Today our girl Scout laid her first egg! She’s our only legbar (we unfortunately had to cull our other one) and probably the sweetest, quietest chicken we have. I scampered into the house SO excited by this highly anticipated little butt nugget.
This is our cream legbar, Scout. My husband sent me this photo on his way out this morning. She’s been dealing with a leg injury for a few weeks, but I guess she’s feeling pretty good this morning 😂
Girl’s just out there living her best life. Should I tell her this is a good way to get scooped up by a hawk?
Hey y’all!
I currently have one laying hen, a calico princess who started laying last week. First egg was soft shelled, followed by 3 regular ones in a row, and then another soft shell (with additional yolk found next to it). She’s currently in with one cream legbar who is 3 weeks younger (approx. 20-21 weeks I think) and isn’t laying yet. Is it safe to switch them both to layer feed at this point? I figure my legbar will start laying in a month or so but don’t want to give it too soon. They’re currently eating dumor all flock. I have oyster shell out but it largely goes untouched.
We also have 4 pullets - two GLW and two Welsummers - currently quarantined waiting for integration (my legbar has a limp and I want to wait to introduce until she’s more mobile). I was told they were 3 months old but they’re the same size, if not bigger than our legbar. They were eating layer mixed with grower crumble at their previous home but I’ve been giving them grower crumble mixed with all flock since we don’t have layer feed yet.
Hi everyone,
Our dog died suddenly at home this morning. He was an 8 year old Golden Retriever, 90 lbs, neutered. He was a big, tall boy, but he was a healthy weight for his size. Was given a clean bill of health at his last vet visit, at the end of March.
10 days ago he had a medical episode where he displayed a lack of appetite, he was wobbly on his feet, and was lethargic. He peed and had a healthy poop, his gums weren't pale and he wasn't showing signs of bloat, so the emergency vet had a wait time of about 7 hours since they considered him non emergent. By the time we went to bed, he seemed a bit better, and the next morning he wanted breakfast. Our vet told us they felt comfortable about us monitoring him at home. He seemed to get better through the week. I assumed it was because it was hot out, or maybe he'd gotten into something.
This morning, I put down his breakfast bowl and didn't hear him coming so I went to check on him. He wouldn't get up and was breathing heavily and mostly into his belly. When he did try to stand up, his hind legs collapsed. I moved him in front of the AC in case it was heat related, since it was pretty warm in our room. The only vet that was open was about 40 minutes away, and at the time he seemed to be perking up. I planned to take him to urgent care when they opened at 8. Around 6 am, he vomited (mostly bile with some of his dinner) and his gums started to turn pale. At that point his breathing started to change in rhythm and slow down, and I realized he was dying. I didn't think he'd survive the car ride, and I was positive that if we made it there in time, the vet would just tell us what we already knew. We chose to lay with him until he passed, and he was gone by 6:20.
I'm hoping to talk to our vet tomorrow, and while I'm definitely not a veterinarian, from what I've read this sounds like hemangiosarcoma. Does anyone have any thoughts? Would it have been different if we'd jumped in the car right at 5:30? Would he have been in a lot of pain, even though he seemed remarkably calm? Maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question. I know you can't give possible diagnoses, per sub rules, so I'm not really sure what I'm even asking for.
I think everyone has that one chicken that seems to always have something going on. Mine is Goldie, the calico princess. She's only about 18 weeks old and there's constantly an issue.
This week, I noticed she's been holding her head to the side like she's watching someone walk away and she's *really* interested, and there's a large bump where she seems to be bending her neck to the side. I thought maybe it's because she has a ton of feathers coming in, but when I felt around I noticed she has a big lump - kind of like a ridge - spanning from under her "chin" to where her wing meets her shoulder (on her left side, opposite side from the bump in the video). The skin looks like there might be a little discoloration to it, but I can't get a good look or a good picture.
Has anyone dealt with anything like this? I found one post from a few years ago that looks similar but there weren't any updates on it. I'm guessing it's an injury of some sort, or possibly a feather cyst? She tried to jump off of my hand and totally faceplanted so I get the sense she's trying not to use that wing. The lump is pretty hard and doesn't move with the skin. She doesn't seem bothered when I touch it, other than her baseline annoyance at being handled in general. She's otherwise clucking away and pooping, eating, and drinking just fine. She's holding it up parallel with the other wing, though the last few nights she's opted to sleep on the droppings board beneath the roost.
I should also mention, we do not have an avian vet near us, so unfortunately that's not really an option.
Hi everyone,
My husband and I found out a few days ago that I'm pregnant again after 3 losses. I'm struggling to believe this is real, or that it will continue on at all. While I'm absolutely thrilled, I can't fathom a world in which this works out and I get to bring home a living baby. I feel like a total imposter even saying I'm pregnant when I don't feel like it'll last. Does this part get better? I want to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I can, since it could very well be the last time.
I am feeling less anxious this time - before, I was chomping at the bit to go get bloodwork done the day I found out. This time not so much. Maybe it's because I finally realize I don't have control over any of it. Maybe it's because I'm terrified of the results. I am at risk for another ectopic, so I plan to get on that today.
Anyway, I'm very happy to be here with all of you. Hopefully all my posts won't be so depressing.
Edit - first hCG at 14 DPO came back 65. Not feeling hopeful.