Texas

[jajeanpierre]

I haven't asked a vet. I might take it in just to get an xray.

No one else but you has responded...I know at some point, some where, I saw a picture where someone had a chick with a mass between its legs, causing the chick to almost waddle, they had a suggestion of it being a hernia. The OP said it cleared up on its own...I can't find it to see what she said it felt like. This honestly feels like the crop is in the wrong place, also, when I've felt where the crop should be, its been empty. Is it actually empty or is it malformed?

I thought I responded to you late last night.

It looks like Omphalitis, an infection of the navel usually caused by unhygienic hatch conditions or a bacteria entering a yolk that wasn't absorbed enough at hatch. Basically it is an infection of the yolk sack.

The crop will be empty because the chick isn't eating. It is sustaining itself on its yolk and will probably go down hill when it runs out of food and the infection over takes it. The prognosis for this is very, very poor even if a vet were working on it. They can take a long time to die and they suffer a lot. If it starts to go downhill, please just euthanize it. You won't save it. Chicks are really easy to put down--lots of people just take a pair of sharp garden shears or kitchen scissors and just cut the heads off. Don't be alarmed if the chick's headless body moves a lot (remember the saying, running around like a chicken with its head cut off????). Do the right thing by this chick.

I had a chick that probably had this and I allowed it to die and I was NOT happy with myself. I didn't have the courage to do what I needed to do.

 

[jajeanpierre]

It is very different skinned. I would eat that if it was served to me.

Those cockerels in my picture were something like six months old. They were incredible tasting--rich and buttery. It took my cooking my second chicken before I could enjoy them. The first bird I cooked, I forced myself to eat two bites. I really believe philosophically in eating my own raised chickens. Better for the chickens--unbelievably better for the chickens!--and healthier for me. The other upside is I am extremely thankful for the food they give me and don't waste a bit. I eat less, too, knowing an animal died for my meal. We in America eat far too much meat. The soup broth was very, very rich. I'm not sure if the chicken tasted better because it was older or because it was Silkie. I'm leaning to Silkie because I culled some 10 month old roosters and they weren't as rich tasting as the Silkie.

I used them in a curry and I didn't notice the meat looked different other than there were flecks of black in the meat. I chose a curry that had flecks of herbs in it to disguise it. I'm not heartless--I love my little chickens, but roosters have no place in most flocks. They have to go.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I've been doing some thinking about the chicks I am getting. I had everything all planned out as to what order to get the chicks in that was best for all of them and then my plans blew up.

I've been thinking about how small the silkie chicks will be and I wonder if they will be safe running around with the bigger chicks.
As it stands right now the Ameracuana chick will arrive first-hopefully in 2 weeks, followed by 3 BCMs the end of the month. After that the silkies and a cream legbar come (1st week of April) then later a Delaware and hopefully a Buckeye. (If the Ameracuana comes next week I could get the silkies next week too, rather than waiting.)

Would I be better waiting to get silkies next Spring?

I could brood them separately in a 20 gallon long fish tank in the brooder box with the others, I would have to use a heat light with them though and not the heat plate.


Also, was reading the other day and someone mentioned silkies were a high maintenance, special needs bird. I know everyone has their own opinion on things, but other than the fact they shouldn't get wet, is there anything else that makes them so 'special needs'?

 

[RustedOak]

I have two little coops, one for the front yard chickens (clean legged) and one for the feather footed bantams and my son's favorite Polish in my back yard.   One bantam Plymouth Rock goes freely between the front and the back flock.  Sometimes she lays and roosts with the big chickens, sometimes she sleeps with the  bantams.  She'll move between flocks (and a four-foot fence) several times a day.  She lays in whatever coop she is closest to.

Got yourself a free agent huh? lol

 

[kkidsmom]

Hi again from San Angelo - my hubby and I got one of each (hopefully all pullets), Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Barred Plymouth Rock, and Ameracauna (or more likely an EE since they are from Ideal Poultry). We ordered the breeds through a local feed store and they arrived with his bulk order about 1 1/2 weeks ago. They are growing so fast and I am ready to give them some outside time if we could just get a nice warm day again without a cool wind. I have never lived anywhere with such dramatic weather. I am using the metal round feeder with a glass jar for food and the plastic dish with a glass jar for water. Working okay, but lots of pine chips in the water - even though I've already raised it onto a brick. My husband is going to make the water nipples with cups for in their permanent coop. I went to the glass jars because they knocked over the water one day with the plastic jars. I'm loving these babies and can't wait for them to make a home in my yard, their run & coop! I'm a little worried about how hot it gets in this area. The coop and run are located under a shade tree to hopefully give them the most shade possible. Any good tips for the Texas 100+ degree and dry arid heat in this southwest Texas area?

We have used both the chicken nipples and cups for the past year. During this winter though, the pvc pipe shattered in the coop. Luckily the line was frozen enough that 25 gallons of cold water didn't cover our girls. We used pipe insulation - which the girls pick off. Then we used more and wrapped it in duct tape. I think our last revision survived intact. I would appreciate any suggestions on keeping the pipes from freezing. However for chicks we have several protein mix bottles with the nipples inserted in the bottle. These are absolutely the best as they are around 1/2 gallon in size and never get bedding in them. I would not reccommend any other way of watering chicks personally. They are great! Easy to make and cheap. I initally ordered 10 which I split with my brother for around 5 bucks with free shipping. Recently I ordered 25 for around 11 with free shipping. They are easy to find on ebay. Oh and we hang the bottles. We can adjust the height as the chicks grow.

Just my thoughts.

 

[kkidsmom]

I have and issue I hope someone can suggest a solution. I have a lavender orpington rooster that we have raised since about 12 weeks old. In the past month, he has taken to attacking my dominate hen. Victoria is dominant by default really like everyone's kind old grandmother who is given respect for her kindness, everyone loves her kind of way. That is not to say she is older than any of my other hens. She is just about 13 months old. She is the biggest hen, a barred rock, though my rooster's sister orpingtons are fast catching up with her in size.

This not rough breeding. He isn't trying to breed her. He is trying to rip her comb off her head. He succeeded in taking the back 1/3 of it off in his first attack. Here is what we have done. We have put him out of the coop and run. Occasionally we will put her up in one of the coops to let him visit his other girls all of which he treats normally.

Victoria is my favorite hen. So the fix has to fix him as I won't get rid of her. The only reason he hasn't made it to freezer camp or rehoming is that I wanted to breed him my other lavender orpingtons. Since they are still laying pullet sized eggs I feel it is still to early for this.

Does anyone know if this breed of roosters is know to be aggressive to other hens?

 

[Brookshire11]

I've been doing some thinking about the chicks I am getting. I had everything all planned out as to what order to get the chicks in that was best for all of them and then my plans blew up.

I've been thinking about how small the silkie chicks will be and I wonder if they will be safe running around with the bigger chicks.
As it stands right now the Ameracuana chick will arrive first-hopefully in 2 weeks, followed by 3 BCMs the end of the month. After that the silkies and a cream legbar come (1st week of April) then later a Delaware and hopefully a Buckeye. (If the Ameracuana comes next week I could get the silkies next week too, rather than waiting.)

Would I be better waiting to get silkies next Spring?

I could brood them separately in a 20 gallon long fish tank in the brooder box with the others, I would have to use a heat light with them though and not the heat plate.


Also, was reading the other day and someone mentioned silkies were a high maintenance, special needs bird. I know everyone has their own opinion on things, but other than the fact they shouldn't get wet, is there anything else that makes them so 'special needs'?

Mine haven't been too bad so far..I actually let them out in the pen with the big girls for a little bit on Wednesday and they did good!
Pan and Freya were the only one's who picked on them and even then it was maybe charge every 15 min, instead of the constant bullying it was before.
I wouldn't wait, BUT, that's just me.

In another note, the time went WAY too fast. I thought I had more of it.
Guess who's trying to crow?


Mr. Pan.......
Good thing he's been in the mud room when it happens.
This morning was the 3rd morning. At first I thought it was just him impatient to go out..
Yesterday I realized he MIGHT be trying to crow.
This morning at 7:30 am I KNEW he was.
He's not even 9 weeks! I thought it took longer!

 

[jajeanpierre]

I've been doing some thinking about the chicks I am getting. I had everything all planned out as to what order to get the chicks in that was best for all of them and then my plans blew up.

I've been thinking about how small the silkie chicks will be and I wonder if they will be safe running around with the bigger chicks.
As it stands right now the Ameracuana chick will arrive first-hopefully in 2 weeks, followed by 3 BCMs the end of the month. After that the silkies and a cream legbar come (1st week of April) then later a Delaware and hopefully a Buckeye. (If the Ameracuana comes next week I could get the silkies next week too, rather than waiting.)

Would I be better waiting to get silkies next Spring?

I could brood them separately in a 20 gallon long fish tank in the brooder box with the others, I would have to use a heat light with them though and not the heat plate.


Also, was reading the other day and someone mentioned silkies were a high maintenance, special needs bird. I know everyone has their own opinion on things, but other than the fact they shouldn't get wet, is there anything else that makes them so 'special needs'?

Get the Silkies at the same time as the Ameraucana. They will be fine if they start together. It is when you have older chicks and you try to add a new one that there is trouble. There won't be a problem with bantam Sillkies with a LF Ameraucana if they are the same age. A week is a huge difference in a chick.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have and issue I hope someone can suggest a solution. I have a lavender orpington rooster that we have raised since about 12 weeks old. In the past month, he has taken to attacking my dominate hen. Victoria is dominant by default really like everyone's kind old grandmother who is given respect for her kindness, everyone loves her kind of way. That is not to say she is older than any of my other hens. She is just about 13 months old. She is the biggest hen, a barred rock, though my rooster's sister orpingtons are fast catching up with her in size.

This not rough breeding. He isn't trying to breed her. He is trying to rip her comb off her head. He succeeded in taking the back 1/3 of it off in his first attack. Here is what we have done. We have put him out of the coop and run. Occasionally we will put her up in one of the coops to let him visit his other girls all of which he treats normally.

Victoria is my favorite hen. So the fix has to fix him as I won't get rid of her. The only reason he hasn't made it to freezer camp or rehoming is that I wanted to breed him my other lavender orpingtons. Since they are still laying pullet sized eggs I feel it is still to early for this.

Does anyone know if this breed of roosters is know to be aggressive to other hens?

It sounds like he is trying to breed her. They grab the back of the head and the comb. With the current commercial breeding practices, proper polite roosters that court the hens are not selected for so violent rapist roosters (Temple Grandin's term, I believe) are common. He's just a juvenile.. If you don't have any special reason to have him, cull him. He is not the type of rooster that makes for pleasant life for the hens. I doubt you can train him out of it. An older rooster might put him in line. A rooster is supposed to court a hen and ask permission. Rapist roosters don't ask and they are really hard on the hens because the hens object. He probably grabbed her comb harder as she struggled and she got hurt. He sounds like he will make life H*ll for any hens you have.

 

[SlipsWife]

It looks like an infected egg yolk./navel. Omphalitis. It is caused by bacteria getting into the chick's navel at hatching usually from poor hygiene.

http://www.pasreform.com/academy/fr...mphalitis-to-reduce-first-week-mortality.html

If it is that, it has a very, very poor prognosis.

Thank you for the link. We have another chick in this batch that also appears rounded but we've been fighting pasty with it, and it shows the signs of just not feeling right. Its dark and fuzzy and we can't tell if it has the same 'mass'...the other chicks really seems to fit the description giving in the link.