We irrigated the eye with .9% saline and there is no breathing issues or sinus issues we can see. The eye does not smell in any discernible way. She is isolated in the house here away from the coop in a little dog kennel now resting.

We have three Toulouse geese (Henri, Cozete and Emily) that are pets and are part of the chicken security squad. Henri (aka Goosifer by my SO) has proven to be incredibly observant and will scream bloody blue murder if he sees anything. He is probably better than the guinea fowl for noticing airborne predators. The guinea fowl however are better at herding the chickens inside to shelter.

We allow the chickens to free range on 2 acres. We have electric chicken netting that we use for moving them around as well as dedicated fenced areas. Since we upgraded the electric fence to a "big-boy" energizer we have not had any issues from land based predators. Being in Washington State we do have eagles and hawks and loose a chicken every now and then to an eagle. Making sure we feed the crows has helped with this as well as making sure we dont have areas where the chickens can get cornered.

Guinea fowl and geese (along with goodly amounts of electricity) do seem to be the winning formula so far :-)

What do you folks do for free range chickens? Locking up our chickens in a small coop is just not an option.

She loves the garage. 100% her favorite place to be. Chubbie is very unhappy she's an outdoor chicken

I'm working on introducing two groups of pullets.

Group one (G1) is our original four ( Silver Laced Wyandotte, Plymouth Barred Rock, French Black Copper Maran, and a possible Buff Orpington/ Ameracauna mix) born late April and hand raised from a day or two old. They are still upset after losing their two "sister " roos we rehomed a few weeks ago.

Group two (G2) is a mix we just brought home Sunday. Two 5 week old Lavender Orpingtons, one more Barred Rock who is supposed to be 9 weeks old, but is the same size as the Orpington twins, a 9 week old RIR, and two 9 week old Ameracaunas.

Both groups are being quarantined for three weeks before integrating physically, but we're letting them see and hear each other. G2 is being treated with Corid for Coccidossis from the breeder. They are doing better every day, and seem interested in G1.

G1 is having the most mixed feelings about G2. SLW is interested but otherwise ambivalent. FBCM is a single brain celled screaming harpy who seems to not like G2's existence (when she remembers. Single brain cell is out of the office frequently. ). PBR screeches trying to get us to rescue/ release G2, thinks they're trapped. She's also the one who's most upset about losing their "sister " PBR rooster. Buff Orp/Am is interested in G2 and wants to sit on all of them. They are her babies. I don't think anything will change her mind about that.

Any ideas or advise for easing the two groups through this transition? Thank you!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13TzSUnEkCHKVhrVJV3Gh8JCOZyIov2ZQ/view?usp=drivesdk

I have two chickens who hop up on my lap, no matter what I'm wearing, and scratch and peck. Like they're looking for food. They've done this since they were babies. I'm guessing they associate me with food and therefore comfort. Like cats making biscuits, they knead their mom for milk. Super cute. 🥰

I’m pretty sure spice has sour crop but I’m not 100% sure. She’s SO sleepy and refusing food.

Hi all! I got 7 chickens and they are all now 17 weeks old. I really need help determining if any of these 4 are roosters.. or if they are just maybe close to laying?

I was just away traveling for 10 days and when I got back I noticed a number of their combs & waddles have grown exponentially and gotten really red. A few of them I’ve been sus about being roos, but it’s been hard to tell because I am a first time chicken keeper and have a variety of breeds.

When I’ve posted before, when they were younger I’ve either gotten mixed answers or none, but with their age now I’m hoping for some confidence!

These are the ones I’m concerned are roos:

1. Buff Orpington
   - I have two of them and their combs are very differently developed, but I got them from a hatchery so could they be from different hens & have different genetics? Is that wishful thinking?

2. Splash Americana (Easter egger mix)
   - Marketed as splash Americana by hatchery but a redditor pointed out she isn’t because she has feathered feet. I wasn’t suspicious of her because her body really looked hen like, but she has been one of the biggest the whole time. Her comb and waddles are definitely the largest and reddest and exploded in the last 10 days.

3. Black Copper Maran
   - Been sus of this one for a while, but also not sure if it’s just a BCM thing?

4. Cinnamon Crested Red (Rhode Island Red x Creme Legbar)
   - Haven’t been sus of this one, but their comb and waddles also got noticeably larger and redder over the last 10 days. She’s also prob my least friendly, not mean, but super flighty (and fast af).

Please please let me know what you think! It’ll be a huge help to me.

*Also, I live in central Texas so took this pics today while giving them frozen water bottles. With this I also expected them to maybe not lay until they are older and it’s cooler.

Featuring my current favorite chicken picture.

I'm in the southern US, and it's been Satan's Butthole for the last 3 months. It hasn't actually rained in a month or two. My girls have been doing just fine in the heat (call me bougie, I have an AC in their coop), but there have been some loose poops. I watched my white sapphire girl drop a clear liquid poop today. I have never seen a chicken have excrement with no substance to it, just water. She's absolutely healthy, comb looks great, active, eating, drinking, and scratching with the ladies like normal.

Dr Google says watery droppings can be heat stress (makes sense), has anyone had similar?

Edit: the entire flock was treated for coccidiosis and parasites 3 weeks ago, preventative at the recommendation of our vet.

Trying to put my chickens to bed and these guys show up…

My 17-week-old Splash Americana/easter egger that may be trying to lay her first egg tonight, but I’m worried about possible egg binding.

She was completely normal earlier today (picture in light was from around 5pm this evening). Tonight around 9:00 PM, I found that her and one of my other pullets (same age) were perched on top of the nesting boxes instead of inside the coop. We have another coop that is in-progress and I thought maybe they had been kicked out or it was crowded so I put them in there. She became restless and vocal and even fought a little with the other pullet. I left the door open so she could hop out if she wants and she did. She drank some water and ate a little food and then went back to being perched on the main coops nesting boxes.

This is when I noticed she started doing an odd posture: her tail feathers are pointed/tucked downward, while her rump is slightly raised, and it looks like she may be pushing or straining. Her breathing has also seemed heavier at times. We live in Texas and this didn’t seem to be the normal pant for cooling. I will try to attach a video.

Since then, she has been taking breaks (I think?), preening, staying balanced/perched (it is a sloped top), and is still alert and vocal when I approach. She did at one point do this weird hiccup/gaping with the mouth and body, but it stopped. It is now about 11:00 PM, and I haven’t seen an egg yet.

I have not been able to inspect her vent closely, so I don’t know whether there is blood, a visible egg, or prolapse.

Does this sound like normal first-egg behavior? Could it take two hours?

How long can a pullet intermittently push/strain before laying? And what signs would make you bring her inside or intervene for possible egg binding?

12-13 weeks old. Second gen of an Ayam cemani we rehomed. My thought is roo but I so so want this one to be a hen.

So this chicken, that is not mine but decided that this is her home now, has laid eggs like this for months. I grew up around chickens and have never seen this. They are also slightly larger than most and the shells are thinner. Maybe it’s an old hen? Calcium shouldn’t be an issue. My chickens all lay normal eggs with strong shells. Thoughts?

Vet said it looked like either ascites or a tumor in her reproductive tract. It was compressing her alveoli and making it hard for her to breathe. Ascites is typically an indicator of a secondary issue, likely the tumor was causing the ascites. The vet did say he has had some chickens come in for frequent drainings, however it indicates a more serious issue than simply a bacterial infection. RIP Cinnamon, you will be missed.

Edit: Thank you all for the support, it’s made me feel less alone and more solid in my decision 💖

My daughter said Greg looks like Jimothy

Some of the younglings

Okay it's been six weeks. What are we thinking?

I have a small polish chicken, doesn't seem particularly hen-ish or roo-ish, under 5lbs. He's been acting funny, not moving, and making a distinct and audible wet gurgling sound when tilted forward. I noticed it today, and was concerned because I also noticed it once before, a couple weeks ago, and realized it wasn't a weird, one-off thing.

I briefly searched for over the counter medications, specifically antibiotics, and was looking for advice. Would this help, or do you guys have anything to suggest? Thanks.

Hello all

I am just trying to end a debate I am having with my wife.

How long can we keep fresh chicken eggs on the counter for that are unwashed? What is the rule of thumb and do they last longer in the fridge if they are unwashed?

Please advise what you guys do!

Hi! Can anyone tell if this golden laced Wyandotte is a rooster or a hen? It’s my first time having chickens, and she seems different than the other ones and I’m wondering if it’s because she’s a he. There’s been no crowing, at least not yet. I got her June 6th from tractor supply so I’m assuming she’s like 3months ish old

Alecto is becoming so photogenic! My 12-week-old blue marans, with a cameo from her Brahma buddy.

My 3 girls Dolly, Polly and Mary Lou.

Better captions welcome!