Sookie: Egg Bound!

OK, so another chicken ordeal. Saturday, went out to the coop to pick up Barb's remaining feathers and saw Sookie. Sookie's vent was NOT attractive and it looked like she had hemorrhoids. I could tell she was in pain, because she want' moving or eating and was low to the ground. Took her to the vets. We were there for almost 5 hours and they took x-rays. Yep, TWO EGGS STUCK! Soooo, what does this mean? Since Saturday, we have been giving her antibiotics for a small infection around her vent, liquid calcium twice a day in a syringe in her mouth and vitamins in her water... along with extra oyster shells in her protein layer food and yogurt and greens. We cut the cracked corn. The vet said that this ordeal happened because all Sookie was eating was the cracked corn and not her layer food (which has all the calcium and vitamins to produce a strong egg to lay) Basically her shells on the eggs were too soft and thin to lay, hence them being stuck. So, now we wait. She's acting well. She seems like a normal bird. We dealt with her being sick last year and didn't think she would make it. But Dr. Mohan is just wonderful. He knows how to take care of birds! Because she's acting well could be that she's gone broody and doesn't want to lay yet. OR she laid them and ate them, if they were soft. Stay tuned!

Green Chicken Coop: NEW WINDOW SHIPPED!

Well, I have to give a shout out at Green Chicken Coop. Dan at GCC was SO thoughtful! I sent him a letter with regards to Barb being taken by a predator from the coop. And before I knew it, I had a nice thoughtful email and a package at my front door within a few days. He personally rebuilt and mailed us a new stronger window. These guys at GCC are GREAT to deal with. They really do build wonderful coops. They have been showcased on the Martha Steward Show. We have the The Victoria design. We love it.

Thanks so much. We really do appreciate it! I will share new pics when it's installed.

One of The First Ladies finally laid an egg!

GREAT NEWS!

One of The First Ladies (the hens of our friends in Ohio) finally laid an egg! Yep, my friends, Jeanne and David got their first egg! Here is a picture of proud David with the prize. It's a big one! It had double yolks!

We will catch the beast!

WARNING: THIS IMAGE MAY MAKE PEOPLE SAD, seeing all the feathers.

However, I was telling my husband, at least whoever took her, didn't just kill her and run. He/she had her for dinner. No waste. We are setting out a trap this week. We are now being told, it may be a fox, since it did so much damage. STAY TUNED.

RIP: Barb the chicken killed

It is with great sadness that I regret to report, our chicken, Barb was killed in the middle of the night, Thursday June 17th. It was a raccoon, we believe, that took her life. I was on vacation, so I did not see the mess and sadness the raccoon left. My husband, Dave was going out to feed the girls Friday morning when he noticed the feathers everywhere and the mesh wire was ripped apart in their coop window. So sad. No Barb. She was taken with just feathers left everywhere.

Barb was at the top of the pecking order. She was the bird in charge. She was the one that always let me pet her soft feathers. Yes, we may have called her the mean one at times... But she was the strongest of all of them. She was the alpha hen. We bet that she was picked by the raccoon because of her fight that she put up to protect her sisters.

She will be missed. I know some may say, "she's just a chicken". But when you raise them from day old peeps, and name them... They each have their own personalities.... It's just tough. She was a pet. And a great chicken.

We will miss ya Barb.

RIP.

Ouch! Very large egg!

My sister-in-law's chickens lay some big ones every once in a while. Geesh!

The first ladies are in the White House

My friends built this coop for their hens. How darn cool is this?!