Recent content by Comet Mum

I just set my first batch yesterday. I also have a broody Silkie. So, I put 5 under her and 5 in the bater. They are barnyard mixes, but I think I should have 5 EE/Cuckoo Marans and 5 pure CM. My Cuckoo Marans rooster is the head guy, but I do have 2 silkie roosters that try their best , so...

Quote: Dixie, I just set mine yesterday too. This is also my first hatch with an incubator. So far, it seems like a good bator for a novice. I also have a broody that just finished her first brood and went broody again . So, I gave her 5 eggs and put 5 in the bater to see how we do...

I can't help you with your bird, but what a creative sling! I hope she is better soon. I went to flicker to see the sling and also saw pictures of your BEAUTIFUL jewelry. Do you have a website?

Pretty girl! Looks like a black sex link to me. I have one that is very curious and calm.

I actually don't find them too disgusting to raise. They stay in their little plastic bin the the "guest" bath tub. They aren't smelly (especially compared to chickens ) and take about 2 minutes/week to maintain. I just don't like the crawly feeling I get when handling them. But the dried...

I finally have enough mealworms in my mealworm bin to share some with the chickens. I don't really like picking them up with my fingers, so I used chopsticks and put them in a plastic bowl to take outside to the chicks. Then I fed them one by one using the chopsticks. It was so much fun when...

Green eggs, thanks for your reply. I am glad you like your auto-door. After several days of trying to get everything re-calibrated, I think I finally have it all synchronized and working properly. I had a silkie that was sleeping behind the door, and I think she may have caused the problem...

From what I've read, most people seem to aim for 1 roo per 8-10 hens. Of course the ratio is much smaller in breeding pens. So, if you want to keep 4 roosters, you need about 40 hens! (Reasons to expand, perhaps )

Thank you all for your opinions. I suspected that getting rid of the more dominant BO was the way to go, but it is good to have it confirmed. Mr. Chicken, the bantam roos are 2 x silkies and 1 x RIR (freebee) I have 2 silkie pullets. I plan to keep 1 silkie roo. So far, the personalities...

The black lesions look like what I have on my birds, which I guessed to be fowl pox. The other "bumps" I've not seen before. Perhaps it is the "wet" version?? Hopefully someone with more expertise than I have will jump in. Good luck!

I currently have an assortment of hatchery stock, which will not be used for breeding. I do free range and would like to keep a couple of roos for flock protection. I have 3 LF roos and 3 bantam roos along with 19 LF pullets and 2 bantam pullets all sharing one coop. I figured I would keep 2...

One more resource: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1288422/ It sounds like scars are minimal if there is no secondary infection, so you may be able to show the birds. Based on this article I would be very careful to isolate the affected birds and use good hygiene between species...

I don't know if you have fowl pox, but pictures may help others give you an opinion. From what I have read, vaccination in a mixed flock is not helpful once the lesions appear. However, since these birds are in the house, I might vaccinate the others living outside. Here is an excerpt from...

I've found red sex links to be great birds. They lay a large egg, nearly daily. Mine have been very curious, and easy to handle, friendly birds. I started a new flock this spring and they were the first to lay at 18 weeks! They are quiet too. At least this batch hasn't sung the egg song

Belle, first of all... I think chickens will eat most any plant you consider pleasing to your eye, or that you like to eat! I don't believe there is much that is poisonous to them. I have planted cosmos, ornamental grasses and sunflowers next to my runs. The grass provides shade, the cosmos...