Recent content by azygous

Is leaving her in the incubator overnight an option? It would have the right amount of heat and safety regardless of what position she ends up in overnight. I'd hesitate putting her with other chicks until she can remain upright, or you would risk her being trampled or smothered.

Chances are very good that it is wry neck. Wry neck can manifest in many different ways. Get the chick started on vitamin E oil served with egg for better absorption. For good measure, to boost the chick's energy reserves, put a teaspoon of sugar into one cup of water and let it drink that for a...

First of all, any chicken making a whole lot of vocal noise is not sick or having any sort of health issue. It is the quiet, lethargic chickens that should cause concern. Sick or injured chickens are silent and will not call attention to themselves. You are onto something, however. Bullying can...

I would say around the beginning of the third week of age.

Post a few pics and we can age them for you.

The red butt is from the Epsom soaks. It increases blood flow. She's been soaked enough. Now place her in her bin in a quiet dark place and leave her alone to rest. Be sure she has water. Put a little sugar in the water to elevate her glucose. She may pass the egg in an hour or it may take over...

Lots of literature out there on the topic. https://www.etprotein.com/symptoms-of-too-much-protein-in-chickens-health-guide/ No harm has been done yet. You might try diluting the high protein feed with a lower protein chick starter until you feed out the original bag.

That's too high. Feeding such high amounts of protein as a starter for baby chickens can have long term consequences in skeletal and organ development and set up health issues that can shorten and complicate the lives of your chicks. It's advised to limit the protein fed to baby chickens to no...

Two is very young, but reproductive crises can hit at any age, and that may be a possible cause of death. In spite of available oyster shell, some hens may not be absorbing the calcium in adequate amounts. Low blood calcium can set up a domino effect and cause abnormal ovulation, leading to egg...

A crop bra is a sling that straps onto a hen and supports the heavy crop so it will drain more efficiently. Poor muscle tone in older hens often causes the crop to droop and that prevents normal emptying of the crop. You can purchase crop bras online, but making your own is very easy if you...

No, it's completely permissible to join the conversation on a thread and expand it with questions about the issue under discussion. It enhances the thread. What gets confusing and annoying is when someone hijacks a thread to discuss their own issue with a chicken in their own flock, bringing in...

When it comes time for my chicks to move into their coop, I get inside and coax them in so they learn how to go inside at night. Before that, I had taught them to come to me whenever I called them. Baby chicks and adult chickens learn very quickly and are easily trained.

We also refer to that practice as "hijacking" a thread.

I have a few little tricks to calm my chicks when they're put onto the perch. I speak softly and I stroke their heads, holding my hand lightly on the backs of their necks which is soothing and gets them into a relaxed mood to sleep. I also scrunch them tightly together on the perch which gives...

I've dealt with chicken skin cancer in my own flock. Here is a thread I made. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/possible-lymphoid-leucosis-neoplastic-tumor-update-not-injury-confirmed-to-be-a-tumor.1543307/