Unless you have substantially large holes, the square inches of ventilation available would be nowhere near the requirement for 12 birds. I agree the requirement for coop space diminishes when a large run or free ranging is available. It'd be nice to have adequate ventilation for the cube of...
Sad update to report. The internal injuries proved too much to overcome; Stormy died sometime yesterday while I was at work. Such is the duality of free ranging birds; they get freedom and wide open spaces, but with that comes inherent risks.
The good news is the wounds appear to be healing without much nastiness. Unfortunately, he seems to be doing worse overall. He won't stand at all, or really put any weight on anything other than his stomach. He isn't moving around either; I picked him up last night and realized he was sitting...
Well, he's still alive, though he seems pretty subdued... Got him to eat scrambled eggs one day but hardly touched them the next. He is making through his Gatorade water, so at least he's getting something I suppose. Wounds look like they're healing, but who knows what's going on under the skin...
Thanks all for the quick response
I made use of what I had immediately available: did a good bit of trimming, poured on some peroxide, gooped on a bunch of Neosporin, and bandaged him up. He's warm, and has the whole kennel to himself to ponder about how lucky he is to still be one of the...
Our one dog is the guarder of the chickens, walking among her flock everyday, all day. It's that other, bigger dog... Our German Shepherd broke through her cable run and had the afternoon free to "play" with our free range flock If we're around, she leaves the birds alone, but if she's bored...
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So far, 3 have hatched under broody #2. I'm gonna let her keep sitting for a few more days just to see if any more make it, and then I'll pull all the remainders out and give her a fresh batch to sit start to finish.
Had one of our australorps go broody back in May and decided we'd finally let her sit a batch (we had broken her twice last summer). She had gathered her own eggs, but thinking we might as well add more, we grabbed some from the counter and added to her nest that night. Still, we ended up with...
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Much of the rest of the world does not refrigerate their eggs. The reason Americans are brainwashed into thinking eggs should be refrigerated has to do with the powers that be disallowing eggs to be sold commercially without washing; washed eggs lose the bloom, and the...
It happens. I've noticed it more on bags at the bottom of the pallet at our feed store. Usually their bags of crumbles are good, occasionally not; same with layer pellets. If you care enough and have free time, take it back; if it happens a lot, try a different brand or store. If you're like...
Thought today that I should update this thread with my results since putting this thing into use.
I have been very pleased with it! I luckily haven't had any problems with birds sitting on it, pooping in it, or excessively kicking out food (your mileage may vary). Early in the winter I...
Ours go straight from nest box to egg cartons on counter; no washing, no refrigerating, no worrying! They stay there until they get eaten. Cooking with room temperature eggs is SO much better!
Still haven't figured out why so many people are worried about the ultimate fate of roos they don't want... If someone doesn't want to eat their own birds, fine. But why then worry about the fate of an unwanted bird? Let someone else make use of it. Or kill it now to stop paying into it's...
Having not mastered coop construction yet, most wild birds live in areas with rain and have to deal with it unsheltered. I'd say the chickens are welcome to make they're own choice.