Recent content by Twiga

Thank you all and Ridge runner for putting my mind at ease - I was worrying about the rest of the girls but I see you are right - they should be fine if wild birds can take the cold.

My chickens are in a shed for the winter with plenty of straw and a thick layer of sawdust on the floor. We lost one today as she got egg bound. The farm store said it could be she got too cold - I've bought a thermometer and it's just 1 degree Centigrade in the shed. It must go below that...

Thanks Yorkshire Coop. I have been looking at the advice from the Dutch government and it says there is a transport ban on all chickens and chicken manure. More restrictions apply within a 10km radius - which I am thankfully outside. Your thoughts on keeping the bird food protected are very...

I live in Holland, There is a bird flu out break nearby ( within 30km of us) and farms have been culling. It is not the deadly H5N1 but needs to be taken seriously. What advice can anyone give for us to protect our 6 hobby chickens? They are normally free range but I could lock them in - but...

Ok so grain makes them fat!? I will be more careful with it now, thank you!

Thank both for these helpful replies. I was surprised to learn that only 10 % should be mixed grain - given the choice the chickens will eat grain all day, and I have been handing it out 2 - 3 times a day as treats. The layer pellets are therefore the main staple of their diet and I will make...

As we head into winter there is less for my free range chickens to find in the garden. I have always fed them pellets and mixed grain but they seem to be begging me all day for more. How much grain should an adult chicken get per day? If I leave the pellet feeder topped up they will just...

Thanks Stasichick and mypetnugget. I live in Holland so maybe a farm store will sell it - but my chickens are free ranging in the garden so maybe they are getting enough earth etc to do the job naturally? I don't give the adults grit - just layers pellets and free range foraging. Is grit also...

My 5 week old chicks are getting very good at flying. A friend suggested clipping their wings - any advice on how to do this? How much do I need to trim and which feathers?

HI just reading through your thread and you stress adding grit - is this a special type of chicken grit? I do not see this at the pet store. my chick s are 5 weeks now and starting to hunt around for food in their shed . Is sand ok as there is lots of this already on the floor?? thanks

That's a great idea thank you sunflour. I am not in the US but I can find something like this no problem. I guess the drainage is the only issue. I hope they prefer it to their home made version!

Help! My chickens are digging enormous holes in our lawn to do their dust bathing. One hole I thought i'd let it go , but it's more now and they are so deeeep! how can I stop them and what else can I offer them to stop them dust bathing in my lawn?

Thanks Chickencanoe, I was thinking that keeping them indoors is not helping them acclimatise, that's why I tried turning the lamp off. So I will do more of that now, and will move them to the shed next week with the lamp at night. ,Then by six weeks the lamp can go. Autumn is coming but it...

My chicks are 3 weeks old now and have been living in our house in a big crate with a heat lamp. I have tried turning the lamp off occasionally but they seem to still need it. Feathers are growing very fast. I am thinking about moving them outside to a garden shed at the end of next week and...

Thanks Chicmom, I have picked her up and she was hiding 5 eggs! I put her outside and locked the run so she can't go back in. I don't have a wire cage and it sounds a bit cruel to put her though that, so I will wait it out and hopefully she will give up soon!