I have a mixed flock of 18 year-old hens and one roo; also 4 guineas. The guneas roost with the chickens but run around in the coop yard and beyond. The gunea cocks are very aggressive toward the hens.
One of the hens - a Buff Rock - has gone broodie (2 days now) and I would like her to hatch...
We have cholla ('choi-ya") cactus on our place and a critter (rat probably) that likes to arm it's nests (several under/around/in the woodshed I'm remodeling for the henhouse) with thorn clusters, hundreds of them. Think of a cluster of 6-8 thorns 1/2 to 3/4 inch long radiating out from a...