Dead Chicken and other issues...

NH Homesteader

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I had some from a moderately sized operation, clipped beaks and all. They adjusted to free ranging and did great (after a while anyway), we gave them away to a friend and one is still alive and free ranging now... She would be about 7. The rest were fox food, sadly.
 

hqueen13

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Yeah, I don't expect this operation was huge, but big enough to feel the need to clip beaks :(
They have adjusted well for the most part, but with them not tolerating Princess, and now this one dying, they just don't seem to be as hearty as some of the other birds I've dealt with.
 

sumi

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That was my experience too. The clipped beaks made me think of my hens immediately, they were from a battery farm. Raised indoors, they were not as tough as my hybrids. They were not raised or bred to be hearty, sadly...
 

Beekissed

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Sometimes they just up and die and you couldn't have prevented it. It helps to open up the bird and examine all organs to see if you can determine a probable cause. This helps in the future when you'd like to cull prior to death and keep the meat.
 

frustratedearthmother

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Woohoo! Nothing like those fresh eggs - and it's really nice to know your ladies are all working!
 

hqueen13

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YES! I was getting concerned since all I had gotten for a while was 6 eggs! And of course it's almost impossible to figure out if it's the same one not laying everyday or if they're taking turns! LOL
 
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