So Many Questions!!

[EmmaKay]

Hello, I'm a fairly new chicken Owner and have tons of questions.
1. I have two hens that I believe are sapphire gems. It's been hot lately but their personality hasn't changed a bit.. But.. I have noticed that their combs are looking more dull than usual and also seem to be dirty? I rubbed on them and I believe its dirt, but not sure how to clean it off.
2. I give them cold treats like watermelon and grapes.. I have noticed their stools are runny and I have heard a sneeze or two. Could the runny stool be from the fruit or are they sick? They dont smell bad or seem to have runny beaks..
3. I have two rescue hens. 1 is said to be a Rhode island red and the other a barnyard mix.
- they were very skiddish when I first brought them home early June 2021. They are coming around but still wont let you hold them.
- I noticed their combs are super tiny. (Could it be from malnutrition as a chick? Or maybe they are mixed with a type that has small to no combs?)
- the barnyard mix (Luna) began laying eggs a week ago. Her eggs are green (so pretty!) And the yoke was deep yellow/orange. She is laying usually 1 each day (this mornings egg was #5) The past 2 eggs have been painful for her. Like I said earlier, they dont let you hold them.... but, when she is in the hen box laying, she let's me rub on her. She squawks and I can hear her from inside and I come running to her. (Do you think she's calling me for help? Or perhaps shes just in pain..) I massage her and check for anything feeling abnormal. This morning, I could feel the egg near the exit and her bottom was swollen. She let me help her guide the egg out. Is that normal? Should I be concerned?
- the Rhode island red .... she's cute but I dont quite understand her yet.. also, I cant say for sure if she is laying or not because I have not seen the "laying behavior " that my other 3 (Luna included) express. I was getting 3 eggs a day like clockwork.. one morning I noticed an egg in a different laying box (I assumed it was the RR, but I'm just not sure) my two sapphire hens seem to be off their egg laying schedule so I just dont know whose is whose.

I could use any tips anyone may have for me!

 

[Callender Girl]

I don't have answers to most of your questions. But I feed watermelon and grapes to my chickens when it's really hot out and haven't noticed a correlation to runnier poop on the days they get fruit treats.

Would I worry if I could feel an egg in one of my girls and her bottom was swollen? I would be a bit concerned, but bear in mind that I overreact to many things. Runny stools always worry me.

As far as the laying schedule, weird weather sometimes causes irregular laying. It's been alternately really hot, rainy for a little while almost daily and highly humid here. Coupled with the shorter amounts of daylight, the number of eggs I collect is all over the map lately.

None of my chickens really appreciates being held, but if you think the combs are just dirty, I would try to gently rub them with a soft, dampened towel.

I would GUESS you may just have breeds with small combs. Some of mine barely have any combs at all.

Others will likely have better suggestions. Good luck with your chickens, and kudos to you for taking in the two rescue hens. BTW, Sapphire Gems are very good layers, and mine stay fairly productive through winter.

 

[aart]

Could the runny stool be from the fruit

Yep, have seen it here.

(Do you think she's calling me for help? Or perhaps shes just in pain..) I massage her and check for anything feeling abnormal. This morning, I could feel the egg near the exit and her bottom was swollen. She let me help her guide the egg out. Is that normal? Should I be concerned?

No. Just let her do her thing.

 

[FeatherTay]

2. I give them cold treats like watermelon and grapes.. I have noticed their stools are runny and I have heard a sneeze or two. Could the runny stool be from the fruit or are they sick? They dont smell bad or seem to have runny beaks..

Yes it could. Don’t worry!

- I noticed their combs are super tiny. (Could it be from malnutrition as a chick? Or maybe they are mixed with a type that has small to no combs?)

It could be because they are young, or they come from a breed with small combs, or they have different combs like a rose comb. You said one lays green eggs so I would be surprised if she has a rose comb, because many EE’s have rose combs.

She squawks and I can hear her from inside and I come running to her. (Do you think she's calling me for help? Or perhaps shes just in pain.

Chickens do the egg song, which means they are letting the world know they are laying an egg. I wouldn’t worry about it.

She let me help her guide the egg out. Is that normal? Should I be concerned?

She’s just a new layer. Shes trying to figure out how to do things.

1. I have two hens that I believe are sapphire gems. It's been hot lately but their personality hasn't changed a bit.. But.. I have noticed that their combs are looking more dull than usual and also seem to be dirty? I rubbed on them and I believe its dirt, but not sure how to clean it off.

If you want to clean them off you can, but usually it’s not a worry. They will just get them dirty again.