Arizona Chickens

[BenisonsChickns]

Ok what am I doing wrong, my RIR is on her way out, really labored breathing and her comb is turning whiteish, I lost my barred rock just over a month ago. I don’t know how their getting sick their coop and run is very clean and I use straw in the run and pine shaving in the coop and nesting boxes, they free range for an hour a day in the evenings and they eat kalmbach pellets 17% layer, I give them soldier fly grub snacks every couple of days as a treat….. any ideas anyone?

 

[BenisonsChickns]

Ok what am I doing wrong, my RIR is on her way out, really labored breathing and her comb is turning whiteish, I lost my barred rock just over a month ago. I don’t know how their getting sick their coop and run is very clean and I use straw in the run and pine shaving in the coop and nesting boxes, they free range for an hour a day in the evenings and they eat kalmbach pellets 17% layer, I give them soldier fly grub snacks every couple of days as a treat….. any ideas anyon

Ok what am I doing wrong, my RIR is on her way out, really labored breathing and her comb is turning whiteish, I lost my barred rock just over a month ago. I don’t know how their getting sick their coop and run is very clean and I use straw in the run and pine shaving in the coop and nesting boxes, they free range for an hour a day in the evenings and they eat kalmbach pellets 17% layer, I give them soldier fly grub snacks every couple of days as a treat….. any ideas anyone?

came home from church to find her dead…..

 

[EmmaDonovan]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't have any insight. I lost two hens recently, too, seemingly for no reason. It's heartbreaking and frustrating.

You can try doing a necropsy to see if you can figure out what the cause of death might be. This video about it from the Veterinary Sciences department at Utah State University is comprehensive.

Alternatively, the Arizona state veterinarian offers necropsy services. It's in conjunction with the UofA so they're in Tucson. At $250 it's not cheap, apparently our state is one of the most expensive for livestock necropsy.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Hi all!
I know it's been awhile. It's been hectic. But I have a question I'm hoping someone will have some insight.
Lately I've noticed our Roo acting differently towards his 7 hens... Well actually just during special feeding times. Rather than doing his normal clucking to call his girls to the food, he's instead warning them away and guarding the food.
He does this when I offer their morning fermented feed and again in the late afternoon when they are let out and given wheat sprouts.
I first noticed this earlier in September (after we returned from an extended trip).
In each instance, he'll keep chasing them off until he finally starts eating and then the girls gradually come closer and can eat too.
Why?
Can we get him to stop?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Is anyone's flock molting right now? If you live in a desert area, what does your flock's molt usually look like and how long does it typically last? Do they lose tons of feathers or just look a bit scraggly?

 

[igorsMistress]

Hello Arizona.

FYI I heard on the news that there’s a confirmed case of bird flu in a backyard flock in Maricopa. Keep an eye on your birds.

@Happy Novogens it sounds to me like he’s chasing them off because he wants the food himself. Maybe give him a separate bowl and see what happens.

@EmmaDonovan each bird will molt differently, there’s no set pattern. Sometimes there’s feathers all over, sometimes not. As long as you don’t see pests on inspection and their feathers grow back it’s likely fine.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Thanks for the heads up, igorsMistress! Here's a link with symptoms to look out for.

I guess they can get it from wild birds? We have a little flock of sparrows that stops by in the mornings to check for any grains that may have been kicked out of the run. I never minded them because anything the sparrows eat means the squirrels won't get it and the sparrows don't steal our eggs.

That's the only exposure the flock gets to wild birds as far as I know (hawks hang around sometimes but don't come down into the yard). They don't have physical contact with the sparrows. I've never seen a sick sparrow but I'll watch out for that now.

Our flock is still molting. Feathers everywhere. Yesterday I was cleaning out the coop and run and I raked up enough loose feathers to make three more chickens.

Everyone seems to be doing well and they're laying at the same rate as always. The molt and shorter daylight hours haven't slowed them down (yet) but it's not that unusual for first year layers to power through the molt and winter. Of course our "shorter" daylight hours still means 10+ hours of daylight (compared to 14+ hours in summer).

 

[Happy Novogens]

@Happy Novogens it sounds to me like he’s chasing them off because he wants the food himself. Maybe give him a separate bowl and see what happens.

Thanks. I've actually tried that. I put down 2 bowls and he will run from one bowl to the other, guarding them both, lol.

Then I got the idea one morning to let him out of the run with his own bowl and I put the 2nd bowl inside for the hens. When I did that, they ALL ignored the food and only wanted to get back with each other.

 

[BenisonsChickns]

No molting going on over here, just been introducing 4 golden buff chicks, had my Easter egg I’ll a few weeks ago but after two days in the house with some Corrid she quickly recovered, have another that had some tape worm segments in her poop so she is on a wormer med at the moment.. I’m learning there is never a dull moment raising chickens!!!!

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello Arizona.

FYI I heard on the news that there’s a confirmed case of bird flu in a backyard flock in Maricopa. Keep an eye on your birds.

@Happy Novogens it sounds to me like he’s chasing them off because he wants the food himself. Maybe give him a separate bowl and see what happens.

@EmmaDonovan each bird will molt differently, there’s no set pattern. Sometimes there’s feathers all over, sometimes not. As long as you don’t see pests on inspection and their feathers grow back it’s likely fine.

That one is in Maricopa county ( I think it was in Mesa), not the city of Maricopa that is in Pinal county.

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/bird-flu-detected-maricopa-county-state-officials-say