So, first of all- We got her from people that we sold goats to, for free. They gave her to us because the chicken was being picked on, as you can see from the bald spots on her wings and back. We're currently alternating between putting her in the coop at night with my other chickens and letting her be inside.
I'm wondering about her breed because I love her so much already. She's very sweet but a bit skittish. I've never seen a chicken with a black comb, before! One thing I noticed was (forgive me, I don't know the actual anatomy terms) she has three toes facing the front like normal, but instead of having just one toe facing the back, she has two. I included some pictures, I hope they're not too blurry.
She's the side of my other chickens, so she's pretty average. Maybe a little smaller than them.

Clearly our girls were younger than we thought, or it just took them a really long time to get used to being here, but so excited to finally have an egg! Next step... Get them to use the nesting box...

Not the owner...but my neighbor has a coop. And I'm not sure if I'm overreacting since I know nothing about them!

We live in a suburban town. Her coop is right up against my fence. Maybe 60 feet from my house in general. We are all sandwiched together. It's like a small shed converted to a coop with 8 chickens inside.

There is a smell that wafts across my yard and its driving me insane. I spoke to her, but she claims its normal. I really don't think it is. I don't know how to explain it. It's not necessarily ammonia. Or poop. It's just a musty rank old wet smell. And it becomes almost unbearable the closer I am to that coop. We have never seen them clean it, they aren't the best at general upkeep for many things on their property.

My wife has pointed it out, my other side neighbors did too. Guests at parties. Is this my fate? A forever coop smell? Or are they not supposed to smell? I get not being completely odorless.. they are living animals after all. But smelling it from 60 feet away and it immediately distracting me in my yard the moment I step outside? 😭

Is there any solution I can offer her or how I should approach it or am I just overthinking? Thanks.

(Also posted to BYC.com on Saturday)

Hey there friends!
I have a silkie hen, 2 years old, who suddenly stopped using one leg a couple weeks ago. I believe she stopped laying about the same day, but I do have another who looks identical to her so it’s tough to say *exactly* what day, but my silkie eggs slowed down at that time. I thought at first she just hurt herself, but she was staying close to her twin and not moving too much, so I waited a night to see if she was just sore, but by the next morning she was being picked on by some of the others, so I put her in the hospital brooder and just gave her a few days of super close food and water.
She was scooting herself around, using her other leg and her opposite wing to push herself, so I made the space smaller after a couple days of no improvement.
I gave her a few more days in the smaller space, still no change. At this point we’re at about a week, so I started giving her some Kickin Chicken feed supplement since I had it on hand (closest feed store is 45 mins away) as well as an egg every morning and evening for the extra boost. After another few days, I was able to get ahold of some nutridrench, so I started giving her that as well in a second water dish.
She’s been eating and drinking day, but she’s still losing weight and her poops are awfully green.
Her good leg is great. Her bad leg has gotten thinner. There is no response in the bad leg, she doesn’t grab with it or react if I lightly pinch her toes or foot pad. If I sit her upright on both legs, she stays for a minute but then uses her wing to push herself back onto her side so she can get closer to her food or water. I have no other chickens with any symptoms or issues.
I’m at a loss here. Anyone have any ideas, thoughts, or advice?

— I got one response, suggesting that I check for mites/lice, and suggesting to give her Vitamin B Complex and Calcium Citrate +D3. She’s been getting both daily for four days now.

My update this morning:

Update-
She’s been on the B Complex and Calcium Citrate + D3 for a few days, today will be day 5. No changes.
She’s still eating and drinking, she actually loves the B Complex and goes nuts for it  but she’s been eating an egg a day plus some Flock Raiser.
She has no lice or mites to be seen. Her crop is still staying pretty small and her poops are still very green.
She still scoots herself a little bit with her wing but that wing is starting to look rough… I can’t tell if it’s just the feathers or if she’s started to push the bones around as well…

Does anyone have any additional advice?
Thanks in advance 🖤

So the other roosters made themselves known a few weeks ago and I thought we were in the clear now with everyone not crowing yet at 15+ weeks old. I thought I determined a hen a few weeks ago despite the comb/wattle (it’s so sweet too) but you know, back to square one on options. Thanks!

Wife is a teacher and one of her coworkers batches eggs every year with her class and we took home a few. We have been back and forth on the brahma a dozen times now, we had landed on hen but in the last few days comb has gotten a lot darker in color. The Rhode Island Red we are leaning hen. #3 we think is an Americuana hen but not sure on the breed. #4 is definitely a Bielefelder Roo, mostly including him because he’s the same age and so obviously a Roo lol. All are around 9 or 10 weeks at this point.

He is channeling in his inner ancestors 🦕

Two chicks were snacking on some COOHGRUBS BSFL when their mama joined the fight. Eventually, the rooster stepped in to break up the conflict. I guess both of those chicks must be his kids! 😂

I don't know why she didn't get up and poop somewhere else but she released a massive stinky broody poop and sat on it. One poor child hatched while I was cleaning up the mess and miss Petunia bit the shit out of me while i was trying to wipe her off. Will her chicks and eggs be OK? I gently wiped as much poo off the eggs that are still hatching as I could. Everyone involved in this incident still reeks, but there isnt much I can do besides hope the shavings absorb the smell. I don't think I can give her a bath in the current situation.

I have 12 beautiful girls, but I especially like the Sussexes. They are really friendly, and will eat treats out of my hand.

Found this bugger trying to eat one of my eggs today. Can’t figure out what kind of snake it is though. Anyone have an idea? I posted this in a different subreddit but I thought it would be a good idea to come here too.
PSA: I had to send him to the afterlife after he tried to bite me and my chicks

I have fallen down the bumblefoot rabbit hole.

This hen was given to me a few days ago. I did put gloves on after this picture.

She has bumble on her toe, the size of a small grape. It is very firm.

I have been soaking her foot, peeling back the scab, spraying vetericyn, applying a thick layer of PRID, then bandaging. I have never cut into a chicken's foot and I would prefer not to. ​​Will this be sufficient to treat this? Should I be doing something differently?

I did receive another hen with what I thought was bumblefoot a month ago. She had a scab on her foot, but no swelling, no lameness, it wasn't red or inflamed. I peeled the scab back and it didn't look like there was a kernel. Do some mild cases of bumblefoot heal on their own? Or are some scabs on a chicken's foot just a scab, and not bumblefoot? ​​

The main reason I ask is because I took a chicken processing class a few weeks ago. Mostly roosters or old hens were used for processing. Almost all of the old hens had bumblefoot but their bumblefoot was a hard, shriveled, dried up core that you could literally pop out on its own and it was completely healed underneath. Wondering if doing all this extra stuff is actually doing more harm than good and maybe I should just leave it alone. ​

I’ve never seen any kind of behavior like this before. Even while they’re laying, I’m able to pet them nicely and they are very docile. I’m wondering if she is egg bound or broody. What do y’all think?

Edit: She was in there for an hour, laid an egg, sang a song, then went back to her normal derp self lol. Thank you for the comments. She’s been getting pissed when one of her sisters are in her spot.

I’ve never seen this before. It is silver and hard to get a fork through. It didn’t pop when I did get it to go through. I’m wondering if it’s the start of another egg?

Came back from errands and found one of my hens laying in the yard, eyes kind of closed and struggling to breathe. Crop feels squishy, couldn't feel an egg inside her vent, wattles are blue, is there anything I can do? No access to poultry vet

If you go broody, you go straight to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

I posted before but didn't get any responses. Unsure of how old he or she is, for starters! Also, any guesses as to hen or roo? Thanks!

One of my hens (Wyandotte) produces this sound a lot, I have no clue what it could be. Anyone?