What did your chickens do today?

[MyPetNugget]

My chickens got to eat a large pumpkin and the usual scratch for bugs.

 

[LaLa Chickie]

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.

So sorry Greenie died.

I lost "Lady" to something similar last year. She was the best and suddenly fell ill. Laid an egg like rubber and just never improved. We too bury our hens with our trees. I haven't been on in awhile so this saddens me to read it. Yes, it's definitely part of the Chicken Venture...

 

[chicknmania]

Depending on what you mean by acting funny, she might be sore if she is molting and the rooster has been breeding her. We had a hen like that, she was staying away from the others, trying to spend the night outside. Finally put her in a pen away from the roos for a few weeks, so she could grow out, She was just having a problem with her molt and it took a Loooong time for her to molt and then she couldn't grow back cause the roos wouldn't leave her alone. She still looks a little shabby but she's back with the flock now and doing ok.

Your other hen had a prolapse, it sounds like. Not an easy thing to deal with, and we had a hen with a prolapse, and culled her. Some try to fix it, it is fixable, but it's hard work and I think it's too stressful for the bird.

Your flock will be ok, but you do have to spend some time watching them and figuring things out from time to time. If you have health issues in the flock, you will get more and faster responses if you post a separate thread in the emergencies/health section.

 

[chicknmania]

If you chickens are in a pen, you could try a hen apron for your molting hen. There are ways to make them, or places to buy them, you can search on here.

 

[LittleBits]

Quote: Thank you, LaLa Chickie. I know a lot of chicken-keepers get attached to their chickies - I never thought I'd be one! Chickens were to get eggs from - but . . . here I am, a "chicken mom". I guess it's just a general love of animals that makes it hard. We've lost a lot of kittens and cats in past years, too, and it never fails to make me sad.

 

[LittleBits]

Depending on what you mean by acting funny, she might be sore if she is molting and the rooster has been breeding her. We had a hen like that, she was staying away from the others, trying to spend the night outside. Finally put her in a pen away from the roos for a few weeks, so she could grow out, She was just having a problem with her molt and it took a Loooong time for her to molt and then she couldn't grow back cause the roos wouldn't leave her alone. She still looks a little shabby but she's back with the flock now and doing ok.

Your other hen had a prolapse, it sounds like. Not an easy thing to deal with, and we had a hen with a prolapse, and culled her. Some try to fix it, it is fixable, but it's hard work and I think it's too stressful for the bird.

Your flock will be ok, but you do have to spend some time watching them and figuring things out from time to time. If you have health issues in the flock, you will get more and faster responses if you post a separate thread in the emergencies/health section.

I may put this bird in Greenie's area for a little while, like you said. I've been observing her and by acting funny, I mean just keeping to herself and the sleeping in a nest box thing. She seems to be OK otherwise, so I am pretty certain it's just the molting. Her feathers are coming in pretty fast right now but she sure does run from Mr. Roo. I put her on the roost tonight, right next to him, as the other hens (I tried several spots) pecked at her back. She's next to the wall w/ Mr. Roo on the other side. He was already snoring so figured he wouldn't peck or bother her! This morning, she was the first one out the door - so she's acting OK that way.

I did look at the Emergency/Disease thread pretty thoroughly and figured that it was a prolapse and hard to fix. Sometimes it's better to just let nature take it's course.

Thanks for your help!

 

[LittleBits]

If you chickens are in a pen, you could try a hen apron for your molting hen. There are ways to make them, or places to buy them, you can search on here.

I thought about this, too, as we've had some pretty cold nights here already. They must get cold without many feathers... I may make one out of fleece or put her in a different pen for a little while. Thanks for your suggestion! If I make one, I'll post a picture! I've seen some cute chickens all dressed up on here

 

[chicknmania]

Just make sure that if you do the apron thing, you make it sturdy so it can withstand the roos.

We have a chicken graveyard too, forgot to tell you.
Around a big wild rose bush in our field. Graveyard is getting full after all these years...

But, it's full of memories, and stories. And yes, unfortunately,
there's no way NOT to get attached to them. They depend on you for their care, and they all have personalities, just like any pet.

 

[chicknmania]

I also keep a flock inventory, with everyone's names, breed, and/ or parentage, color, sex, the year they were hatched, the date they died, and what they died from.
When I look back on it, I can see when are the worst times of year for predators (and what kind) or other types of illness, and an average of how long our
flock lives, what kinds of problems they've had (and I have other records for the solutions if there are any), who is likely to be broody (based on who their
mother was), who is related to who, and so forth. It's very useful. And it can come in handy for a lot of reasons, even keeping track of who you have, and who
is missing, etc.

 

[Butterflyhigh]

My ladies got to eat a pumpkin today. I just cut it in half, loosened up the guts, and let them have fun.

Two of my six have to spend the night in a secondary coop and they were none too pleased with me. I think I may have one brown egg layer who is not laying, so I am going to try and figure out who the lazy bird is.