Recent content by Black Jaque

Just wondering what the advantage/disadvantages of retractable wheels vs. fixed wheels are. I see some chicken tractors with retractable wheels. Others just have a set of wheels hanging off the back end of the tractor (works like a wheelbarrow). Is there any reason to go with the retractable...

So when people say the hens "slow down" after 3 years, how much do they slow down?

I came back from vacation to find two of my hens went broody. I put them in milk crates and one snapped out of it in three days. It's been a week now and the other one STILL returns to the next box first chance she is given. HOW LONG?! Is there anything else that I should be doing? I've...

I've read quite a number of earlier threads and I can't identify any of the common reasons. I can rule out: low light/winter broodiness soft eggs free range/laying in hidden spots eating eggs diet molting The only thing left is stress which is so broad you can never really rule it out. They...

I have a Penedesenca and an Americauna that have not laid an egg since June. The weather has not been particularly hot this summer. They do not seem to be unhappy or unhealthy. My other chickens are laying just fine. What am I doing wrong?

Did you put her in a broody cage? Yeah after breaking them out of their broodiness it takes a week or two for them to start laying again.

I have 5 hens of mixed breeds. One is caring for 3 new hatchlings, one is recovering from having been in solitary confinement for the crime of going broody, two are laying, but the Pendesenca is striking. She doesn't look like she's molting, she's not broody, and we're as close to the summer...

Yes it sounds like your green hen is broody. She is trying to hatch eggs. You can either place some fertilized eggs underneath her and give her 3 weeks to hatch 'em, or you can break her broodiness. To break a hen of its broodiness I put her in a milk crate with mesh underneath her for 3...

Someone is proposing a new chicken ordinance for the City of Wisconsin Rapids. I'm not sure I'm so thrilled about it though. They propose a max of 4 chickens. I am not so convinced that chickens are illegal currently. There is no specific prohibition on chickens in Wis. Rapids. But...

We have a Chantecler hen that went broody so we put a dozen fertilized eggs under her. After coming back from a camping trip I found that she crushed 3 of the eggs and the contents got all over the other eggs. I changed the bedding entirely and put her back on the eggs. Now I am wondering...

Any thoughts?

I have two new chickens that our broody hen hatched. The one pictured is a Silver Penciled Wyandotte. She has bald spots on her wings and a general shabby appearance compared to the Pendesenca which hatched a day later. They are both about 6 weeks. Is this due to chicken behavior or feed...

Well if you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen. I don't mind a little thought-provoking dialogue. Call it illegal - I don't mind. I'm in a peculiar situation where I don't know if keeping chickens in my city is illegal or not. My city prohibits letting chickens run at large. And...

Here's the exact wording of the ordinance: No barn, kennel, stable, yard, or pen or other enclosure in which cows, horses, sheep, swine, geese, chickens or other domestic livestock, poultry or fowl or more than two dogs or cats are to be kept shall be hereafter located upon any private...

Where do you get sulfur from? And what did you buy it for? As a treatment for lice? I've heard that straight sulfur is pretty reactive and if the coop has electricity I'd hesitate spreading it in the coop. It catches fire easily.