flock health
Alektorophobia keeps flock health in one place: 3 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Eye issues in 3 of my 15 hens: fowl pox or something cluck-worse”, “That Mystery Egg Has Us Clucking: and Worrying: Right Along With You”, and “10 baby Buff Orpingtons playing fowl hide-and-seek in a 57-gallon bin”. Oh, three of your fifteen hens with eye issues, that's the kind of fowl play that makes even the bravest chicken tender a little nervous. So you've got a mystery egg, and instead of feeling egg-cited, you're feeling… well, terrified. Chickens. Everything there is to know about chickens and the fear of them. The list below is every flock health story on Alektorophobia, newest first.
Eye issues in 3 of my 15 hens: fowl pox or something cluck-worse
Oh, three of your fifteen hens with eye issues, that's the kind of fowl play that makes even the bravest chicken tender a little nervous. Given that everyone's acting normal, eating fine, and free-ranging without a care, I'd put my money on dry fowl pox rather than something cluck-worse like infectious coryza. The timing fits perfectly with fall molting season, and the fact that you raised them all from chicks with no new birds since March makes a contagious respiratory bug less likely. Fowl pox is frustratingly slow to heal but usually clears up on its own. For more on what's normal and what's not during these feather-losing months, check out our piece on "Is this normal?
That Mystery Egg Has Us Clucking: and Worrying: Right Along With You
So you've got a mystery egg, and instead of feeling egg-cited, you're feeling… well, terrified. I get it. That weird, rubbery lump isn't exactly a normal morning haul, and not knowing which feathered friend left it behind is the worst kind of fowl play. The good news? You're not alone in this cluck-ward moment. That lash egg is certainly alarming, but it doesn't automatically mean a death sentence for your whole flock. It's a sign something is up, not a final goodbye. For a deeper dive into similar scares, check out our piece on "Giant lash egg and a massive belly: time for a tough cluck-cision." We're worrying right along with you, one nervous cluck at a time.
10 baby Buff Orpingtons playing fowl hide-and-seek in a 57-gallon bin
Ten baby Buff Orpingtons playing fowl hide-and-seek in a 57-gallon bin sounds like the setup for a suspense thriller, if the thriller starred tiny, fluffy imposters. You've got seven snoozing away from the brooder like they're pulling a coordinated nap heist, and one each tucked into random back corners just to keep you guessing. Honestly, that's a cluck-tastic sign of confidence. They're comfortable enough to scatter, which means they're not panicked. I'd assume they'll be perfectly fine. Chickens are weird like that, they'll stress you out for no reason, then be totally fine. If you need a deeper dive into egg-citing mysteries, our piece on "That Mystery Egg Has Us Clucking" might help ease your mind.