Random cackling

[okiegirl47]

Hello everyone,

I have a young hen about 6 months old that hasn't started laying yet. The thing is that she will just start cackling like she's just laid an egg but when I check for that much anticipated first egg, it's not there. Does anyone know why she does this?

 

[fosterson]

I have a flock of 10 layers (12 chickens total, one's too young to lay and one's a roo).

I have never once heard the 'egg song' when it was actually accompanied by an egg. My chickens seem to make all sorts of noise whenever they darn well please

I think it goes back to Chicken Logic 101: there is no chicken logic!

Chickens also make a slightly different cackle when they think they spy a predator, so she might be getting spooked by something.

 

[okiegirl47]

Thanks Fosterson,

I have heard the " egg song" many times but I have to say that this girl's cackling does sound slightly different. So maybe she is reacting to something around her. While I have your ear, do you know if DE alone will get rid of lice or mites?

 

[fosterson]

Thanks Fosterson,

While I have your ear, do you know if DE alone will get rid of lice or mites?

Not if they already have mites. But it's a great preventative. Make sure you get the stuff meant for livestock and not the stuff meant for gardening. The gardening stuff isn't technically edible, though I don't know why. Also, you'll pay like $25 for a 5 pound bag of the stuff at the feed store. So ask if they have any of the 50lb bags...they're closer to $40 and last a LOT longer.

 

[okiegirl47]

Well she's already hot them. How do youget rid of them?

 

[fosterson]

There's as many ways as there are flock keepers. You might start out searching the site for advice. I myself got some birds I suspected had mites (couldn't tell for sure, but didn't want to risk it) so I switched them to Nutrena's Feather Fixer feed for a bag. Gave them a bit more protein to rebuild their feathers (they were molting BAD) and it's got an anti-mite ingredient (pyrethrin (sp?)) to help their bodies fight off the mites.

If the infestation is bad, you may need to resort to a topical insecticide but I have never personally used one.

If they have scale mites on their legs you can rub them down with olive oil for a few days to help smother the dang things out.