Hey, so I'm not sure if this is the right place or not, apologizes if it's not.
A few days ago one of my silkies went missing. I couldn't find the body anywhere, thought a coyote or something took off with it. Well, yesterday I went walking in the woods behind my home and there was the...
How old are they? Chickens usually have a drastic drop in egg production when they turn 3 or 4 years old. I hear quite a lot of people saying their RIR slow at 2.
It happens, especially with broody breeds. If they can lay, they can brood. My bantam Cochin frizzle went broody at 8-9 months of age, but I was trying really hard to get someone to go broody, as I wanted to hatch out my first batch of chicks. :)
Roosters aren't mean, usually. Now, when they're young teenagers going through puberty, they can be pretty aggressive to the hens with mating with all those hormones going, but they usually grow out of that and become more mellow.
Also, when they're young they can start getting dominating or...
I agree with Bizzybirdy, you really need to replace the chicken wire, otherwise you might one day not need to worry about your flock.
I would have the vet examin one to three of your flock and then make a guess that everyone had that problem.
Definitely close the bottom of the coop when you get...
Are you sure you have cockrels? My boys were crowing at 6 months and were very different from pullets. Very developed with huge combs and wattles. Tail feathers were prominent and hackle feathers stood out.
Regarding my broody hen pic on page 4255. I know I've been gone a little, but I like to reply, ya know? :)
@Chook-Girl -Hehe, she's (the broody hen) already converted my EE to the dark side...and the rooster? I dunno, he likes to sit on the eggs too time to time.
@chicken4prez - Hehee, loved it...
@kikiruru @theoldchick @Ballerina Bird @Akrnaf2
Oh, you all make me laugh. :)
She's always greeting ya in the morning and loves her mealworms. The two do follow each other everywhere. Like shadows.
Ballerina I imagined a 40 year old sophisticated brit saying that. :)
@Chicken Newbie I was surprised at how often they laid considering it's winter and gets pretty cold. I always hear how chickens will usually slow dramatically or stop in winter, but so far mine seem to do pretty good!
@ Kfelton0002
The individual hen herself usually lays an egg every other day in winter, I get at least one egg from them everyday. Mostly two, sometimes three in one day. My EE's are late-ish bloomers and didn't start till 3 weeks ago.
I have a small heat lamp for when temperatures got below...
Any animal could easily rip through chicken wire. It's like tissue paper to them. Racoons can also reach their hands through the wire. I recommend surrounding the coop in netting mesh.
I lost my first chicken to a racoon reaching through the wire and tearing her head off. :( After her, on top...
Nice, might look into getting one.
So my cochin went broody! :D She's been a great mom so far.
My EE is somewhat broody, she sits on them when my Cochin goes to get food/water/poop once every few hours.. My Cochin stripped her chest and now there's a bunch of black feathers all over the...
I currently have three EE hens. They all lay pretty good size eggs. One lays a turquoise colored egg, another lays green with white speckles, and another one lays blue oval eggs. They're always demanding to be pet, often running up to me and squatting. My orange EE, Twinkie, jumps on my shoulder...
Yeah, that's why I got my silkies...but it seems my EE's ( except one out of the three) are more interested in going broody than the silkies. Cx
I'm hoping one chicken will go broody and will cause my entire flock to go broody... I really want some chicks! xD
What do you think the odds of a...
Okay, thanks. :)
The other night I saw her sleeping on the eggs, but I didn't check last night.
This afternoon one of my frizzle cochin hens, Mula sat on them. She screeched and pecked me today. It was kind of cute and kind of scary. She fell asleep on them tonight and wouldn't let my EE on.
One of my first EE's, Carmel, is 8 months old and laying. Usually once she lays she'll sit there for a long time, making me just reach under her to get eggs. She would get up and walk off when I do that. Yesterday she was sitting on them but didn't lay, I reached my hand under her and she...