Recent content by chicksnhorses

I, too have what I believe is a crop problem. This evening (after being gone to work for 14 hrs), I noticed one of my 9 day old chick standing with her neck scrunched down and very lethargic. The rest of the chicks are upright and active! I picked her up and noticed a very hard lump on her...

I am going through the same problem. I thought mine was stress from the winter. I too use DE in the coop faithfully. I have since day one. The other day I found out my hens have mites. They are truly almost IMPOSSIBLE to spot. They are the teeniest tiniest little specks. You have to...

My first set of chicks I kept in the house in a brooder for 4 weeks. That was all I could stand it! The dust those little ones make is unbelievable! How it coats absolutely everything is beyond me. With my second set, I set up my brooder in the garage. MUCH BETTER! Though I will say, I did...

Well, yesterday afternoon, I picked up four of my worst looking hens that have light colored feathers and looked for mites. It is unbelievable just how small those mites are! They literally are the size of a perios on my computer screen. Sure can understand how someone can miss them on their...

Well, looks like my feather plucking problem is probably mites. I did some research tonight and read on poultrykeeper.com about how to spot red mites which only come out at night. I took a white paper towel and ran it under my roosts tonight and found the teeniest, tiniest, little specks...

Almost sounds like I need to just try and get through this winter somehow! Spring can't get here too soon for me. Once there is some bare ground SOMEWHERE, my girls will go out. I will definitely try to come up with a better plan before next winter! I am thankful, no one has seriously hurt...

Well, I added white vinegar to their water today and I put hay outside for them. They did venture out a bit, but of course, it didn't help that it was 20 degrees and windy. I was a bit worried though because they attempted to eat the hay and I worry some of those long pieces might create a...

I did also get some white vinegar today and will add some to the water tonight. From what I read, looks like about a tablespoon per gallon. Am I correct in this? Thanks!

Love the idea of putting out some hay for them to walk on. Great idea! Especially if there is no snow predicted in the near future! We have about 3 more days of horrible weather and then we are supposed to warm up a bit! The suggestion that my chickens might not be getting enough protein due...

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try it!

My chickens are in a 7 X 11 chickens coop with 3 levels of roosts and 6 nest boxes. I know the floor space is inadequate for chickens which are always confined, but mine are not. With the exception of those REALLY nasty days when I keep the coop closed, they have the option to free range if...

Hi everyone: This is my first post. I have looked for answers but I am pretty much at a loss as to what I can do. I have 3 chickens with almost entirely naked butts and 3 chickens with feathers being plucked at their heads. One of my cochins is literally almost bald. My situation is as...