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I have had some bad luck with my four chickens and very recently, my flock became just one in number. My old girl, Pearl, a Coronation Sussex (very large) free ranges my small backyard and takes herself off to bed in the coop each night. My yard is fully fenced so I have no problem with foxes or...

My four girls eat cat food and they don't seem to have come to any harm. My logic is... my two cats leave some leftovers which attract flies (I live in Australia where flies are part of life). I could throw it in the bin or... I could feed it to my chickens. Makes sense. Secondly, I have a...

I have a black Astralorp, Priscilla, who actually throws tantrums! She's wanting breakfast and will make an awful racket until I come down with their smorgasbord of mealworms, porridge, banana, fermented seeds and lettuce. It's just like when children start off, "mum... mum... mum... Mum...

Thank you for that advice, folks. I guess I'll just let them be. They know what they're doing. Oh, starving them into a molt? Appalling. My girls are very contented if not a little demanding. I have one who throws a tantrum when she wants goodies.It's very funny though quite noisy. She...

Hi lovely chicken folk! 18 months ago I bought four heritage, pure breed chickens so the would live normal, healthy lives and not die from reproductive exhaustion. To date, my chickens rarely miss a day producing an egg and I am worried they are over-stressing their bodies. They haven't...

I think it's a good idea to give treats at regular times only. I was feeling guilty if I went outside without something to give them so... they were used to getting treats every time I went out the door! Wally me! Now I limit the 'extras' to morning and an hour before bedtime (which varies...

A couple of my girls announce the arrival of their egg with excited chortling and buk baaaaak, bah baaaaaks. It only lasts for a few minutes. I think the original question has to do with rather spoilt girls (like mine) that keep up extended periods of racous row intermitently throughout the...

I have had the same problem with one of my Black Astralorp pure breeds (Priscilla) and I think I'm guilty of the same inadvertent 'training' by giving them lots of treats throughout the day and when she starts up, give her more treats to keep her quiet. I've certainly made a rod for my own...

She will lay any day now. Purebread chicken are older when they first lay, lay for longer as they live longer... not dying of exhaustion as do hybrids. I have two and they each lay ever day so far. I'd be happy for them to slow up but no sign so far. Love your girl and tell her how beautiful...

PS. Min girls began at 20 and 23 weeks. :D

Not knowing the history of your girl (and I believe your chicken is a 'she') it is possible that she has been cast out because she is past laying. A new home, a fright, age... any kind of stress, can cause cessation of laying. Also chickens are flock birds and need not to be kept as a sole pet...

I know nothing about roosters but I do know about instinct. See a vet and look at a possible hormone implant. You cannot 'control' a normal function/instinct in an animal. Maybe some of the experienced folk can help here.

I suspect they will settle down. My girls are all now laying early in the morning and thus far... an egg a day each. I know they won't always lay daily but that is the status quo to date. Good luck with it all.

Has anyone seen this before? What appears to be a double shell-less egg? One of my chickens... I suspect, the Light Sussex, has laid consistently (in the nest box) for about a month then... nothing for four days. Here's what I found... under the perch. Two shell-less eggs (L and R - covered...

Isn't it amazing how they know to lay an egg in nest box... how do they do that? My two BAs and my one Light Sussex all did that. I have two nest boxes, one on top of the other (I wanted them side by side but my SIL had his own ideas). Brilliant.

Oh my goodness! How frighteing for you all! It would be unlikely for chickes to lay when stressed. My friend has acreage and when she bought her point-of-lay girls, it took them 2 weeks before the first egg arrived even though conditions were perfect. Hope all turns out well for you and you...

Right. As regards the rooster's feed - chicken's don't seem to feed from different containers so I don't imagine you could stop him from eating with the girls are eating. As far as a nest box goes, roosters don't lay or brood so... I can't see that he would ever occupy one. As long as there...

Welcome! I'm a newbie to BackYard Chickens myself. What is it exactly, that you would like help with? I don't know a lot but have learned as I've motored along. I don't have a rooster (banned in the suburbs by City Council) so if your query is about you boy, maybe search for a thread...

Oh, I must look it up... watch a YouTube possibly. My girls are very happy. I raised them from 5days. I lost one Light Sussex to extensive liver disease (on autopsy). No idea what happened there but the remaining three are pretty lucky girls. I just had the yard fenced as the girls would...

Yikes! Checking pelvic bones? I hope that isn't uncomfortable for them. My Black Australorps have begun laying. All a huge surprise to me... found two eggs on the nest one day. I had been looking for a missing girl and searched all over for her. Finally looked in the coop and there she...