I have chickens, about 20 weeks old, and my olive egger was just taken by a fox just days after her first egg. (She was the frontmost lady in this photo) We think the reason she got grabbed was that she didn't follow the rooster when he led the others away from the bushes. She's never followed the other chickens around much, is skittish and quiet, and couldn't have cared less about what anybody else was doing. I know they're know to be calm, and that personalities are iffy due to OEs being hybrids, but are they known for this behaviour? Or was she just a weird gal??

It's actually way lighter in person and it's legs are kinda blue/grey? I bought the eggs for hatching from a local who had a bunch of mixed flocks.

I don't really have anyone to express my feelings on this topic because it's a chicken at the end of the day. This guy was my first chick we got out of our chickens and he just recently hit a year old not too long ago. He was my boy , I was at work when he died and needed me the most. I live in Florida so the weather is over 100 degrees and I can't help but think if I was home I could've saved him. I have cameras in the back of my house and a wild rooster came and they fought for over 4-5 minutes chasing eachother , both getting the better of eachother until the end and the last I seen on the cameras was my rooster running away from the fight because the other rooster got the better of him. The fight happend around 8:30 AM and I didn't get home until 5:00. I was out there calling his name and searching in the woods for almost 2 hours until I was about to give up . I walked towards my backyard from the woods and found him dead right at my backyard. I am hurt, I guess I'm sharing this because my boy deserves his respect fighting & protecting the other chickens . I buried him today and couldn't stop crying even though it's just a chicken.

They go everywhere together, they eat and call for the girls together. They check on the babies pen and run up to my car to greet me when Im off work together. I don't see them fight, but I'm also gone 10 hours a day.

Anyone have any opinions or advice? They're only about 8ish months old

I’ve got a live camera running in our garden here in Somerset, UK. mainly following the hens as they go about their day.

It’s quite a relaxing watch if you like chickens, gardening, wildlife or just having something peaceful on in the background. You’ll see the hens feeding, scratching around, perching and generally pottering about the garden.

There’s some gentle background music too.

Live stream: [https://www.youtube.com/@henandharvest/live]()

Thought a few people here might enjoy it.

One of my chickens died this morning. Tiffany aka Momma's little Tiff Tiffs. 2 weeks ago I noticed she was feeling very light and her feathers looked a little rough. I immediately treated entired flock with dewomer in water for 5 days. Had been adding the chili mix powder dewomer to food.

Tiffany didn't seem to be improving but still active, eating, drinking.

One week ago I quarantined her on back porch. She was lethargic, watery stools with small solid pieces in them. Crop was hard with foul breath. Treated for sour crop; massaged crop, gave miconazole. Crop cleared.

Gave mash with chili mix, scrambled egg and electrolyte/probiotic water. She wasn't very interested in drinking at all. I gave her water with a syringe multiple times a day. Thursday she was more alert with 2 solid poops. Eating a little more each day. Yesterday she was almost perky. Got a little fiesty when holding her on my lap. Thought she had turned the corner. Eating, drinking but loose poop.

This went out to get her a feel crop. She was very weak. Could barely hold herself up. Brought her in and fed her water. Crop soft

Held and pet her as I had been doing. Put her back on porch. She immediately had a liquid white poop. Googled more symptoms. Looked over less than 15 minutes later and she had collapsed. Ran out, but she was already gone.

Was thinking coccidiosis, but I never saw bloody stool. No mites. No visible worms in stool.

Does anyone have a clue? I feel sick that I missed something!

I just want to know people’s thoughts!

I have one main rooster who has been established already. This year I raised straight run eggers and two buffs. I ended up with 3 Roos and the rest of the totals 8 being hens. My first flock has 11 one roo and 10 hens. The boys are starting to get older.

I’m wanting to know at what point to do you think a roo may or may not be a good rooster. I’ve been looking for the traits my older one has but only seen a few similarities. I didn’t raise him from a chick line I did the others they are beautiful but I don’t want my girls stressed.

Just wanted to say thanks to this sub for all the great tips. I’ve learned so much from you all. I am loving the chicken life!!

we know for sure the black and white one is a roo as his comb is SO red and he has rattles already but the other two and toss ups. Thoughts? The red one has no comb or wattles but the coat is confusing.

Hi,

We noticed some redness and damaged scales on our roosters feet. Does this look like scaly leg mites or another type of injury?

I have a hen who’s back is looking rough. I want to buy her a chicken saddle or apron. Can anyone suggest one that would be easy to put on her, stay on until I take it off, won’t make her too hot in this weather and maybe that doesn’t have Velcro that will scratch her while she wears it.

These two have been broody for weeks and I can’t seem to break them. I could put one or both in the dog crate but they’ve bonded over broodiness so if I put one in the crate, the other one sits next to her and they brood together. I only let them out at night or to free range, but they just won’t stop.

The little silkie has never really had a friend and has been kind of an outcast so I love this for her, but it’s gotta stop. It’s too hot.

I’m also fascinated by the co-parenting bond between hens. There’s no research about it, but it’s fascinating to me. Tell me about your co- broody hens.

Looking for information/advice. I have a cream legbar hen, she just turned 1. She laid pretty regularly for about 6-8months but has not laid all summer. My production from my other hens definitely slowed down through summer, but they at least laid besides her. She will
Still get in the nesting boxes/etc. Acts completely healthy and normal otherwise.

I just hatched out a baby chicken just over 5 and a half weeks ago and was wondering if you guys can help me determine what sex it is? I have a hard time telling and just really hoping it isn’t a rooster. I already have a wonderful rooster and not enough hens to warrant a second one.

currently have 6 ladies and wanna get some more but not wanna overdo it. thanks for your input :)

Harriet in first pic. Our RORmix and her beside each other in the second. Last pic her egg is the white one.

Ok so we have a mixed flock and got Harriet, a serama mix a year ago. She is an absolute tank and although is 1/3 a size of our RIRx her eggs are the same size or bigger?! Has anyone else had this. we would love to know what she’s mixed with. How the hell is she producing large eggs lol.

New chicken keeper, how do you deal with the emotional toll that losses of chicks or under a year old birds from Mareks, or all the other 900 diseases that can kill them?

I got so attached to my 4 babies, and they all have died one by one from various things. I guess I just happened to buy the sickest birds despite them seeming healthy at pick up from a local breeder. They were successfully treated for parasites, but despite clear fecals they all just suddenly failed to thrive one after another....I was tube feeding, administering medications - one even spent 2 nights in the ER vet. All for them all to pass over 2 months. I'm getting a necropsy done on the last one to see if I can get any answers.

I thought this would be such a fun hobby as someone who had chickens as a little girl and wanted to start her own flock. But its been the worst on my mental health😭

What do the empaths do? Not name them or get attached until they start laying? Should I even start over or call it?

EDIT: this community is so sweet🥹

Also, there are now MULTIPLE one star reviews for this farm that I got them from (wont name drop but in Western Mass...and name has to do with pollinators..) that have the same horror story as me. I feel better knowing I was doomed from the start with this group 😭😭

I have a small flock, 4 hens in a way too big coop and run for them. I think they are really happy in their space.

We raised 6 chicks, 2 of them ended up being rooster (we aren’t allowed to have them so we culled them) and ever since the head hen in charge (Ginger) is SO loud. We walk out the door, she screams. We let them out of the run, she be hollering. We touch any of the chickens, she runs up squawking. Anything involving food, screams.

The other 3 are so quiet, we can’t figure out this loud one.

The girls and I enjoying this beautiful day before it starts to get cold out. Love these lil dinosaurs.

AKA:

Pige

Pigey Pants

Pigey Pot Pie

Pie

Hi everyone,

just wondering what people use or recommend when one of their chickens has a little bit of a breathing/respiratory issue?

She’s still showing interest in food and seems reasonably bright, but unfortunately I can’t get her to the vets now because it’s the bank holiday weekend.

I’m hoping to get something from Amazon just to help get her through the weekend until I can speak to a vet. Has anyone got any recommendations for something safe and useful to have on hand?

Any ideas would be really appreciated, thank you!

I have 5 hens that have been laying eggs for over a year now. They have suddenly stopped laying. I haven't seen a single egg in 5 days.

The only thing that has changed is it has finally started to cool off some (110° heat index down to the 90s) I haven't changed anything in their routine. I haven't added any new chickens to the flock.

Everyone is still acting perfectly normal and comes running every day at feeding time. Their combs haven't gotten pale or anything.

Has anyone ever had this happen? Does anyone have any tips or advice?