Recent content by Cottage Chicks

We ordered a variety of layer chicks this spring to start a new flock. 3 of the 21 have fully feathered feet. The flock is now 3 months old. The 18 other girls perch high in the coup each night with no problems but my feathered feet girls stay on the floor and huddle together in a corner. Do...

I have a variety of specialty layers that are 4 weeks old. Some of them have had runny stools since they arrived. Today I saw one poop and the stool was dark brown with pinkish blood in it. Since they were vaccinated for coccidiosis and Marek's at the hatchery I am not using medicated...

That's a great idea so the older and younger girls can be separated!

My little hens are 3 weeks old and soon much fun. They are in my art cottage in a new metal horse trough with heat lamp at night. In East Texas our days are close to 80 but nights are still cool. It's very shocking to see how fast they grow from little fuzz balls to now being able to fly a...

Definately going to try this!

Thanks, that is exactly what I was thinking. LMM

Does it matter if the heat lamp is infra red or just a bright heat lamp. Will the bright light bother the new chicks? This is our first time raising chicks. Started with 4 resued year old hens 4 years ago. They are all gone now and we are starting over. Getting the brooder ready for chicks...

I would like to know more about hatching my own meal worms. We have a room in our garage but it is not heated. Do they have to be kept warm?

I like the wire dog kennel inside the coup idea. I have one new younger hen with 4 older ones. Things are not happy in the coup and with our high heat I am worried about the stress on the new girl. Tomorrow I think I will put the "peckers" out to free range and leave " new girl" with "Little...

I buy watermelon at the farmers market all summer for my four hens. We live in East Texas and have hot, hot summers. I change the water in the afternoon maybe I will frreze water bottles to put in the afternoon water to keep it cool. Our girls stay under the trees and lay low. A mister would...

I tried some wheat bran/buttermilk/epson salts...the chickens love it but Chicken Little still has the watery poop. Off to the feed store for probiotics. Thanks for your help

Okay, I saw the "poop chart" and found my watery poop. So my hen is either drinking too much water or not eating enough food. How do I fix the problem? Does anyone know how to make a chicken eat more? My girls are out in the backyard everyday and also eat pellets and scratch.

I have four hens that I rescued last summer in Texas. It is now spring and Little Red Hen, who had a watery poop when I got her, now has full blown diarrhea. Lots of water, no blood and a few pebbles of poop. I went to the local Farmer's Co-op and they gave me antibiotics to put in their...