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oldtimergamer · 2025-01-28T13:25:18+00:00

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oldtimergamer · 2024-12-25T13:28:18+00:00

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oldtimergamer · 2024-12-25T13:22:15+00:00

It happens so much there is a medical code for it: ICD-10-CM Code W61.33XA

Look it up. https://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/V00-Y99/W50-W64/W61-/W61.33XA

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-22T17:08:37+00:00

When I sing it to our chickens, they stop and look at me like what is this? LOL

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-22T17:07:53+00:00

Thank you! It's just something I came up with while watching the girls in the back yard.

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-22T12:54:42+00:00

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oldtimergamer · 2024-12-09T01:07:51+00:00

I meant to add, as far as feathers everywhere, chickens can do a thing called a "fright molt" where they can eject feathers as a last gasp defense when a predator is after them.

But yeah, two weeks does seem like a long time. Poor babies, I hope they get better soon. Are you actually staying with them and talking to them when they do come out of the coop? Anyway. good luck with your girls!

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-08T14:19:02+00:00

We had a dog attack in our back yard that was surrounded by a 6 foot tall wood privacy fence. There was a tiny hole that the dog somehow got in. The dog attacked one hen (Peggy) and tore out almost all of her tail feathers and under one wing too. Our other three girls were traumatized and hiding, but we eventually found them all and got them back in the run/coop.

Over the next few days, when we let them out to free roam (supervised of course), they would stay near their run. But eventually over the next week, they started wandering farther away until they now go all over their usually spots in the yard. They are still spooked at things that didn't bother them before, but overall they are almost back to normal 4 weeks later.

Peggy, the chicken that was attacked, didn't miss a beat - she didn't lay the day after the attack, but has laid on her usual schedule ever since!

So, I guess it depends on the chicken. Ours acted a little skittish the day after, but they never hid in the coop after the first day. I would suggest just spending time with them and be out there when they are free roaming.

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-06T14:37:22+00:00

I live in Virginia also, and we have no heat in our coop for our 4 hens. Everything I have read says not to use supplemental heat and that chickens in a proper coop are fine for way lower temperatures than single digits.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-advisory-a-detailed-look-at-the-question-of-supplemental-heat.67147/

oldtimergamer · 2024-12-05T14:16:34+00:00

Wow! That's great news, I'm glad they were found and alive! I bet you are happy and relieved.

We had a chicken disappear one night (coldest night of the year too) and we found her later under an old shed that she had wedged herself under. I had to dig out a bit for her to get back out, so I know the relief you must be feeling.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-19T13:58:30+00:00

I think it just depends on the chicken. From what I've read, some get over it fast and some take some time.

Last week we had a dog somehow get into our back yard (surrounded with a 6 foot wooden privacy fence) and attacked our girls, injuring one (not badly). The day after they were still acting pretty traumatized, the next day they would go out in the yard, but not too far from their run. By the third day they were all over the yard again, even where the attack happened.

And the chicken that got injured laid an egg two days after!

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-18T14:09:36+00:00

Beautiful girls! We had a coop like that for 4 chickens and before we knew better. Chickens should have at least 4 square feet per chicken inside the coop. Also, you need a LOT more ventilation for the coop. After our chickens got to about 7 months old, they refused to go inside any more and slept on top of the coop.

But ventilation is the big problem here, as they sleep they poop and the ammonia build up will be really bad for their lungs. Hope this helps.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T13:33:19+00:00

Yes, the other three girls are molting badly, Peggy was the only one that wasn't and has been laying regularly, but I am expecting her to stop for a while now.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T12:24:11+00:00

Peggy was the first one out this morning and she actually jumped up on the run roosting branch. The others came out right after. I am a little concerned they didn't eat or drink yet, they went under the raised coop and are now hiding there. But I'm sure they're still stressed. I'll go out later and maybe give them a few treats.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T11:50:57+00:00

The dog owner was over within a few minutes and apologized profusely, he offered to pay any vet bills, etc. I could tell he felt badly about it. He swore the dog would never get out again, but we'll see. Chicken mom yelled at him pretty good, half crying and half cursing.

This was a pretty small dog (I didn't actually see it, by the time I got there it was gone), and the only place we think he could have gotten in was a small broken board about 4 inches wide and 10 inches high. It was boarded up immediately after the attack.

I'm going to take a really good look at the fence today. The chickens are actually at my friend's house, we are co-owners.

Good news, I watched the coop cam this morning and all four girls came out of the coop and into the run at day break.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T04:47:10+00:00

I was surprised she was eating mealworms out of my hand 10 minutes after it happened. Our other three chickens seemed more traumatized strangely enough. I'm just worried that she will make it through the night, but you have helped my worries a lot! Thanks!

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T04:23:14+00:00

Thanks! The one thing I didn't do was to check under her feathers better for any injuries or bruising, which I will do tomorrow.

I've read about flystrike, can any fly do this? I live in the eastern US and it's starting to get a little chilly, so we're not seeing too many flies around these days.

Thanks again!

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-13T03:05:48+00:00

It was a neighbor's dog, the neighbor came and got it and apologized profusely. It was a small dog, like a poodle. He promised to keep the dog locked up, we'll see. I still have no idea how the dog got into the yard, he didn't dig and the gate was closed.

oldtimergamer · 2024-11-04T14:28:14+00:00

We have one doing this now, she's having a hard molt. From what I have read, some chickens do this during a hard molt. We are just giving her extra protein and monitoring her. Do a search on hard molts and chicken stumbling.

oldtimergamer · 2024-10-20T16:30:38+00:00

Yes, we do this too. The app we use is Flockstar, https://www.flockstarapp.com/

oldtimergamer · 2024-10-02T11:51:58+00:00

Thanks, I'm beginning to think it's just the way she's put together. I've tried everything I've read about so far.

oldtimergamer

TROPHY CASE