The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
To be very clear -
Do you put the crate girl in total isolation where she can't even see the rest of the flock? Or is she crated within eyesight.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

@Leahs Mom

I brought the hen inside. It was summer so no cold issues. A couple hours later DH was home and gave it a warm water only bath in our laundry sink. I think the whole bath from start to finish was 45 minutes. The hen hated all of it and put up a fight. Eventually DH was able to massage the feathers on the hen in such a way that the egg came out into the sink. Thin shelled, it broke in the water and DH called the bath over. It was hot out so we did not dry off the hen but put her out in the garage to isolate her. Our thinking was that she would go back with the others after dark. She did not make it to dark.
I'm not sure how long she had been egg bound as she was one of my production hens I had about 20 at the time that all looked very similar. There were 3 that I could pull out and identify correctly every time. But she was not one of the three. It was when I noticed a decrease in egg production overall that I started checking vents and watching hen behavior more closely. In the end I noticed that she did very little active stuff and mainly laid around in a nesting box.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
LOL my dog is the one that busts up the gangs... he just runs over the top and knocks them all for a loop. the hens take off running and the cockerels all go 'what was that?'

 

[aoxa]

To be very clear -
Do you put the crate girl in total isolation where she can't even see the rest of the flock? Or is she crated within eyesight.

Kennelled alone in our basement. While she was recovering, I had very little light to try to control her egg production. She improved, was reestablished with the flock, and her egg binding recurred.. broke again.. she had prolapsed that time. I again separated.. she seemed improved so I put her back. She died 48 hours later.. She seemed fine the night before. Eating, pooping, etc. She was really hiding her infection well.

She was a Orpington.

 

[RedRidge]

SNOW DAY!!

 

[ki4got]

SNOW DAY!!

ROFL I've got chickens that were trying to stand on top of each other to see out the hole they made, when they all launched from the coop... had to rescue them before they 'drowned'. LOL

18-24" depending where you measure. this isn't supposed to happen in sw Virginia!

 

[Leahs Mom]

SNOW DAY!!

Quote: VA.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Random question for Silkie Owners:

Are you able to house your regular LF with the silkies or do you have to house them separately to keep them from being mauled?

 

[armorfirelady]

Redridge I

the pics. Your rooster looks like he is confused by the snow

 

[aoxa]

Random question for Silkie Owners:

Are you able to house your regular LF with the silkies or do you have to house them separately to keep them from being mauled?

Not with LF roosters.. With LF hens yes.