I expect that they if one did, it would act like just another pebble in its gizzard. I don't think they would get any nutritional value out of it, but it's not like it would explode in their belly or anything like that.
Quote:
Most of the time, a really good water filter attached to the kitchen faucet is sufficient for solving the water taste & water quality issues. There are certainly exceptions.
However, in those cases, it is a better option to buy the large refillable jugs & put it on a water cooler...
Do you have a broody breed? I think letting mama do the work is less stress for all. I think the 3 you have left will keep each other warm enough, even in a big coop. I would wait until spring and hope for a broody. You could give her eggs or graft day-olds underneath. I have done both.
They would probably only have interest in toys that dispense food. There is a parrot toy that is a round wire ball you can put treats in. It usually comes with a bell too. I think they would love that. My chickens didn't care for cabbage, but you could put whatever yours like in the ball.
They...
I found that an oil supplement really helped my alpha BR deal with her molt.
Peepers can help with aggression.
Booby-trapped eggs (blown out and filled with mustard) can help with egg eating.
Dumplings provide a single solution to all 3 problems though.
It does seem to me that BR's are prone...
No, you see chickens are like irresponsible teenagers- sneaking off to smoke behind the barn. You have got to keep an eye on those hooligans or they will burn the whole place down.
I had a mutt with semi-feathered legs. What I found the best and easiest was baby or mineral oil- applied with a small paint brush. The brush technique should make doing a lot of birds much easier. Sometimes I added a drop of teatree oil to the baby oil.
Sounds like mean girl could use some peepers. I expect she would still be top of the pecking order and boss the other girls around, but less successfully. Maybe after the adjustment is made, the peepers could come off again.
My hen did once. A boy squirrel was chasing a girl squirrel up and down a tree. When the girl made a break for another tree, my hen flew over between the two and gave the boy what for! Told him off real good.
Boy Squirrel: "Huh?"
Hen: "Can't you see she don't want none of you? No you leave her...
Quote:
Oh the worst example I have seen of this was a guy in a pickup with 2 unrestrained kids in the front seat. Each child had a star shaped crack in front of their heads where they had clearly hit the windshield before!
I would put fake eggs (golf balls) in the nest boxes and a rubber snake in her spot behind the log. You could also add an alternative nesting site inside the coop area. Maybe she just has to be different.
I had a similar problem. I would place a barrier between the nesting box and the rest of the chickens until the other chicks hatch. A lot can depend on on the rank of the mama. If she is top of the pecking order, there is less danger.
Chickens are miserable when they molt. I'm a bit surprised she doesn't mind you touching her. In addition to needing Xtra protein, oil is also important. My worst molter walked around like she was arthritic until I got her some expensive oil molting suplement (from the parrot section of the pet...