!

[TJordan]

Can I still eat that egg? Or should I give it to my compost heap?

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks for that info... They were attacked by something Sunday and we lost one. I feared we would lose the roo and a second hen but both are acting fine save a nasty limp from my lady... Probably her stress egg....

Is her leg injury permanent or broken? Or do you think it's a bad internal bruise? Poor sweetie! If she is permanently disabled she will need a gradual ramp to climb to the new coop's nestboxes. To not get picked on an injured bird will endure a lot of pain to keep from looking ill so they don't get pecked by other chickens. She should be isolated indoors and watched to keep her calm while recuperating so her injury can heal and not cause her so much discomfort outdoors trying to keep up her appearances in front of the flock. The roo could hurt her more during mating too. It wouldn't hurt to separate her from the others for a few days since the roos have no sense to leave an injured hen alone. This is one reason I like Ameraucanas and EEs in my yard -- they accept orphaned chicks or injured birds into the flock without incident where other breeds are not nice about it.

Can I still eat that egg? Or should I give it to my compost heap?

There's nothing wrong with the egg except maybe some extra stress hormones in it -- just guessing here. Notice how much darker the mini-egg is because there was less egg surface for the pigment to cover so it came out darker. The egg is fine to eat or if you feel better not to eat it just hardboil it and feed it back to the chickens in their treat bowl. It looks like the size of one of our Silkie eggs!

 

[PoultryVines]

Oops, typo on the math. It is just the two of us, we don't want a big flock, just enough eggs for 2.

 

[TJordan]

[COLOR=0000CD]Is her leg injury permanent or broken? Or do you think it's a bad internal bruise?  Poor sweetie!  If she is permanently disabled she will need a gradual ramp to climb to the new coop's nestboxes.  To not get picked on an injured bird will endure a lot of pain to keep from looking ill so they don't get pecked by other chickens.  She should be isolated indoors and watched to keep her calm while recuperating so her injury can heal and not cause her so much discomfort outdoors trying to keep up her appearances in front of the flock.  The roo could hurt her more during mating too.  It wouldn't hurt to separate her from the others for a few days since the roos have no sense to leave an injured hen alone.  This is one reason I like Ameraucanas and EEs in my yard -- they accept orphaned chicks or injured birds into the flock without incident where other breeds are not nice about it.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=0000CD]There's nothing wrong with the egg except maybe some extra stress hormones in it -- just guessing here.  Notice how much darker the mini-egg is because there was less egg surface for the pigment to cover so it came out darker.  The egg is fine to eat or if you feel better not to eat it just hardboil it and feed it back to the chickens in their treat bowl.  It looks like the size of one of our Silkie eggs![/COLOR]

Thanks... I'll do that... I've got austrolops that are suppose to be calm but that roo is a punk... Almost wish HE was the one that had to be put down.... I'll set up a hen pin inside to make her comfy.... Unfortuontly she was hurt bad enough that I still might have to put her down... If it heals great... If it gets infected or worse.... She will be put to rest... I pray not but it's all part of the life/death game.... I've been investigating and got to thinking... My dog would of just shook them if it were her in order to kill them... Not rip up thier breast, rumps or such... Could it of been a opossum? We will get a few traps to check... Might of been a stray cat...

Plus they seem fine walking right up to the gate still right next to the dog... They would shy away from her it she was the culprit right?

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks... I'll do that... I've got austrolops that are suppose to be calm but that roo is a punk... Almost wish HE was the one that had to be put down.... I'll set up a hen pin inside to make her comfy.... Unfortuontly she was hurt bad enough that I still might have to put her down... If it heals great... If it gets infected or worse.... She will be put to rest... I pray not but it's all part of the life/death game.... I've been investigating and got to thinking... My dog would of just shook them if it were her in order to kill them... Not rip up thier breast, rumps or such... Could it of been a opossum? We will get a few traps to check... Might of been a stray cat...

Plus they seem fine walking right up to the gate still right next to the dog... They would shy away from her it she was the culprit right?

It could've been a dog, raccoon, or possibly a domestic neighborhood cat but without definite witnessing there's no way to tell what got into your flock. Raccoons can hunt in packs if it's a momma 'coon teaching her kits how to hunt. I don't know that a 'possum would be quick enough to chase and injure that many of your birds but a fast dog, cat, raccoon, fox could -- they love to chase for the sheer fun of it. Larger cats like bobcats, lynx, cougar, etc will usually target just one prey and leave with it rather than chase down the whole flock for the sheer thrill of the chase like a dog or raccoon likes to do. I can't speak to your flock about their relationship with your dog but it wouldn't be the first time a BYCer lost a flock to their sweet pet canines when the dogs were fine around the flock for years and then suddenly wigged out. Better to be safe than sorry is my motto regarding canines near poultry. When a dog is not a highly trained flock breed I would never feel comfortable trusting the family dog around birds. My friend lost her Christmas gift from her son of an expensive colorful parolet to the family Pug! Our Rotties loved to chase and kill Mourning Doves in the yard. I guess it's a natural dog thing to chase and kill birds. The owner of Cove Products developed their predator prevention panels because their pet bird dog always went crazy around the chicken pens trying to dig under.

 

[Sylvester017]

Oops, typo on the math. It is just the two of us, we don't want a big flock, just enough eggs for 2.

We have 3 hens for the two of us and it's not enough -- 2 Silkies and 1 Ameraucana. We're getting 2 more pullets (a Breda and another Ameraucana) in the Spring. In spite of broodiness and molting we should still have a steady supply of eggs for the two of us throughout the year with 5 hens. There's no accounting why one hen will be a good 2nd year layer while her sister may not be. After 3 years some hens just quit being reliable layers. Only our Leghorns were reliable well into their 4th and 5th years.

3 Leghorns were enough as layers but we had to rehome them last year because they were too aggressive in our mixed flock of gentle breeds. If eggs is all you want stick with one breed in the flock -- all Orps, Lorps, Marans, Legs, etc, or a mix of these dual-purpose/layers. For ourselves we opted to have a pet flock so we chose gentle temperament chicken breeds rather than prolific dual purpose breeds. Our gentle breeds make for a calmer backyard and coop environment.

 

[TJordan]

Well... It was not the dog that got my birds... Unless she can get off the chain and back on it..l I went to get traps this evening, came home to lock everyone up and set them.... It's struck again.... Missing 1..... 1 more injured that I can tell.... Will check rest in the morning....

 

[Latestarter]

From what you've been describing TJ, I think you're dealing with a cat. Better get that lazy man of yours off his keester and out there building a safe and secure coop & run!

May I suggest you cut the plug off the TV power cord. They sell snap on plugs to replace it when the coop is finished. You might also consider changing the combo to the gun safe so he can't go hunting either. And I suppose you better move all his fishing equipment out to the existing coop/run as well... just in case.

So sorry for the losses. No excuse for it but the procrastinatin' other half...

 

[TJordan]

From what you've been describing TJ, I think you're dealing with a cat. Better get that lazy man of yours off his keester and out there building a safe and secure coop & run!  May I suggest you cut the plug off the TV power cord. They sell snap on plugs to replace it when the coop is finished. You might also consider changing the combo to the gun safe so he can't go hunting either. And I suppose you better move all his fishing equipment out to the existing coop/run as well... just in case.   So sorry for the losses. No excuse for it but the procrastinatin' other half...  

Thanks... We've got a lg and sm live animal trap set up and I'll inspect all birds tomorrow after my little girl gets on the bus... I know we have a stupid cat in the area... I think we will temporary get a 10'x10' dog kennel and line the bottom 2' with hardware cloth to try to secure them until the new coop/run is built.. I told him he can go hunting IF he gets the kennel to put them in ..... A good compoormise as long as we put the tarp over it for air protection.

Now... Any idea what I can safely put on the wounds to prevent infection and aid in healing?

 

[MickeysChicks]

Thanks... We've got a lg and sm live animal trap set up and I'll inspect all birds tomorrow after my little girl gets on the bus... I know we have a stupid cat in the area... I think we will temporary get a 10'x10' dog kennel and line the bottom 2' with hardware cloth to try to secure them until the new coop/run is built.. I told him he can go hunting IF he gets the kennel to put them in ..... A good compoormise as long as we put the tarp over it for air protection.

Now... Any idea what I can safely put on the wounds to prevent infection and aid in healing?

Vetercyn for wound care, and antibiotics in their water. It's working great for my wounded birds....dang predators.........Good Luck!