Recent content by OldMountainCur

Nice building, good luck. First I WOULD NOT block the airflow under the coop. Once you restrict the air flow you WILL buildup moisture which WILL freeze and deteriorate the floor and the floor will actually be colder than if it were left open. I would add 12 inches (or more) of wood chips...

It's preference, but considering the genetic weakness most poultry have aquired through inbreeding to develop new strains, I prefer medicated....... "Sanitation" (lack of) kills more chicks than anything. Overcrowding, poor ventilation, low temps all take thier toll and the medicated feed...

GPS makes them easier to find, but what do you tell the GPS to look for? Give me an address or business name, then I'll use my GPS.

Good question..........but what did chickens do before we domesticated them? Being old school I do what nature intended......good feed, clean water and a place to "dust." Most other "toys" for chickens are more for the owner than the chicken...........kind of like a fisherman with 2 or 300...

Most are current "from the information I have," but ............where are they?" Addresses sure would be helpful. When the locals don't know where they are.....not much chance of finding a swap.

Alot of good answers and most are "right," but considering the time of year the hen could be biologically thinking about brooding a clutch of eggs........egg production will stop or decrease, nothing wrong just the facts of life of a chicken.

Good listing of "swaps," but most of them are near impossible to find unless you give some sort of address. When the locals don't know where they are, "outsiders" sure won't be able to find them.

Close, but not quite.......the cherry egger "is" a cross of the Rhodies and some of it's close relatives and they have to be bred from cock to hen in the proper direction or you will get something entirely different. Other wise why would most hatcheries, list all three birds separately and...

Numerous comments about "incubators" being the cause of hens "not wanting to set," become broody. Good theory, but an artifical one. Like every other animal we've domesticated we've altered thier ability to reproduce in some manner. In this case EGGS for consumption was more of a concern than...

I should have mentioned before, your guineas are smarter than mine. Considering the size of the snakes I would stand back and "holler" until the dogs came too. I've never seen this type snake before.

You definately have guineas.....and some pretty good dogs too. I guess I should have mentioned guineas don't always work, but so far I've had good luck. Around here small flocks 25 birds or less ""seem"" to take care of the snakes while large flocks don't. I have no idea why.

I was stationed in the Central Highlands in Nam in 67 they had this black poultry in abundance. When I TDYed to Udorn Thailand they had the same chickens. Didn't know (or cared at the time) what they were, but they sure weren't silkies. You're right about the taste, slightly flat, no fat, but...

What, No guineas? Next to a cat they are the best "snake terminator" there is. My place was infested with copper heads at one time, but it took the "Royal Purples" less than one summer to eliminate them. Not sure why, but they seem to hunt snakes and they will "gang up" on one. I lived near...

Many may disagree,......... but way back when or a few weeks ago egg eating was/is caused by a deficiency, usually calcium. Oyster shell usually works, don't put it on the ground, but in a trough for easy access. I have several types of hens and at one time or another one or more of them will...