Sick Chickens on the Homestead

So, I have a lot to learn about chickens. They are complicated little creatures. It's not at all like having a dog or a cat that you can put into a carrier and take to the vet.

I think Rogue must have been sick when I found her and put her with my flock. She looked somewhat sickly at the time... I should have known better. Learning lesson #1. Quarintine new birds for three weeks! 

It was the first week of Spring, so I cleaned the chicken coop, and changed out all the shavings, and hosed down the walls and scrubbed everything. I then went out and got some chicks and added it to my flock. This all happened within a week about three weeks ago?

Next thing I know Regina is coughing and sneezing and making terrible wheezing sounds. 

I put garlic powder in their water to help naturally cure their cold. 

I thought that maybe it was the dust from the new bedding, or maybe the damp cold air from hosing down the sides of the coop. 

Anyway, now all of my adult hens are sick. I can't give them medicine because I don't know whats wrong with them. 

Ginger told me to call her horse vet. He makes house calls and has chickens. 

This is going to cost a fortune. For chickens....

Anyway, he is coming tomorrow at 12. Fingers crossed that the medication that they need doesn't cost a small fortune. We aren't rolling in money at the moment. 

This morning I opened the coop and normally all the birds come running out to say good morning... today they all walked out slowly, and one was missing. I opened the inside of the coop and there was Martha... still sitting on her perch looking terribly lethargic. Her comb is starting to fade in color and turn blue... which means something is wrong with her air sacs?. This is bad... it's really bad. 

I sat there for a moment petting her, she closed her eyes as I stroked her behind the ear.... I told her to hold on for one more day... "don't you go dying on me now!" I lifted her off the perch and placed her on the ground, she feels lighter then normal. She slowly walked outside to go sit with the other birds... they aren't even interested in looking for bugs. It's a pathetic site. 

I went in and made some hot oatmeal and rice crispee cereal mash for them. This should warm their tummies. I brought it out to them...they gathered around eating and coughing... normally its' a brawl to get to the food. They gathered around the bowl all taking turns. What is going on?! Friendly, Docile Girls eating nicely together without pecking each other? There is definitely something wrong.

Anyway, I put up a video of my birds on You Tube and Facebook. Once I know whats wrong with them, I will tell the world what these symptoms need. 

Anyway, Enjoy the video of my sick birds. 

The Red Hen is Martha, the large hen next to Martha  is Regina, the Hen in the back is Becky, and the skittish hen in the corner that is lacking a comb on top of her head is Rogue. 

Buffy, Blue and the Crew

My chicks have moved outside to live with the big girls. They have a box with a screen in front and an opening just large enough for them to enter. This morning I went to check on them. I pull the rope to open the sliding door and I hear the girls jump down off their perch. I always wait for them to come out, and I say to them  "Good morning ladies" they look at me as if to say "yeah? whats so good about it?" wheres my grub?"
Anyway, this morning I didn't bother to look for them, I just opened the door, and then went into the hen house to check on my babies. One, two, three... where is Blue?! I started to panic. Of Course Buffy comes over and wants to be cuddled. "Not now Buffy, where is Blue?" I run out to look for her... There she is! Hanging with the big girls... Buffy comes running out as if she knew who I was looking for and gives Blue a little peck as if to say, "You got mom all upset! Look! Stay with us babies, your not big enough" Buffy herds Blue back into the hen house. They are getting so big so quick, Just a week ago they were in my closet... now look at them, strutting around with the ladies. Oh... they grow up so fast.

Martha says "Is this food? Where's my oats? You always bring me oats... this doesn't taste like oats." 

Back to front: Blue, Fluffy, Goldie, and Buffy. I think Buffy is a rooster. She seems to charge around and boss the others around... always protecting them. 

Regina and Martha heading out the door. "No oats? Screw you mom" is what that look is. 

Hawk commits attempted murder in Southampton NJ

Harriet the hawk goes after  Regina while Princess Martha and I look on.

Just sitting in my kitchen when I hear Regina bawking outside. "BAWk bawk bawk bawk" meaning... "Shit shit shit shit" to us humans.
I see something the size of an airplane swoop down fast in front of the window and take off just as fast. I jump from my seat and look to see what is going on. That stupid hawk was going after my girls again. I see her fly off with open wings... and land in a tree. Did she get Regina? I dash outside in my uniform (PJ pants, hoody sweatshirt, socks and a cape) and look around for her. Martha and Becky come out from under a bush looking very shaken. "Where is Regina"? They look at me as if I have betrayed them again by not letting them sleep in my house... I look over the neighbor fence. The ground is wet and cold and my feet sink into the cold mud. Ugh... more laundry, these were clean socks!!! I hate icky toes.  I go back in.... and watch. Did that hawk get my girl? I watch....to see.... they walk across the patio to a very thick shrub and give a brrr brrr sound. Out pokes a very scared little face. Ah Regina... there you are. That was close. She steps out... seems she fine... they all circle up give a once over and quietly go under the bush and sleep there for the rest of the day.
 I told my dad and he promptly brings me a fake owl. Hawks don't like owls, worth a try. I don't want to lose another girl. So here is my new pet owl. I shall name him Owen. I'm either going to stick him in the middle of the yard or on top of the hen coop. I just know I'm going to walk out there tomorrow to find Harriet the hawk making love to my Owen. Wouldn't that be great? I can have hawkowl babies... I'm so confused... so torn.... chickens... or hawkowls! I could be famous.
Oh... bother. Meet Owen, he soo handsome...non?

Just waiting.... "Oh! I didnt see you there".

"Can I help you? You would like to talk to WHO? No she doesnt live here. Go away, I'm very busy" .

"I told you NO! Stop it! Leave me alone, no you can't touch my feathers! I'm waiting for my girlfriend Harriet the Hawk, we are to make sweet love later".

I put the fake owl out in their coop and the girls ran inside their house.