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Barnyard Buddies:  I'm the worst chicken mom ever.......  |
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 09 2013 : 10:35:18 AM
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I have 7 red sex link chickens that I got as chicks this past April, and quite frankly I'm feeling like a failure as a chicken owner.
Currently, 2 have bare bottoms, I assume from being pecked. Sometimes they look red or irritated, especially when it's cold, but never bleeding or open wounds. I put vaseline on them when it's supposed to be really cold. Is there anything else I can put on there butts to kind of cover it up, help it heal, or make them less prone to being pecked? I can't separate those two from the flock, because they always roost with a third that would then be all alone.
I also have 3 that all of a sudden have black on the tips of their combs. I'm assuming it's frostbite. Which I don't get. They have a well insulated coop that is off of the ground with tons of bedding. It has a ridge vent for ventilation, and I've never seen moisture build up on the windows. I put vaseline on them when it's supposed to be near or below zero overnight.
And to top it off, one now has a bald spot on the back of her head, and another looks like she might be missing a few feathers from her chest. Sigh.
Besides a couple of little pecks if one gets too close while one is eating, I've never seen them fighting or pecking at each other. Of course, I can't watch them all the time, so maybe they are just good when I'm looking at them.
My only saving grace is that they all seem incredibly happy. They are laying well, active, etc. They come running out of the coop each morning when I open the pop door to the run.
Any ideas to help my girls???
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2013 : 1:14:34 PM
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Jennifer sounds to me you are a fabulous chicken mom. My chickens would feel lucky to have the care you are providing.
some chickens naturally have bare bottoms. Turkens have that going on, but sometimes other breeds will have a few that turn out like that. Other than that maybe they need to be wormed or they are bored and are picking. A couple of my chickens always have little bald spots. It comes and goes. But I have had hens that never get feathers on their heads. It's just not so great breeding. The one that stands out the most in my mind is a black sex link hen I used to have. She had horrible conformation but was a good layer. I named her clugly cause she clucked all the time and was very ugly. Truthfully the sex link chickens are usually bred for laying and I like them very much, but they aren't exactly bred for beauty and great conformation sometimes.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2013 : 3:55:37 PM
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Jennifer,
I agree with Laura- it sounds as if you are paying plenty of attention to your girls! The black on the combs, does sound like frostbite. Are you using STRAW for bedding as opposed to HAY? I ask this, because hay can hold moisture, which of course is not good. The vaseline is the only thing I have ever heard of to protect from frostbite.
They may be molting a bit too, which would explain the loss of feathers on the chest?
If they are laying and seem happy, then I am sure that they are fine!
Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Everyday is a beautiful day, and sometimes the weather is even nice! |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2013 : 4:09:24 PM
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Jennifer, You're doing great! You're paying so much attention to them that you notice the slightest thing abnormal....that's a good animal owner.
The bare bottoms and chest may be as simple as molting. If there was pecking going on, you would see blood and open wounds. The bare bottoms could also be due to sitting for long periods of time or irritated from shavings or hay.
The black on the comb may be fowl pox. You keep your chickens warm, so frostbite doesn't seem to be the culprit. Pox is highly contagious and worst case scenario is you could lose the whole flock to it. Best case scenario is that the birds with it go through the cycle of it and survive and all is well. If possible, separate the affected ones until it runs its course.
Any new birds coming to join the flock should get a vaccination for the Pox.
Your girls are lucky to have you caring for them.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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AliciaNak
True Blue Farmgirl
405 Posts
Alicia
Elko
Nevada
USA
405 Posts |
Posted - Feb 12 2013 : 4:05:39 PM
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Jennifer,
You're doing great!
Unless you bring them into a building totally protected from the frost/cold, frostbite is hard to 100% protect from.
Even with an insulated coop, shavings and straw bedding AND a heat lamp in the coop this year, we hit -10 or colder for almost an entire month. ALL my hens have those spots this year, many are some of the worst frostbite I've seen on a hen. They only came outside for a few minutes for that entire time, but that was enough to nip their combs with frostbite. I pick my birds knowing that my winters are tough, I prefer rose combs and low combs. Even the rose combs got nipped bad this year.
I had ONE hen who decided she was going to molt when the super cold started so she got to live a very spoiled winter in my greenhouse/sun room. No frost bite on her and she grew in a lovely new set of feathers.
The bare bottoms could be lice/mites. Staying in during the cold spells, deep bedding and nesting in the same spots repeatedly can all contribute to the lice being able to survive. Did/do they have any where to dust this winter? That was hard one for me, with the super cold, and then a few feet of snow. I tried to give them a dusting box (a cat litter box) with DE to dust as often as I could.
Clean the coop out real well this spring. Spray it out with a bleach solution or a lice/mite solution. Let it air out for a few days. Spray your hens as well (with the mite spray, not the bleach, LOL)
Alicia
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.~Ralph Waldo Emmerson
www.blondenak.blogspot.com
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2013 : 09:31:22 AM
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Thanks everyone! I'm feeling a bit better. They have a deep layer of pine shaving, dried leaves, straw, and hay in the coop. The butts are actually looking much better, not so red, maybe because it isn't so cold.
I looked at some pics, and it is frostbite. But thinking about it, they do spend most of there time outside, so I guess it does make sense. They have open access, but just seem to like to be out better.
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
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FarmGirlonPark
Farmgirl in Training
30 Posts
Kelda
Des Moines
Iowa
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2013 : 01:02:58 AM
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Thanks for posting this...two of my wyndonotes (spelling) have bare bottoms as well. Their neck plumage has diminished too. The other three look fine except my silky who has lost some of her pretty "hat". I figure that's because the others are hen pecking a bit...I'm hoping one spring comes again they will be out every day and less cranky with each other...less pecking.
God Bless & Happy Trails!
Kelda
Farmgirl on Park |
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Barnyard Buddies: I'm the worst chicken mom ever....... |
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I'm the worst chicken mom ever.......
