Recent content by chicks44

Hi- We have 8 chickens, one of which is a bantam cochin. They are about 8 months old. Her behavior has gotten increasingly more concerning. She has started to walk backwards and her plummage seems to be thinner and less full. She has a funny coat anyway given that she is a frizzle, but she...

Hi! This is my first small flock of chickens. They were born in early June. I have 8 in all: 1 red star, 1 BO, 1 Wyandotte, 2 silkies, 1 cochin, 1 frizzle cochin (bantam), and 1 crested polish. It is a wonderful flock with great birds for pets/laying. I think of my egg layers, the only one...

I just picked up some DE, figured I would dust a little inside the coop, but any suggestions as to what to do in the run? Someone said make a box for them mixed with sand and they will dust in it. Others say manually dust them yourself, yet others say sprinkle all around the run. ?????

My husband just finished building a palace for our 8 standard/bantam chickens that is all of the things it needs to be. Airy, easy to clean, safe etc. The only problem I see is that half of the run is getting packed down with damp, hard, soil. It is humid so it is starting to smell. I will...

Thanks, My husband just finished building a palace for our 8 standard/bantam chickens that is all of the things it needs to be. Airy, easy to clean, safe etc. The only problem I see is that half of the run is getting packed down with damp, hard, soil. It is humid so it is starting to smell...

So, I am also interested in this subject. For an 8x8 run, how much sand? What is ag lime? Also, I thought chicken keeping was almost effortless. What is up with the DE and the treatments to prevent infestation etc. Are there some basics that I can live by that are safe, require little $...

when are you supposed to start giving them oyster shells?

Thanks! I guess she isn't the only one, so thats good!

Ok, so this is my first batch of chickens. I have an adorable black silkie who occassionally bobs her head to the side, like she has a twitch but slower. I know it is weird, but I was wondering if anyone else has seen this. Her behavior is totally fine otherwise, so I am not too concerned...

My friend has a hen that is dying a slow death. She is unable to walk on her crooked feet and spayed legs. They can't afford to pay a vet to put her down. Is there a quick and painless way to euthanize her? Yuck! Thanks, I hope I am not in her position with my chicks some day.

Can anyone give me the basic how to to get set up for electric fencing? We have an 8x8 coop/run under construction with a metal roof. What suppplies do we need to set up an electric fence? Can you buy an all inclusive kit? Also, where would you wire the coop. Around the top perimeter and...

Are they too young at 2 weeks for a string of spaghetti? I am gathering from my research that it isn 't a risk to young chicks to feed them healthy treats, you just don't want them to eat too much that they don't eat their medicated feed. Is that right? I also tried a couple of pieces of...

Thanks!

My 2 week old Buff ate 2 moths that flew into the brooder. One was by accident, and then my lovely husband wanted to see it, so he put another one in. She seems to be fine, I know this will happen when they are outside in a few weeks, but are they too young to handle that kind of food now?

We live in Acton mass. Gets hot in the summer, they will probably never be in direct sunlight when they are in their enclosure. It will get plenty of fresh air as it is all hardware cloth around the sides. Direct sunlight on them isn't necessary? Vitamin D?