Recent content by rkinley

How long can a hen be off the nest on day 14 ish and the eggs survive? My girl started with 8 and is down to 3 from various issues (hens pecking, possible snake) so we moved her to our “broody coop” last night and this morning she was pacing to get out and the eggs were cold. I can move her back...

We don’t have dog crates anymore but we have moved chickens down to the broody coop in the evening. That should work.

My duck finally hatched one egg out of 4, I discovered it this morning. No idea how long it’s been out, it’s dry. Mom still setting. Our other chickens would have access to any food and water I put up with them and I’m worried they will just harass mom and baby. We want to move the family...

Got these 2 weird eggs today so 2 hens have whatever is causing this. All but 2 hens are one year as of today. The others are 3-4 years (I have 17). They all look healthy. We have had super excessive rain this year and the run is a swamp. We put lots of hay down in the coop and that’s dry but...

Had no idea that chicks had navels. I thought that was a mammalian thing, lol. No apparent leaking. I guess this little one has an “outie”.

Can anyone tell me what this bump is on this chicks backside? It is below the cloaca so it isn’t pasty butt. It feels kinda hard and crusty but doesn’t seem to soften when I put a damp cloth on it. Although I didn’t hold it on very long...

Here is a picture of one of the black ones

I bought some fertilized eggs to hatch. I am not sure what they are. 2 are black with little tufts on the top of their heada, one is white with gray here and there, 1 is black and gray allover. Any clues?

Ok

I thought that their feces always had urates in it...

Why is my hen's rear end totally without feathers? She's been this way for a while but none of the others are.

I guess I have a question about growing for the chickens. I have found so far that they tend to eat the first leaves and the plant has no chance to grow to maturity. Also, when they have had access to the compost pile. They scratch it out totally and it ends up completely svattered. How do you...

That was one of the things I was wondering about; whether she would use out of necessity or if she would just stay afraid and end up sick. She seems smarter than that, but I know absolutely nothing about ducks. Or at least only what I saw Daffy Duck do, lol

That's a good idea.

I don't know what breed she is, but she is either a Mallard or a Rouen. I think she is not full grown yet. Still deciding on whether to get a drake.