What did your chickens do today?

[birdsrfun]

Well, it was a couple days ago, but my pullets discovered a garter snake while I had them out of the coop. It was crawling along the crevice where the wall meets the cement. I've seen snakes several times crawling along this wall, but it was the first time the chickies saw one. They both started clucking wildly and ran up to it. It struck out at them and they backed off. Esmeralda went back up to it, but soon lost interest. Too bad, I didn't get pics.

 

[PekinBantam]

Well, it was a couple days ago, but my pullets discovered a garter snake while I had them out of the coop. It was crawling along the crevice where the wall meets the cement. I've seen snakes several times crawling along this wall, but it was the first time the chickies saw one. They both started clucking wildly and ran up to it. It struck out at them and they backed off. Esmeralda went back up to it, but soon lost interest. Too bad, I didn't get pics.

Good thing it was only a garter snake. My chickens almost had a run-in with a venomous snake. Luckily I saw it first.

 

[BarredRockMom]

My Girls were late getting their breakfast this morning, as I slept in. I was greeted at the door by all members of the flock, so it took me a second to navigate between them. Normally, I say "excuse me, pardon me, excuse me, comin' thru" and everyone dances out of my way. Not so this morning. Not wanting to step on a chicken who was not moving out of the way, I got distracted & I took my eyes off of the young ones. Next thing I knew, one of the little vultures jumped up, grabbed the lip of the bowl, snatched it out of my hand, turned the whole thing upside down & wore a good part of it in the process. What's black and white and red and green all over? A Barred Rock chicken wearing lettuce & pomegranate seeds.

 

[Nutmeg101]

My girls had oatmeal for breakfast- hung out in the run today since we had errands. Had one egg waiting for me when we got home, they loved the new corn, mealworms, and grain mix I brought home.

 

[LibRat]

Found them sleeping in the doghouse with six kittens we didn't even know we had :/ Gotta love country life.

 

[mejsmom1]

My chickens saw their first snow today. They did not like it and were very worried. When they wanted to cross the dusting of snow to get to their snow free leaf pile the bravest ones ran, the slightly brave ones tried flying, and the real chickens stayed in the coop!

 

[flo12345]

So did my new chickens! Some loved it others hated it. One of them tried to fly from non-snowy spot to non-snowy spot! And then the piggy chickens wanted to hog all the snowflakes to themselves!

 

[LittleBits]

Greenie died last night. For the past 2 days, she's had a problem with her vent - looked like her whole insides were coming out. The whole thing was as big as a good sized plum. I had a feeling that she wouldn't make it. After all she's gone through, she died from something else. Tried putting it back in lots of times, but it would all pop out again. It was bleeding and she was not acting normal. Just standing in a corner of her pen. When I shut them up for the night, she was still standing there so I put her on her roost. I went out to check on her at about 11 pm and she was still on the roost, standing, not squatting down like normal. This morning, around 7, I went out to feed and she was gone. I am so sad. We are not having luck at this chicken venture. Starting with 16 hens this past April, now have 9 left. 3 died from unknown reasons, 3 to a predator in the coop, and Greenie from whatever was wrong with her insides. She is now buried in our chicken graveyard out in the woods. I guess that's all part of it . . .

I wonder if the others will miss seeing her through the fence between their runs...

Another one acting funny, too. But she is molting - feathers finally coming back in. Will they act this way when they're molting? She's keeping to herself. Last 2 nights I found her in a nesting box so put her back on the roost next to Mr. Roo, where she snuggled right in. Probably for warmth. Eating and drinking fine as far as I can tell.

I think it's gonna be a long day. When I get home, I'm gonna look at the thread "What is this chicken thinking..." - it always cheers me up! That'll be AFTER I check on my chickies.

 

[LibRat]

[COLOR=0000FF]Greenie died last night. For the past 2 days, she's had a problem with her vent - looked like her whole insides were coming out. The whole thing was as big as a good sized plum. I had a feeling that she wouldn't make it. After all she's gone through, she died from something else. Tried putting it back in lots of times, but it would all pop out again. It was bleeding and she was not acting normal. Just standing in a corner of her pen. When I shut them up for the night, she was still standing there so I put her on her roost. I went out to check on her at about 11 pm and she was still on the roost, standing, not squatting down like normal. This morning, around 7, I went out to feed and she was gone. I am so sad. We are not having luck at this chicken venture. Starting with 16 hens this past April, now have 9 left. 3 died from unknown reasons, 3 to a predator in the coop, and Greenie from whatever was wrong with her insides. She is now buried in our chicken graveyard out in the woods. I guess that's all part of it . . . [/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF]I wonder if the others will miss seeing her through the fence between their runs...[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF]Another one acting funny, too. But she is molting - feathers finally coming back in.  [/COLOR][COLOR=FF0000]Will they act this way when they're molting?[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF] She's keeping to herself. Last 2 nights I found her in a nesting box so put her back on the roost next to Mr. Roo, where she snuggled right in. Probably for warmth. Eating and drinking fine as far as I can tell. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF]I think it's gonna be a long day. When I get home, I'm gonna look at the thread "What is this chicken thinking..." - it always cheers me up! That'll be AFTER I check on my chickies.[/COLOR]

I'm so sorry :'( This might make you laugh though...

I got that look when I went out to check the trap (humane of course) to catch the wild kittens and found Pigpen inside one next to a skunk but no kittens :/

 

[BarredRockMom]

Greenie died last night. For the past 2 days, she's had a problem with her vent - looked like her whole insides were coming out. The whole thing was as big as a good sized plum. I had a feeling that she wouldn't make it. After all she's gone through, she died from something else. Tried putting it back in lots of times, but it would all pop out again. It was bleeding and she was not acting normal. Just standing in a corner of her pen. When I shut them up for the night, she was still standing there so I put her on her roost. I went out to check on her at about 11 pm and she was still on the roost, standing, not squatting down like normal. This morning, around 7, I went out to feed and she was gone. I am so sad. We are not having luck at this chicken venture. Starting with 16 hens this past April, now have 9 left. 3 died from unknown reasons, 3 to a predator in the coop, and Greenie from whatever was wrong with her insides. She is now buried in our chicken graveyard out in the woods. I guess that's all part of it . . .

I wonder if the others will miss seeing her through the fence between their runs...

Another one acting funny, too. But she is molting - feathers finally coming back in. Will they act this way when they're molting? She's keeping to herself. Last 2 nights I found her in a nesting box so put her back on the roost next to Mr. Roo, where she snuggled right in. Probably for warmth. Eating and drinking fine as far as I can tell.

I think it's gonna be a long day. When I get home, I'm gonna look at the thread "What is this chicken thinking..." - it always cheers me up! That'll be AFTER I check on my chickies.

Oh I am so sorry to hear this news!! She'd been through so much and you right along with her!! After all of that to go from something (seemingly) unrelated is just awful. I know it's all part of it, they come, they go, etc, etc, but that's just very sad news.

When you say another one is "acting funny", what do you mean exactly? Funny like, lethargic or just keeping to herself more?
As for the egg box sleeping, it's just me (and I know others don't & wouldn't) but when my girls want to sleep in their boxes, I let 'em. I figure "Hey, you're a chicken. You stay in this environment all day & all night. We visit you, feed you, give you fresh water & you get out to graze weather permitting, but other than that, you're confined. So if sleeping in your egg box makes you happy, you just go right ahead and plop your fluffy egg butt down on some wood chips. Heck, I'll even fluff 'em up for you!"

Silly question, I'm sure, but have you wormed your girls lately (or ever)? As for moulting, I know that it takes a bit out of them, as their energies go into feather production rather than egg production (usually). Every chicken handles moulting differently & they all moult in varying degrees. Maybe it's just that--moulting....unless your Chicken Mom sense is telling you that it's something more.

Maybe try giving them some scrambled eggs with fresh garlic mixed in? Something about the garlic doesn't agree with the parasites but the chickens love it. Good protein for moulting time, too! See if that maybe perks her up a bit.

Again, sorry to hear about Greenie.