Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[RubyNala97]

I also should add that when I found Lemon she was not in the nesting box, but the box had some blood and an egg that looked like a deflated balloon.

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is also my first year with chickens, so I have not experienced this personally, but as the other two posters said, it sounds like a prolapse. I was reading this article and it says that if the other chickens start pecking at the prolapsed vent, it will pull the intestines out and the hen will die. So if she was in the coop with the others maybe that's what happened. Again, I'm so sorry. Here's the link to the article:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/prolapse-vent-causes-treatment-graphic.html?m=1

 

[ChickenAl]

One thing I forgot to mention is that I did bury the chickens that had died. It was in the warmer months, so the ground was not frozen. I think the suggestion of having a Vet take care of it is a good one.

 

[lalany]

Thank you for your advice and kind words. After looking into prolapse and seeing some pictures, I'm pretty sure that is what it was. Lemon always laid very large eggs. I just wish I had noticed something earlier and could have helped her.

I am going to speak to our vet tomorrow about cremation and if that's not feasible we will find a way to get her in the ground.

Thank you all!

 

[JerseyHen]

Is anyone ordering from Ideal this year? I have 7 blue dutch hens and lost my only rooster in that color. I have asked around and no-one seems to have one to rehome. Has to be the first time in history that I am looking for a rooster and can't find one.

 

[HippyChippy]

Hi Carolyn, my chickens were producing a few eggs a week, a few total not per chicken, until the beginning of January. Now nothing! Not even the 6 month olds. Last year they were laying a few a week all through the winter and I only had four. Now I have seven. One of the 6 mos. old chickens (I had four) was a roo but not yet crowing... We found him dead the other morning in the coop. No signs of anything that I could see... Very sad. The 2 bigger hens picked on him and I had to fend them off so he could get some hot oatmeal in the mornings. Lol. He was the only one of the four that we could name. He was called Mohawk cos of his developing comb. He was going to be a beautiful bird. We call the others Thing 1,2, and 3.
They are porcelain d'occles bantams I got at a day old because my two seramas I got from Roberta were constantly brooding. They were fantastic mothers and both took care of the babies. Are you going to any shows this spring? And if so, where?
A belated happy new year. And to you too Al, even though we haven't met, as of yet.

 

[Carolyn252]

Hi Carolyn, my chickens were producing a few eggs a week, a few total not per chicken, until the beginning of January. Now nothing! Not even the 6 month olds. Last year they were laying a few a week all through the winter and I only had four. Now I have seven. One of the 6 mos. old chickens (I had four) was a roo but not yet crowing... We found him dead the other morning in the coop. No signs of anything that I could see... Very sad. The 2 bigger hens picked on him and I had to fend them off so he could get some hot oatmeal in the mornings. Lol. He was the only one of the four that we could name. He was called Mohawk cos of his developing comb. He was going to be a beautiful bird. We call the others Thing 1,2, and 3.
They are porcelain d'occles bantams I got at a day old because my two seramas I got from Roberta were constantly brooding. They were fantastic mothers and both took care of the babies. Are you going to any shows this spring? And if so, where?
A belated happy new year. And to you too Al, even though we haven't met, as of yet.

Hi, HippyChippy. Finally, finally, two of my eight started laying three days ago. The EasterEggers. So I've had four blue eggs since Wednesday. And two of my oldest ladies squatted for me yesterday. No eggs from them since October, but they are at least five years old, so we'll see how far into the Spring they wait before gifting us again with breakfast. I don't go to shows unless they're very, very local. I don't travel well; car rides are my bete noir. Roberta Chicken Fairy Godmother has very kindly offered to look around at the next show she goes to (New Jersey later this spring) for two point of lay or started pullets for me that are blue-egg layers and are Mareks vaccinated. I'm thinking Cream Legbars or Ameraucanas or Araucanas. I'm so sorry you lost that young roo. Bummer. Two or three years ago, I lost two young hens to Mareks and it was so sad watching them fade away. I hand fed them with eyedroppers for a few days, but to no avail. (The Mareks diagnosis is strictly my own assumption as there was no necropsy done, but the symptoms were classic. That's my conclusion and I'm stick'n to it.) Belated happy new year wishes right back at you. Hoping for an early spring. It is SO cold here on Long Island. Where are you located?

 

[JerseyHen]

Hi Carolyn, my chickens were producing a few eggs a week, a few total not per chicken, until the beginning of January. Now nothing! Not even the 6 month olds. Last year they were laying a few a week all through the winter and I only had four. Now I have seven. One of the 6 mos. old chickens (I had four) was a roo but not yet crowing... We found him dead the other morning in the coop. No signs of anything that I could see... Very sad. The 2 bigger hens picked on him and I had to fend them off so he could get some hot oatmeal in the mornings. Lol. He was the only one of the four that we could name. He was called Mohawk cos of his developing comb. He was going to be a beautiful bird. We call the others Thing 1,2, and 3.
They are porcelain d'occles bantams I got at a day old because my two seramas I got from Roberta were constantly brooding. They were fantastic mothers and both took care of the babies. Are you going to any shows this spring? And if so, where?
A belated happy new year. And to you too Al, even though we haven't met, as of yet.

I am so sad that you lost your little roo. He was so handsome. I find that the boys don't do as well in the cold for some reason, especially my bantams. Maybe they don't have as much bodyfat as the hens?

 

[Harborview Hens]

Hello Everyone,

It has been ages since I have been on. I do have a question for you all

My girls are getting older and laying less and I am starting up a new coop/run etc for my new group of 12. Has anyone here on Long Island purchase d pullet from Wayne Meyer of Long Island Poultry Farm in Riverhead. I bought my last group from a poultry breeder in Connecticut ( 3 1/2 hour ride each way)

He gets his stock from Ohio. I asked if it was a Certitied Hatchery and he said yes. He seems very nice but I was wondering if anyone has head anything about him??

Thanks for your input!

Irene

 

[lalany]

Anyone know what this might be? I noticed it this morning. She does not appear to be sick.

 

[lalany]

Hello Everyone,

It has been ages since I have been on. I do have a question for you all

My girls are getting older and laying less and I am starting up a new coop/run etc for my new group of 12.  Has anyone here on Long Island purchase d pullet from Wayne Meyer of  Long Island Poultry Farm in Riverhead.  I bought my last group from a poultry breeder in Connecticut ( 3 1/2 hour ride each way)

He gets his stock from Ohio. I asked if it was a Certitied Hatchery and he said yes.  He seems very nice but I was wondering if anyone has head anything about him??

Thanks for your input!

Irene 

We purchased our first 2 hens from him about 2 1/2 years ago. We had already reserved 6 hens from a person in Connecticut so that's why we only bought 2. Both birds are still very healthy. I went late in the spring and he did not have as many breeds as he told us he normally had. His "operation " is at his house. He had dedicated, clean sheds for the chickens. He has a FB page under Long Island Poultry.