Recent content by shortstaque

Welcome from across the big pond! Did you see the photo journal in National Geographic this month? It showed a bunch of backyarders in the UK with battery hens. Best of luck with it and glad you joined us.

Howdy! Do you have poultry already or are you still in the research phase? In any event welcome to the group, there is lots of good information and support here.

Quote: Thanks I'll try a little more olive oil each day. I read that too much fat can be counter productive though, so I'm sticking with small amounts. I'm hopeful that since she is still deficating, albeit abnormally, that at least some stuff is passing through the crop and she is getting...

Quote: Thanks. Hope you don't run into this problem in the future either. Hows the weather treating you there in beautiful York County? We're enjoying the relief from the heat today. We even got a few drops of rain.

Quote: Sorry to hear that : (

I had two like that last year. I understand that it gets worse as they grow because the upper and lower plates grow in opposite directions, so the gap will increase. Also, when the beak doesn't line up, the top beak tends to grow in a downward direction making it impossible for the beak to...

from PA. Yes, you are correct on both counts. Their vent expels their waste, eggs, and allows for breeding. Its very multi-purpose. The umbilical cord will disappear shortly and you won't notice it any more. Some other strange features you may notice are the large lump that come and...

1) What type of bird , age and weight. Easter Egger Hen, a year old in June, don't know how much she weighs, she is smaller than my other heavy breeds. I am sure she lost some weight in the last week. 2) What is the behavior, exactly. Went off egglaying, sitting on roost in the middle of...

I just looked back at my records. My barred Rocks and Easter Eggers were the first ones in my flock to start laying. First BR egg was at 21 weeks. The second BR started laying at 23 weeks and then my EE joined the club at 24 weeks. Don't expect to get eggs until 6 months and you may end up...

I do get a kick out of those first crows. Sometimes I wish they would stay all feeble and not get the hang of it, I'm sure my neighbors would prefer it that way.

Here's a link to one discussion: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=97121&p=1

I had one that developed a crooked neck last year at about a week old. I gave her electrolytes and hard boiled eggs and gave her private eating time without needing to compete with the other chicks. At first she would eat and then fall asleep in my hands. After a few days she showed definite...

Quote: I think this would be especially apropos for hens that laid all different color eggs. MyRedStarz you might have to get some more hens that lay different colored eggs. Think of all the fun you could have naming the hens after jewels, stones, and other materials in similar colors...