All black barred rock at 8 weeks.

[Akgmrw62]

My guess is that Steve the pullet has an Americauna dad and a Barred Rock mom.

That is the conclusion came to. Thanks. Unfortunately I lost Steve when she was laying her first egg. She got.egg bound. I tried the Epsom warm soak bath, etc. No vet anywhere around here that looks at chickens also unfortunately. So took her to friend with lots chicken experience and they said her egg was twisted in the lining of her vent tube. She tried get it back inside and finally did but could not get lining u twisted. So egg could come out. I held her all her last night and bawled like a baby when she crossed over. She now has a little plot with a cross my son made out behind the OG hen house so she can still be close to her flock. I know, I know...I got sucker stamped across my forehead lol.

 

[Leilukka]

That is the conclusion came to. Thanks. Unfortunately I lost Steve when she was laying her first egg. She got.egg bound. I tried the Epsom warm soak bath, etc. No vet anywhere around here that looks at chickens also unfortunately. So took her to friend with lots chicken experience and they said her egg was twisted in the lining of her vent tube. She tried get it back inside and finally did but could not get lining u twisted. So egg could come out. I held her all her last night and bawled like a baby when she crossed over. She now has a little plot with a cross my son made out behind the OG hen house so she can still be close to her flock. I know, I know...I got sucker stamped across my forehead lol.

I'm sorry to hear that. I understand how hard that can be. We had 2 hens over a period of time die from egg bound too. What I have observed from them is that they somehow got dehydrated. I thought that was odd since there is always water out there. I have learned that sometimes other chickens kind of bully a chicken away from the waterer. Sometimes, some chicken breeds are really picky about dirty water. For example, the Plymouth breed wants clean water all the time. They will avoid drinking water that is dirty. I hope that knowledge can shed some light. Otherwise, with our's, that seemed to be the only possible factor. They had plenty of food and didn't seem like they were too hungry. Another idea I have is maybe a calcium or vitamin D deficiency. That might be an issue too.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

View attachment 3621150
Another update and question. Steve is 3 days shy of 16 weeks now. First pic is mainly cause I love her sheen in the sun lol. But been reading on here and Google and guess when they have skinny pointy feathers on their hackles and tail and saddle that points to a Roo correct? Steve's feathers (to me anyway) all seem to be rounded. Yeti noticed today that she's got sharp spurs just barely poking thru (growing I guess you'd say) on her legs. Her comb has also grown. Does this point to my Steve actually being a "Steve" . I don't remember where I read it but thought had read once in a great while a hen will have spurs also. I am so hoping Steve is a hen lol. But thinking that's not so. Thanks again for any input. View attachment 3621297View attachment 3621150

they don't typically grow so long that you would notice them, but both hens and roosters can have leg spurs, and I know a few Rhode Island Red hens who have them. they still give me between 6 and 7 eggs a week each, and I have a half Plymouth named Uno that I hatched from one a few weeks ago!

 

[Akgmrw62]

I'm sorry to hear that. I understand how hard that can be. We had 2 hens over a period of time die from egg bound too. What I have observed from them is that they somehow got dehydrated. I thought that was odd since there is always water out there. I have learned that sometimes other chickens kind of bully a chicken away from the waterer. Sometimes, some chicken breeds are really picky about dirty water. For example, the Plymouth breed wants clean water all the time. They will avoid drinking water that is dirty. I hope that knowledge can shed some light. Otherwise, with our's, that seemed to be the only possible factor. They had plenty of food and didn't seem like they were too hungry. Another idea I have is maybe a calcium or vitamin D deficiency. That might be an issue too.

Good info to keep in mind. Thanks . I'm not sure how she got mixed in the barred rock in (from Hoovers or if orschlens employee didn't pay attention. She def had aracauna in her as she had no tail stump at all. She just seemed to have a weaker health from the get go. Did change water couple three ( sometimes more ) a day as the other girls just found it more interesting to kick up stuff aiming at the waterers lol. Possible vitamin deficiency. They were on the medicated starter feed, then grower feed and then the layer feed since.
I personally think either she was a bad breed somehow that happened at Hoovers or just was deformed somehow from birth internally. Thanks again for the info will def keep it in mind for future.