The water hose is an intriguing idea, and might be a good way to manage this in a day or so. Tonight she again will spend it outside the coop, I think (the weather is perfect). And I may make moves of engagement tomorrow. She and he were going at it across the wire yet today, but he seemed to be...
Similar scene with mine. Yesterday I have just inherited a sweet new hen (3 year old barred rock) to add to my flock of 5 + 1 Rooster, all yearlings. I put her in with the others in the fenced yard (perhaps 100 sq feet,,in the woods). The new girl was quickly attacked by the dominant hen, but...
This five month old Easter egger quite suddenly started walking on her hocks, with her left foot curled under. Overnight. She got around that way for a few days, but then her leg went straight out stiff, and she cannot walk at all. I have separated her from the flock, but now I do not know what...
I returned my girl to the flock. Now one of them has been attacking her, and so she is staying away and hiding still. But she seems healthy now. Not vigorous, but healthy. I hope the rest of the flock comes to accept her return.
Thanks for the response. I have had her under a heat lamp and separated for three days now. She is now seeming fine, and I returned her to the coop. But now the other girls are pecking at her and she is hiding. It rough out there!
I am surprised at the silence about our question here. These folks are usually quite responsive. My hen is still in quarantine, but ate a bit today. So I just can't tell what to do. And even if she recovers, is she still a danger to the rest of the chickens?
I too have almost this exact situation with my 3 year old white Plymouth rock. She just as you described. Messy butt.
Is she contagious? Must I put her down? Wait for any recovery? Not wait?
Oh, good! Thanks all. Compared to those pictures, my girl is not doing so badly. Sunflower seeds and boiled egg it is. Have lots of dried worms as well.
This poor thing has lost all these feathers over about two weeks. She has been acting normally until this morning, when she seems a bit sluggish. I think at her age she is done laying. I am now afraid she will not recover in time for upcoming cold nights. I have not witnessed any pecking from...
No roosters. As for dominance, neither of these are the "new girls" in the coop. Their backs look fine, though. Just around their necks. So, you think it is pecking order? I would have to hang out around the coop coop a whole lot more to check that out.
I am going to hitch on this conversation with a similar situation. This is with two of seven birds, one is 3 and the other 2 years old (picture is of the older bird). Has been going on for perhaps 4 - 5 months now with neck feathers thinning out on the two birds, and now I am beginning to...
@Goodfolk When I opened the door and pointed my camera at him, he abandoned the egg and just left. So, I don't know if he could have swallowed it. He was not that large of a snake. But I was also happy to see him move on. He has not been back since.
I think the coop is tight enough if closed, but I don't keep it closed. I always leave one door open to the enclosed run. I guess I could start closing that one at night, but this guy was there at 5 pm - it was still daylight and the chickens were still out.
I won't kill it unless this gets...