Recent content by ccat1

I have 6 young chicks (3 months old) that are in the main run with the older hens. I have them separated and am feeding them Grower Crumbles. The young chicks are getting really big and have been in that pen for about a month and I feel they could now blend in with the older hens. My question...

Our 6 new chicks are about 7-8 weeks old so yesterday was time to move them out with the "big girls". I built a 2x3' temp coop for them and fenced off about 9 feet of the run for them to be separated from the big clucks. So far, everything has been great. They seem very happy and the cool...

I just put my 6 chicks, 7 weeks old out in the "big girl" run. I built them a 2x3' coop with roosting bar. I hung their water in it and also have their feed. I fenced off about 8' for them and to get used to the 3 adult Marans. So far, I haven't heard any hollering from any of them...

These chicks are about 7 weeks old. Thank you all for the advice/wisdom. Ridgerunnner, that was a great piece you wrote and very interesting. I learned a lot from it. I will make plans to move the chicks to the run next week and will keep them fenced off from the older 3 Marans that are...

I have 6 chicks, about 7 weeks old. Very healthy and doing well. I have been reading a lot about when to take them off Medicated Starter feed, and found the "medicated" is mainly for coccidiosis, My research shows most wisdom says not to feed them layer feed until they start laying. Should I...

Thanks for all the replies and advice. My shop isn't heated but insulated. If it's 30 outside, it's probably 40 in the shop. I think I'll leave them in our house thru this week but probably by weekend, I'll move them to my shop and build them a bigger place and use the heat lamp for them to...

We recently got 6 chicks (Buff Orps and Blue Plymouth Rocks) and they are now approaching 4 weeks old. We are raising them upstairs in a spare bedroom in a ever shrinking big tub.....they are starting to get HUGE. A heat lamp is used to keep them warm and they seem like very happy little clucks...

Good luck with your upcoming birds. We have three Copper Marans, 2 black and 1 blue. They are going on 4-5 years old ( I can't remember exactly) Today we got 6 new chicks, (about 5 days old) at Rural King. TS said it would be March for theirs, so we went ahead. 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Blue...

Thanks yall for the advice. I'll put some pine straw in the run but keep hay straw in the nesting area. Thanks again

Question.... I have several pines around our pond and was wondering if pine straw would be good bedding in a run or coop? I currently use straw but was up by the pond today and thought about the pine straw and figured the forum would quickly chime in. Thanks in advance.

Here's my question to add to this molting thread.... I have 4 copper marans (one blue) who will be 2 years old in March. One is apparently molting, as I do notice feather loss, but my question is.....is it normal for her to sleep in the egg/nest box? I can run her out and she will eventually...

A friend recently said a Molting hen can be brought out of it, or the molting process lessened by feeding the hens fish pellets. She said they have Koi, and feed fish pellets. I was wondering if anyone has done this? I had a blue copper maran molt for 2-3 weeks, but has seemed to stop. Just...

My issue is birds, just ordinary sparrows, finches.....getting into the coop, sitting on the edge of the feeder and gorging themselves all day. I am actually noticing I am putting more feed into the feeder throughout the week, than before I had this issue. I really don't know how to keep this...

It's about 5:30pm Monday. this hen went up to the nest box about 3pm yesterday and is still there. What do I do? i reached under her and pulled out 2 eggs and the golf ball that stays in the next box. Do I reach in and just pull her out and put her in the pen? I know she hasn't eaten while...

I have a year+ old Black Copper Maran who all of a sudden wants to stay in the nest box. She started a cluck a few days ago that she hasn't done before, but never showed any signs of sickness or pain. Friday, she got up in the nest box in mid afternoon and stayed until Saturday afternoon. She...