Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Fancychooklady]

He is stunning.

Hopefully he changes his mind about the taste of chicks soon.

Mmm, he just took a Wilkie. On the upside , I got some really good pics.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Oh the devil.

I just found out last night what I thought was a neighbors cat, they thoughts was ours.....we finally realised the former neighbor abandoned it when they moved out...we now have a stray kitty walking our runs roof.

 

[lindz8504]

Oh the devil.

I just found out last night what I thought was a neighbors cat, they thoughts was ours.....we finally realised the former neighbor abandoned it when they moved out...we now have a stray kitty walking our runs roof.

It may sound counter productive but if you feed it it will probably leave the chickens alone and will keep other cats from moving in. I am a big promoter of trap spay/neuter and release. It helps keep the population down and they are territorial so they keep new ones away. Rather than killing it and then having more come take its place. Plus they help with the rodents

 

[Bens-Hens]

Not sure what I am going to do about it, so far it just walks all over our cars and hangs around the chicken run. My neighbor stuck his head over the fence to tell me how nasty my new cat was..."I don't have a cat?!"

Was watching Rosie this afternoon, beginning to worry about her again. She was up and mobile and doing the typical chicken thing, but her crop is quite large now. Bigget in the flock. When she runs it wobbles around in the front of her like a big mono boob. It feels full and squishy, not hard.

I am thinking it may be sour crop, so just been cruising the forum to see what I can find that matches up and how to treat it. I am not sure if she is under weight for her sie, hard to say as she has had a bust few months, with being broody then a molt. I hope we don't have to go in to clear what ever it is.

Anyone dealt with a over full squishy crop before? I am not getting any smell or liquid if I tilt her head down.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Here's a good link Ben. I'm guessing you already found it yourself though since we usually find the same sites!
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html?m=1
Do you have any plain yogurt to give her? I've heard it really helps.

 

[NovaAman]

That hawk is GORGEOUS!

Ben, the coop and nesting boxes look great. If all goes well, will be doign some tear down and reset on my coops and yard this year. My neice is moving back to Holland to live with me. She is not doing so well in schools in Tennessee. Went from an honor student to a failing student. She's in 11th year, and the school in Tenn put her in 12th year classes... SOOO, now after two months in Knox, she's failing. So, my sister asked if she could come back here, finish up 11th and her senior year. Yup. Not a problem. SHe's a good kid, and my kids love her to death. She's almost like a daughter, minus the labor and the diaper years. HAHAHA

If you don't have yogurt you can also use garlic cloves minced up with olive oil... go figure, but it works. had a SLW with sour crop after an impacted, and used the garlic because we didn't have plain yogurt on hand.

 

[Fancychooklady]

He's back.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Here's a good link Ben. I'm guessing you already found it yourself though since we usually find the same sites!
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html?m=1
Do you have any plain yogurt to give her? I've heard it really helps.

I did read that link last night Pam. Probably the way to go. Until last night I thought impacted and sour crops were the same, but research proved otherwise. No plain yogurt, we did have until we ate it with dinner two nights ago!

I massaged her crop yesterday afternoon, and last night after they all went to bed. No smell that I could smell and I tilted her over and she did not clear anything from her crop. I checked on her early this morning (not first thing though, about 7am) and her crop was small and firm so I am hoping that it did clear over night. I got a new bag of grit after my run this morning as they have only had egg shells the past few days.

I will keep a close eye on her, she may still have a pendulous crop, which seems similar in symptoms, but not as dangerous.

That hawk is GORGEOUS!

Ben, the coop and nesting boxes look great. If all goes well, will be doign some tear down and reset on my coops and yard this year. My neice is moving back to Holland to live with me. She is not doing so well in schools in Tennessee. Went from an honor student to a failing student. She's in 11th year, and the school in Tenn put her in 12th year classes... SOOO, now after two months in Knox, she's failing. So, my sister asked if she could come back here, finish up 11th and her senior year. Yup. Not a problem. SHe's a good kid, and my kids love her to death. She's almost like a daughter, minus the labor and the diaper years. HAHAHA

If you don't have yogurt you can also use garlic cloves minced up with olive oil... go figure, but it works. had a SLW with sour crop after an impacted, and used the garlic because we didn't have plain yogurt on hand.

I have seen garlic pop up a few times, some say ACV too, while others say to stay away. I will cut her off from starchy breads and pastas and sugary fruit scraps for a couple of days and see how she goes.

Good luck to your niece integrating back into local life. Doing well in 11th might give her a confidence boost to keep up her grades.

He's back.

He is awesome to look at, shame the price you have to pay though.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Morning team!

Rosie seems to be doing well. I think I may have been looking harder than I needed at her. I think she may ave a case of pendulous crop. It seems to be emptying over night and is firm after some scratch in the morning, but by the end of the day it is full and a bit squishy, more than the rest of the flock anyway.

Still on watch, but not getting any special treatment.

I do feel a bit bad though, yesterday we got 4 hens and I completely forgot, our first four hatched pullets had their birthday and are officially HENS! I thought it may have been today but got my days mixed up.

A year ago today, Rosie was our very first bird to hatch at home. Followed by our two LS Cleo and Sunny and Luna the BA that we still own. Our Ara's, BV and SPW have their birthdays and graduate to hens in early April.

Happy birthday Rosie!

Getting a few eggs a day from our 8 girls of laying age, a couple in molt and it's been hot, plus some idiot making a racket with power tools recently has our egg numbers down a bit. Hope to settle into a new rhythm soon, and welcome in some of the younger birds to laying. Our FWM, SF, BVx, and Weliie are almost 20 weeks now and Marrie the Maran is quite red but no one is squatting yet.

The two Rocks are a bit behind at almost 14 weeks.

Have a good day

 

[scottcaddy]

Morning team!

Rosie seems to be doing well. I think I may have been looking harder than I needed at her. I think she may ave a case of pendulous crop. It seems to be emptying over night and is firm after some scratch in the morning, but by the end of the day it is full and a bit squishy, more than the rest of the flock anyway.

Still on watch, but not getting any special treatment.

I do feel a bit bad though, yesterday we got 4 hens and I completely forgot, our first four hatched pullets had their birthday and are officially HENS! I thought it may have been today but got my days mixed up.

A year ago today, Rosie was our very first bird to hatch at home. Followed by our two LS Cleo and Sunny and Luna the BA that we still own. Our Ara's, BV and SPW have their birthdays and graduate to hens in early April.

Happy birthday Rosie!

Getting a few eggs a day from our 8 girls of laying age, a couple in molt and it's been hot, plus some idiot making a racket with power tools recently has our egg numbers down a bit. Hope to settle into a new rhythm soon, and welcome in some of the younger birds to laying. Our FWM, SF, BVx, and Weliie are almost 20 weeks now and Marrie the Maran is quite red but no one is squatting yet.

The two Rocks are a bit behind at almost 14 weeks.

Have a good day

You need to have that idiot with the power tools make noise at twice a week at odd times. Our birds did get used to me and my electric tools and even the air powered ones, I think the compressor bothers them more then the tools whine/screaming.

To add, Happy "B" day to Rosie!
Scott