Recent content by MiddleChild

The lice-lump picture is close, but the lumps are smoother, with no egg-shapes visible. I'll assume that's what these are unless further information suggests otherwise. Many thanks!

My aging red star(?) hen had some problems last year that looked like she had a mild stroke. I held her up to eat and protected her from other hens and she came back, though she's still mopey and walks off center. Now she has a place on her upper back that she picks at and I thought the others...

Did you mean Black Star? That's what mine are and they lay medium-brown eggs.

If you don't have roosters, or don't mind hearing them, I'd say put the coop as close as you can stand. I'll bet you'll have problems with predators on 3 acres in MD, so it would be good if you can immediately hear any unusual fuss when it happens.

I heard the "fart egg" from someone around town. "Pointless egg", maybe. The weight makes it feel as if it's mostly shell. I've put it aside and don't intend to open it - maybe set it in silver and make a necklace ...

And a lot of it, if that "Hollow" means anything! LOL

I have a black sex-linked who had this problem last year. It seemed to resolve. But I think it may be coming back. All 4 of my black stars are laying at least part of the time again (post-winter, no lights) - maybe it was the vacation from laying that improved things. She seems perfectly...

I really don't think this can be peritonitis per se - several posters have mentioned that it has gone on a long time while the chicken behaves quite normally and also lays eggs. Peritonitis is a pretty dreadful and deadly infection - this just doesn't seem to present that way. With mine, it...

Quote: Yup. That sounds like it.

This morning when I let the girls out, one nest contained an egg less than an inch long. It was beautiful and absolutely perfect - no shell weirdness or funky shape. It seems a little heavy for its size, but it's too darn cute to crack open. These hens are Black Stars - their normal eggs...

I just processed a batch of green-tomato mincemeat (minus the meat). The recipe, in my mother's hand, is dated 1949, from a neighbor who was then an elderly lady, so I'll bet it's at least 100 years old. I've been meaning to make it for years and finally managed it. SO good! No tomato...

Check this thread:[https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=120841&p=1][/url] You may have a hen -

I think the back spot is something completely different from the butt problem. They might be picking at themselves or each other - does molting itch?