I think they're trying to scare me

It's astonishing the number of things that a chicken can do, which will leave you convinced the bird is on the edge of death. Reading up on the sheer number of things that can go horribly wrong will also give you a severe case of First Year Med Student Syndrome. I'm trying to keep perspective: none of these things is necessarily a problem unless it keeps on happening, and all of them can be explained by the stress of the past few days plus pre-existing poor condition.

- Someone laid a soft-shelled egg; my money's on Trex (see below, plus, she'd been hanging around the coop looking sorry for herself). Treatment: increased calcium for everybody just in case.

- Trex doesn't seem to have been eating much; her crop isn't full in the evenings the way the others' are. She won't eat if the others are in her personal space. Treatment: extra food bowl, watched over her eating this morning.

- Dippy's crop was still full this morning. Treatment: sniff her breath to rule out sour crop (food stuck in crop for long enough develops fungal infections. Lovely). If just full, gentle massage to break it up + extra grit. If sour crop, firmer massage while holding her upside-down to make her puke, + extra grit and live yoghurt.

- Arky leaned over and threw up a whole load of water. Treatment: keep an eye on her. Make sure crop is filling and emptying when it should. Take to vet if condition deteriorates.

- Steg has a damaged scale on her leg. I suspect injury rather than scaly mite as it's just one. Treatment: watch for others pecking. Vaseline. If it is scaly mite, appropriate pesticide.

Oh and it's minor in the grand scheme of things, but Steg is freaking amazing at knocking over food bowls. I need to get something ceramic and heavy.