Recent content by CAranchgirl

A friend found a baby duckling on a busy street and has been caring for it for a few days. It is tiny and I would guess newly hatched when she found it. She thinks it is unhappy and wants it to have a mom/family. Will one of my broody hens accept it as they would a chick? I have given broodies...

Thank you so much everyone for the words of sympathy! It has definitely been hard losing our blue chickens, but our little blue baby truly makes a hard loss much easier to handle! Kind words from fellow chicken lovers also make me feel much better:) I feel very lucky, because often things don't...

Thank you both!! I edited to add photos, so hope you get a chance to see them! It really does keep your hopes up, and is definitely nice to think that when a life leaves this world, another one is born (or hatched :])

I just had to share this sad story with a happy ending. Three years ago, we got a beautiful Blue Andalusian hen as an extra in an order of chicks. Over the past year, two blue babies have hatched, one growing up into a handsome rooster and the other was about 12 weeks and I still wasn't sure if...

It is definitely nice not to have the crowing, but too bad it hasn't stopped him from chasing the hens! However, no good if it could be a worm!! What would I give him for that? And can it pass to other chickens? Thank you!

One of my rooster's has completely lost his voice. When he crows all the comes out is a quiet sort of hissing sound. It has been going on for several days now. I don't really mind, since I have enough crowing going on, but I was just wondering what causes this and if he could be sick or...

What great pictures! They are beautiful! I think I commented on one of their younger pics asking how you sexed them and you said instinct did your instincts turn out to be right now that they are getting older? I wish my instincts were good enough to sex the 10 chicks I have now!

Thanks for the insight! I never looked at her skin, but she had the same black as the hen in the picture, no red on her face whatsoever. But I guess I won't know if it was gypsy face or the Fm gene! I remember that I have seen silkies with the black comb, but I just thought it was interesting...

Hi, I have a flock with many different breeds, and last year hatched a chick that was half partridge bantam cochin, not sure of dad. She was the prettiest hen, black and white barred feathers, black feet, and a black comb. We have no other birds with black combs, so I was wondering where it...

To encourage my hens to lay in the nest boxes, I try to make them soft/comfortable with hay/pine shavings, etc AND more importantly keep an old egg in there at all times (or many people use a golf ball). This will make them notice the nesting box as a good place, and once they start laying I...

great picture! you should post this under pics/stories of my chickens too! i bet everyone there will love it.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think if it stays light almost all night that would definitely throw them off and keep them up. I usually have problems with chicks learning to roost when they have been in another pen for longer than 4 weeks...the only way I taught them was to grab them at night and...

Most broody hens will be very happy to have eggs and will continue sitting on them. I gave peafowl eggs to one of mine with no problems, and I also did it at night. Are there eggs under them now? It should be no problem to swap them all out and put the peafowl eggs under them. They won't know...

I think they should be fine. I put mine out anytime between 4 and 7 weeks. As long as they are feathered out, they should be warm enough. I live in southern CA and we are having fog, kind of cool, lows in the 50s as well, and they are totally good. Good luck!

Great pictures!! They are adorable. I gave babies to a hen 2 weeks ago and might have to do it again- it is day 23 and no action from her eggs. It is so sweet how the babies are so happy to have a mommy and the mom gets so excited to think that her chicks have finally hatched.