Update --- Just wanted to let people know. After 4 days in the house, eating sparingly, my boyfriend suggested giving her freeze dried worms. My chicken had been moving around a lot more, sleeping less, and seemed very content inside. So, after gobbling up the worms, I decided to put her back outside.
As I held her and brought her towards the coop, she started kicking and squirming. When I put her down, she ran to the coop door, and the 5 girls inside were excited also!!! Until I opened the door....the pecking and chasing began. My two golden comets were the worst, jumping on her and yanking feathers. I tried the spray bottle technique to no avail. Luckily she was submissive, and the others were more interesting in running around in the yard.
So I took advantage of the situation, and put the two separated 10 week old speckled sussex chicks in the mix also. The two comets now had three birds to divide their attention. Hard to chase around three birds at once.
The pecking wasn't bad at all. It lasted maybe three days. Black australorp is back in her place at the bottom of the flock, exactly where she was in the first place. Scratching in the dirt, dust bathing, stealing the worms from the two sussex.... a good day in the life of the girls
. The two sussex spend the day playing around in the coop for the most part. They all sleep up on the roosts. Being the worry wort mother hen that I am, I would spend every minute I could out there, hoping for a smooth transition. Thankfully there was not a single drop of blood.
I hope that this helps another reader in some way, even if it's just to quell some anxiety. I'm new to chickens, getting them as day old chicks in May of 2012. So far, so good, and I am a happy chicken mom
Hi everyone,
I have been researching this for days. I am not sure what the problem is, and do not have the money for x-rays and vet. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
A little background : 6 hens, all raised together. Purchased as two day old chicks back in May 2012. They lived in a baby pool in the spare bedroom until they were fully feathered, then out to their coop and run. Two black australorps, two barred plymouth rocks, two golden comets. All happy and healthy. The two australorps took the longest to start laying, one of which seemed to take forever. Had to be between 7 and 8 months old. One of the six, not sure which, would lay some odd eggs, and I just assumed it to be the late layer. Weird speckles, long and skinny, wrinkled, etc. One day I found a bit of blood sprayed on the walls of a nest box. Other than that, no problems, very friendly, awesome hens.
7 days ago, Friday the 17th, I noticed that one australorp was not staying with the group. They usually make their rounds through the yard, staying close to one another. Anyway, one hen was just standing around, walking, but not pecking like normal. That night, she put herself to sleep earlier than the other hens...odd since the australorps are usually the last two in the coop. She did jump up on the roost. As I was walking back to the house, I did notice that the girls ate 6 of my hostas to the ground. They always peck and eat the hostas. I dug the hostas up and moved them into the garden, where the chickens can't get to them.
Next day, Saturday, she seemed to lay down a lot, and sleep. No interest in the scratch and freeze dried worms I give them every morning. Hmmm. So, I checked her crop, which was full. I started researching impacted crop --- I massaged her crop a bunch of times throughout the day. No avail. I was thinking she ate a big piece of hosta, that was now stuck.
Next morning, Sunday, crop still full. I tried the massaging technique again, and did more research. Okay, maybe sour crop, since it now felt mushy to me, like the water balloon feeling. But no smell coming from her mouth. I tried to make her vomit, but it didn't work, and I was afraid to keep trying, and end up hurting her. Again, that night, she put herself to bed.
Next morning, Monday, she was a little unsteady on her feet. So I made her a little chicken room inside the coop, made out of lattice trellis that I had left over. It was a quick job, since I had to go to work. Food ( unmedicated chick grower ) and water, roost, and a chicken.
The next morning, Tuesday, she wanted out!! I picked her up, and checked her crop -- empty. Yay!! She wanted out the pop door with her friends, and went right to the water!! Yay again!! She had pooped in her little room, and it was watery green and white. She seemed a lot better, so I left her out in the run. But Tuesday night, my boyfriend said she was sleeping on the floor of the coop when he locked them up for the night.
Wednesday morning, she was the last one out the door. Really, really wobbly on her feet. She did go straight to the water bowl, and drank a good amount. So, I decided to bring her inside.
Inside, I had two 9 week old speckled sussex chicks. So I went and made a real chicken "jail" inside the coop for the chicks. The two golden comets like to chase and pull feathers, if the chicks go too close to the food bowl. The chicks and the 6 girls had no contact until the chicks were 6 weeks old. So inside the coop, there is chicken "jail". Inside the run, I used more lattice and some plywood, and made a smaller run for the chicks. That way, the big girls can see them all the time, and hopefully get used to them quicker.
So black australorp is inside the spare bedroom, in a baby pool. Pine shavings, heat lamp, unmedicated chick grower available, water with electrolytes, warm oatmeal twice a day, and scrambled egg with olive oil once a day. She picks at the eggs and oatmeal. Maybe one or two bites. She has been eating the grower crumbles, but not too much.
She clucks and coos when I walk in the room and pet her. She lays down mostly, a little poofy, but not crazy fluffed up. Her tail has been down most of the time, but was up a little while ago. When she walks, it's straight up and down, not like a penguin. I keep checking for a stuck egg, but don't feel or see anything. I checked her feathers and legs for mites --- nothing. Her fluffy butt feathers are bit messy, and her poo is mostly green with some white swirls. It's not splattery wet, or runny, with a lot of water, but it's not a green and white blob. But it isn't yellow either, like broken egg yolk. When I pick her up, she has lost weight, as I can really feel her breast bone.
Her eyes are completely clear, no discharge. Her nostrils are clear. Her comb is red and upright, not droopy or pale. The only thing I can think of is that the hosta made her ill....or maybe something else in the yard. It's a fenced yard. They never leave the yard. They don't even fly over the garden fence, which is two feet high.
No other chickens are displaying any kind of symptoms even remotely similar to this. It is very frustrating. Unbelievably so. I looked inside her mouth.... nothing. I smelled her open mouth over and over again today....still nothing. What the heck could it be?? I even thought worms, so I went to Agway and purchased Wazine. I didn't read the whole label until I got home -- can't be used on chickens whose eggs are used for human consumption. So I have no problem worming her; I will throw her eggs out. So I guess it will be a month without eggs when I worm the others.
Just frustrating because I don't know if it is worms...or her crop....or egg bound....or broken egg inside her. No idea. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have read the same articles over and over again on the internet, the last 7 days. If it is a broken egg inside her, how long would she live? She must be very strong willed, since it's been 7 days. I feel terrible, she is such a sweetie.
Thanks for any advice, I appreciate it.
As I held her and brought her towards the coop, she started kicking and squirming. When I put her down, she ran to the coop door, and the 5 girls inside were excited also!!! Until I opened the door....the pecking and chasing began. My two golden comets were the worst, jumping on her and yanking feathers. I tried the spray bottle technique to no avail. Luckily she was submissive, and the others were more interesting in running around in the yard.
So I took advantage of the situation, and put the two separated 10 week old speckled sussex chicks in the mix also. The two comets now had three birds to divide their attention. Hard to chase around three birds at once.
The pecking wasn't bad at all. It lasted maybe three days. Black australorp is back in her place at the bottom of the flock, exactly where she was in the first place. Scratching in the dirt, dust bathing, stealing the worms from the two sussex.... a good day in the life of the girls
. The two sussex spend the day playing around in the coop for the most part. They all sleep up on the roosts. Being the worry wort mother hen that I am, I would spend every minute I could out there, hoping for a smooth transition. Thankfully there was not a single drop of blood. I hope that this helps another reader in some way, even if it's just to quell some anxiety. I'm new to chickens, getting them as day old chicks in May of 2012. So far, so good, and I am a happy chicken mom
Hi everyone,
I have been researching this for days. I am not sure what the problem is, and do not have the money for x-rays and vet. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
A little background : 6 hens, all raised together. Purchased as two day old chicks back in May 2012. They lived in a baby pool in the spare bedroom until they were fully feathered, then out to their coop and run. Two black australorps, two barred plymouth rocks, two golden comets. All happy and healthy. The two australorps took the longest to start laying, one of which seemed to take forever. Had to be between 7 and 8 months old. One of the six, not sure which, would lay some odd eggs, and I just assumed it to be the late layer. Weird speckles, long and skinny, wrinkled, etc. One day I found a bit of blood sprayed on the walls of a nest box. Other than that, no problems, very friendly, awesome hens.
7 days ago, Friday the 17th, I noticed that one australorp was not staying with the group. They usually make their rounds through the yard, staying close to one another. Anyway, one hen was just standing around, walking, but not pecking like normal. That night, she put herself to sleep earlier than the other hens...odd since the australorps are usually the last two in the coop. She did jump up on the roost. As I was walking back to the house, I did notice that the girls ate 6 of my hostas to the ground. They always peck and eat the hostas. I dug the hostas up and moved them into the garden, where the chickens can't get to them.
Next day, Saturday, she seemed to lay down a lot, and sleep. No interest in the scratch and freeze dried worms I give them every morning. Hmmm. So, I checked her crop, which was full. I started researching impacted crop --- I massaged her crop a bunch of times throughout the day. No avail. I was thinking she ate a big piece of hosta, that was now stuck.
Next morning, Sunday, crop still full. I tried the massaging technique again, and did more research. Okay, maybe sour crop, since it now felt mushy to me, like the water balloon feeling. But no smell coming from her mouth. I tried to make her vomit, but it didn't work, and I was afraid to keep trying, and end up hurting her. Again, that night, she put herself to bed.
Next morning, Monday, she was a little unsteady on her feet. So I made her a little chicken room inside the coop, made out of lattice trellis that I had left over. It was a quick job, since I had to go to work. Food ( unmedicated chick grower ) and water, roost, and a chicken.
The next morning, Tuesday, she wanted out!! I picked her up, and checked her crop -- empty. Yay!! She wanted out the pop door with her friends, and went right to the water!! Yay again!! She had pooped in her little room, and it was watery green and white. She seemed a lot better, so I left her out in the run. But Tuesday night, my boyfriend said she was sleeping on the floor of the coop when he locked them up for the night.
Wednesday morning, she was the last one out the door. Really, really wobbly on her feet. She did go straight to the water bowl, and drank a good amount. So, I decided to bring her inside.
Inside, I had two 9 week old speckled sussex chicks. So I went and made a real chicken "jail" inside the coop for the chicks. The two golden comets like to chase and pull feathers, if the chicks go too close to the food bowl. The chicks and the 6 girls had no contact until the chicks were 6 weeks old. So inside the coop, there is chicken "jail". Inside the run, I used more lattice and some plywood, and made a smaller run for the chicks. That way, the big girls can see them all the time, and hopefully get used to them quicker.
So black australorp is inside the spare bedroom, in a baby pool. Pine shavings, heat lamp, unmedicated chick grower available, water with electrolytes, warm oatmeal twice a day, and scrambled egg with olive oil once a day. She picks at the eggs and oatmeal. Maybe one or two bites. She has been eating the grower crumbles, but not too much.
She clucks and coos when I walk in the room and pet her. She lays down mostly, a little poofy, but not crazy fluffed up. Her tail has been down most of the time, but was up a little while ago. When she walks, it's straight up and down, not like a penguin. I keep checking for a stuck egg, but don't feel or see anything. I checked her feathers and legs for mites --- nothing. Her fluffy butt feathers are bit messy, and her poo is mostly green with some white swirls. It's not splattery wet, or runny, with a lot of water, but it's not a green and white blob. But it isn't yellow either, like broken egg yolk. When I pick her up, she has lost weight, as I can really feel her breast bone.
Her eyes are completely clear, no discharge. Her nostrils are clear. Her comb is red and upright, not droopy or pale. The only thing I can think of is that the hosta made her ill....or maybe something else in the yard. It's a fenced yard. They never leave the yard. They don't even fly over the garden fence, which is two feet high.
No other chickens are displaying any kind of symptoms even remotely similar to this. It is very frustrating. Unbelievably so. I looked inside her mouth.... nothing. I smelled her open mouth over and over again today....still nothing. What the heck could it be?? I even thought worms, so I went to Agway and purchased Wazine. I didn't read the whole label until I got home -- can't be used on chickens whose eggs are used for human consumption. So I have no problem worming her; I will throw her eggs out. So I guess it will be a month without eggs when I worm the others.
Just frustrating because I don't know if it is worms...or her crop....or egg bound....or broken egg inside her. No idea. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have read the same articles over and over again on the internet, the last 7 days. If it is a broken egg inside her, how long would she live? She must be very strong willed, since it's been 7 days. I feel terrible, she is such a sweetie.
Thanks for any advice, I appreciate it.
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