Recent content by Desp

  1. Desp

    Chicken suddenly died

    Trying to figure out what killed my hen. I have around 70 hens, and yesterday I came out in the front yard and I noticed one of them laying in the grass, she appeared to be dead by the way she was laying (I thought a dog or something killed her). I went to move her and she opened her eyes...
  2. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    Well this kind of applies to my question. I did recently find a pile of about 20 eggs, that 3 hens had been laying for a week or so. I built them some more nesting boxes and they're using those now. If I'm getting 40 eggs / day at this time of year, and have 70 hens... are 30 eggs / day being...
  3. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    How could this possibly apply to me? My question was specifically regarding egg laying without supplemental light.
  4. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    Protein is 18% or 16%, I'll have to look again. I have looked around everywhere they go, I found a couple and collected from one spot a hen was laying regularly, nothing significant though. Yeah the coops are not large enough to confine them, they are fine for sleeping as they go in and...
  5. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    Two coops approximately 80 sq. ft. each. The coops have A frame roof with open gables to allow for airflow. The perches sit below the gables so the hens are never in direct airflow. The only go into the coop right after sunset and come out at sunrise, there are no runs, just 20+ acres of fun...
  6. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    Did you have mature hens before the winter? I've never gotten full capacity as they started laying in the fall. Any idea how many eggs/day I should expect come spring time?
  7. Desp

    Egg efficiency in the winter?

    I have approximately 73 Rhode Island Red hens (from McMurray) hatchery and I am trying to determine if I need to do anything to increase their egg laying efficiency or if I am getting what I should expect. The hens are right around 7 months old, and started laying shortly before fall, so I am...
  8. Desp

    Large number of birds suddenly died

    That has to be it! Thanks a lot for your help, I'll definitely let him know.
  9. Desp

    Large number of birds suddenly died

    A friend of mine had 25 Rhode Island Reds, they've been at egg laying age for about 3 months now. Yesterday morning he put all 25 in the chicken tractor we made (which they go in every day) and left. He came back that evening to find 15 of the 10, laying dead in a circle pattern around the...
  10. Desp

    What type of chicken to get?

    Thanks for all of the suggestions. It looks like Cochins are some of the more popular ones in my area, and there is someone selling a few not to far from me. Since they will be living in my backyard which is entirely fenced in, do I even really need a coup for them - can they just get by with...
  11. Desp

    What type of chicken to get?

    What do you mean by "broody"? I've only just recently started researching chickens. Where would one find 2 or 3 chicks for sale? I live in North Texas.
  12. Desp

    What type of chicken to get?

    Well, maybe if I get rid of the big ones and have some Silkies around they can eat the little grasshoppers while they're still young!
  13. Desp

    What type of chicken to get?

    Not sure where else to post this. But I'm wanting 2 or 3 bantam hens for my backyard, it's a pretty small backyard but I want some fresh eggs, and really want some natural bug control. I live in a neighborhood but it's kind of out in the country so we have a ton of bugs. Will bantams have...
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