Reviews by RedwoodCoastChick

Thank you for this in-depth and well-illustrated article! I've been going nuts trying to find out why one of my young hens started laying shell-less eggs regularly while all the others (same age) are laying just fine. They are all getting plenty of calcium and D3 in their rations and oyster/eggshell supplement dish. This makes me suspect it's because some are starting their first molt so it's probably one of those girls. Lots of great info and references here, thank you so much!

Great concept, simple and inexpensive, plenty of ventilation for what I imagine is a temperate climate.

Nice collection of run entertainment ideas. Many tried & true and some novel ones, too, and it inspired very interesting commentary sharing more ideas.

Very informative; I will also bookmark this. I just saw some pretty ferocious bullying by one chick in a special-order brooder at my local feed store, and was wondering how to handle that if it happened with any chicks I might order in future! This chick was assaulting and pecking away other chicks trying to reach the feeder; there was lots of room in the brooder so others were just going around to eat at the other side, but the bully made runs at them, too. It didn't care what color the other chicks were (looked like about 20 of them, various breeds). Now, should this happen, I'll have an arsenal of techniques to deal with it - thank you!

Thank you so much for this very clear, helpful article! I had no idea how to properly proceed with oral meds (hasn't come up yet with my babies, thank goodness) but now I'll know precisely what to look for and where NOT to direct the syringe-full of medication...and what size syringe I need to acquire for my first aid kit. The photos make it so much easier to know where to safely aim that medication!

Very down-in-the-dirt practical information about how to prepare and then use chicken manure at home, safely for us and our plants. Much appreciate the specifics on different methods and warnings for our health and the soil's. Agree with using bedding, run litter, leftover/spoiled feed, etc. along with the manure itself when composting - the compost organisms love it and break it down nicely.

Okay -- I have been warned!!!! Totally see how this could happen! [Fortunately I know we don't have room for so many chicks in our coop & run -- and I'd feel greedy since around here, people are lining up outside the stores 2 hours before opening every week, hoping to score some chicks!] Our local feed store set limit of 6 per person, bless their hearts; so many parents and kids waiting in line with their little chick-boxes ready. I confess, I camped out with coffee and a book for hours in a chill wind to make sure I could get my breeds of choice... Definitely must stay far away from Tractor Supply!

This really had me cackling! Such fun to have a translation guide for when my chicks start doing adult "henspeak". I especially love the description that "every day is groundhog day", something I will be watching for. Thanks for this amusing article!

I had no idea this could happen to a chicken! Thank you for sharing what to do in case of spider bite symptoms, including the proper dose; I'm adding Children's Benadryl to my chicken first aid supplies on my next trip to town. So sorry you lost your sweet hen...