Recent content by PhilErvin

My run is covered with chicken wire but no roof. My girls can go under the coop in case they want to get out of the rain but they free range during the day so they find shelter from other sources.

However, I may not be the one to give advise on drafty coops. I live in So. California and we seldom get winter temps below 30. I do my best to accommodate my girls and they reward me with beautiful delicious eggs. I have found chickens to be extremely resilient and an enjoyable hobby.

How cold does it get where you are? I wouldn't be too concerned with drafts in the coop. As long as your girls are "Out of the weather" their feathers will do a good job of keeping them warm.

I too have had success with Tricide-Neo. Also had success with Epsom Salt soaks and Iodine. I think with both methods a key element is to massage the infected area in an effort to remove the scab or "plug". Once it is open treat with iodine and wrap to keep the wound clean. Also, be sure to look...

My floor is linoleum and I cover it with straw. The linoleum was free so that made it even more betterer.

I think you missed your chance. You handled it well. This incident has given you the opportunity to consider how you would handle it in the future. If the kids came through an unlocked gate maybe you should put a lock on it. Anything you say now will cause hard feelings on both sides.

I trained my girls to come running when I call. Often I'll have kitchen scraps in the middle of the day and they aren't expecting them. So, I started by going our and getting their attention by calling in a high pitched shrill "....CHICK CHICK CHICK......CHICK CHICK CHICK...... at first they...

Great story!!! I'd love to have ducks but I have a Koi pond. My chickens don't bother the pond but we had ducks when I was a kid and they are hard on a pond.

How did your chicken run turn out?

That is the trap I use to catch Racoons and Opossums. I buy cheap cat food or tuna as bait. (Please check your trap often so that you don't have an animal exposed to the elements for too long.) I release in a wooded area a few miles away. Also keep your chickens locked in a safe place (coop)...

One of the Feed stores in out community does NOT charge Sales tax on chicken feed. The other Feed store charges you Sales tax unless you are planning to eat the chicken. The store that does charge sales tax asks you to fill out a Tax Exempt card for them to have on file to protect them. Here in...

My girls are extremely quite when I go out in the early pre-dawn hours to open the run. I figured it's survival feature that helps them avoid nocturnal predators.

That's www.qcsupply.com

Go to www.qcsupply or call 1-800-433-6340 and request their Spring catalog.