Recent content by LazyOakes

I purchased chicks from Cackle hatchery and had planned on having them be raised by my broody hen. Unfortunately, she violently rejected them and I am left to raise the babies now. I have always had broodies raise chicks for me so this is new territory. The instructions from Cackle said not to...

Well, they won't stay under my hen and she is starting to peck at them. It is only in the 70s here today and I am getting concerned about them becoming chilled. How long would you leave them to work things out?

She’s been broody for about 25 days now. I got the chicks back under her, but some of them keep popping back out and wandering off, and then cheeping sadly in a corner. I will keep checking on them throughout the day, but I’m glad that she is at least sitting on them again.

I got several day old chicks to put under my broody. I put them under her last night and they all settled in and seemed content. First thing this morning, they were all still under mom and quiet. An hour later, the chicks were huddled together away from mom. They all seem lost as to what to do...

I have given her a little olive oil, but have read some conflicting information, some saying that oil can make an impacted crop worse, so I have been sticking to mostly water. I am open to any and all suggestions though and can certainly try giving her more oil. Her crop felt a bit less hard...

I noticed one of my ameraucana hens stretching her neck up excessively. On examining her, I found that her crop was huge and hard. I brought her inside, gave her water and left her for the night. In the morning, her crop hadn't emptied and was just as large. She only pooped a small amount. She...

Thanks for the advice. This hen started setting while I was in the hospital having a baby, and so I was a little late to notice that she was even broody, and subsequently more preoccupied than usual to keep close track of her nest. :) I will definitely be marking the eggs next time. I have...

I've had a broody hen siting on a large clutch of eggs. A few of the other hens have added eggs over the past few weeks, so unfortunately, they are not all the same age and I did not mark the original ones. I was just about to give up on her eggs as she was not on the nest last night when I...

I have 4 Ameraucanas, 2 black and 2 blue. They are 19 weeks old now. I am fairly certain that the blacks are pullets, but I am not sure about the blues. I had been thinking that they were also pullets, but they have been sparring a lot in the past couple of weeks, and now I'm unsure. What do you...

Hello all! I am in Southampton too and have had chickens for 2 years now. I have red sex links, welsummers, and cochins, and will be adding a few more in the spring. I have three icelandics reserved, and am trying to decide on another breed to add as well. How is everyone doing with the extra...

I have about 3-4 inches of pine shavings on the floor, but now that I'm thinking about it, I had about a foot of shavings on the floor in the old coop. The water bowl is one of those heated dog bowls, and they have knocked it over on occasion. I remove the wet shavings when that happens, so...

Here are some pictures of the new coop so you can see the vents. I have been leaving the windows closed at night for now. Two of the older hens with frostbite on their combs: Cochin rooster and welsummer with more frostbite: The rooster would not cooperate for pictures, so this was...

I have the Premier1 PoultryNet Plus with a solar charger and I really like it. I plan to get another 100' this spring. I don't have their gate, but find it easy enough to step over the fence (just make sure it's off!). I provide plenty of cover to help protect against hawks, and have a rooster...

I live in Western MA, and it has been very cold this winter, getting down into the single digits most nights. I got a new coop this year for my 7 chickens that is a converted shed, 10'x12' in size, with the idea that I would get a few more hens this spring. I have large screened gable vents, so...

My first chickens were red sex links (RIR x white rock). They were all great layers the first year, but started having problems their second year with soft or no shells, reduced laying, and most recently, I had to put one down after she prolapsed again. The vet suspected that she had significant...