Recent content by Backyard Barb

Red sex links are part Delawares (according to the internet) Does anyone have experience with Delawares?

Thanks everyone. Our local ordinance only allows us 4 birds so its hard to rotate in new girls. We typically keep 6 but even so that not much flexibility. That why we are hoping for some hens who will do their best for us for a few winters. We found Henderson's chicken chart very helpful.

Congratulations on the eggs! Ours give us a big scolding if we are late letting them out in spring, summer and fall. In the winter and rainy days, they couldnt care less when they get out.

We are planning our flock for next year and are particularly interested in hens that lay well during the winter. The breed index lists many birds in the category of high egg production but we dont need zillions of eggs in the summer. I know there are things you can do with light to get them...

I love BYC but they dont seem to be very computer friendly people. In case it dosnt take, I like very much to be helpful and have some sort of answer on hand. They said she/he has tried to crow but some times it hard to tell between a inexperienced roo crowing and noise hen announcing herself...

BTW, they are white leghorns

Tom hens only happen in rooster less flocks and even then they dont happen all the time. Sometimes one of the hens will act a surrogate roo. Our last flock didnt have a Tom hen but this time we do. She gets out front, picks up sticks and clacks them in her beak. She struts and ruffles her...

My neighbor has a hen who is looking rooster-ish but I think its just a tom hen. What age do spurs show up? Is there any type of roo that dosnt have spurs? Thanks,

Soft shelled eggs can be caused by a number of things. First, young pullets sometimes go into over drive particularly in the spring and lay dud eggs between good eggs. If they are laying at a normal rate and have thin paper like shells it could be lack of calcium/minerals. On the disease side...

The other question is will I find our eggs laden with nightshade? We do have cages around the tomatoes, but the tomatoes have decided to get really big this year and they are sticking out all over the place.

I know what the hens are thinking, but Im thinking, "I get to pet them." Sometimes I take a peek at their vent as long as they are showing off. Chicken health problems sometimes show up there and they are never still enough otherwise.

It is possible to have two eggs in a day, but one is almost certain to be a dud when it happens. . . It maybe nothing (just a dud) or it may be egg drop syndrome. In case its egg drop you really have to keep the others from eating the egg because egg drop is caused by a virus and is spread...

I know the leave of a tomato plant are toxic to people and that chickens have more robust systems than humans. . . should be worried that our chickens have taken to snacking on the tomato leaves?

You could try putting peepers on her. I have a possy of 3 hens that has decided the smallest hen is the target for all of their frustrations. I peepered all 3 of them and they have a much harder time getting after the little one now. They still beat her up but nearly as badly.

Im against feeding chickens egg shells. I know lots of people do it dont have any trouble but a) you have to make sure that the egg shells are no longer recognizable as egg shells and b) if you have any disease in your flock, its a good way to spread it fast. I know one person who bakes the...