Recent content by ErikaRI

  1. ErikaRI

    Introducing pullets to hens

    Hi all, I have 3 3-yr-old hens, and 3 pullets (about 8 weeks). Probably doesn't matter, but the hens are a silver-laced Wyandotte, a Polish Top Hat, and an Australorp. I can't really tell who's at the top of the pecking order, but the Wyandotte is the best layer (the Australorp is the largest...
  2. ErikaRI

    Chick starter vs starter/grower?

    Hi, I haven’t had chicks for about 3 years so have forgotten what I used to know. I’m picking up 3 day olds next week, and was going to pick up their food and other supplies tomorrow. TSC has both Chick Starter 24% and starter/grower 20%. What’s best for the first 4 weeks or so? I can’t...
  3. ErikaRI

    When you’ve gotta go...

    One of our chickens just laid her first egg in a month. At 9 pm. And then she decided to announce it to the neighborhood, LOUDLY.
  4. ErikaRI

    Adding a run to a coop w/ 6 ft door?

    Hi; Last summer I got a new coop for my chickens. It's got a hardware cloth bottom, which is great for security, but it means that my girls aren't getting as much digging in the dirt time as they'd like. I want to get a run for them, so that they'll have more "outside" time during the day...
  5. ErikaRI

    BYC members in Massachusetts?

    Is there anyone in the Seekonk/Swansea/Rehoboth area who had a good chicken vet? We’re in Barrington and I have a girl with bumblefoot...
  6. ErikaRI

    Rhode Island

    Hi RI, anyone have a good chicken vet who serves the East Bay Area? We’re in Barrington and I have a girl with bumblefoot...
  7. ErikaRI

    Growth on chicken foot?

    Hi, my daughter just discovered this growth on a hen’s foot. We were able to clean it and put blu-kote on, but I thought I’d get some input. Does it look like bumblefoot? Something else? She isn’t favoring it at this point, and I don’t know how long it’s been there. Thanks!
  8. ErikaRI

    Who color is my polish chick?

    Black with black crown. In my experience with Polish, they usually stay the same color into adulthood.
  9. ErikaRI

    Phew

    Good to know. Production has been down for a few days anyway, which I chalked up to the heat. They all seem to be on an every-other-day schedule instead of 2 out of 3 days, which is where they were until about a week ago...
  10. ErikaRI

    Comment by 'ErikaRI' in article '10 Chicken Breeds For Families'

    My australorps are lovely, but I wouldn’t exactly call them quiet. They tend to be the most active of my “proclaimers!”
    • ErikaRI
    • Article comment
  11. ErikaRI

    Phew

    One of my hens died the other day, abruptly and with no warning. I was a little worried about the survivors, because I only got one egg yesterday. But I already got one egg this morning, another is in the nesting box, and the 3rd is also in the box making a LOT of noise while she waits her...
  12. ErikaRI

    Chickens sad and not eating!

    Someone else just referred me to this: http://www.poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php Have you tried encouraging them with something really tasty like mealworms or frozen corn on the cob?
  13. ErikaRI

    One of our hens died yesterday

    I was sort of freaked out by the whole thing so didn't look too closely or really identify the area of the bald spot. It may be that she'd been rubbing it in the roost and I hadn't noticed. They also tend to run themselves right against the wire of the run when they want out, so that probably...
  14. ErikaRI

    One of our hens died yesterday

    Here we go, 2 more pix of our other australorp and one of our Wyandotte.
  15. ErikaRI

    One of our hens died yesterday

    I’m trying to get a better picture of our other Australorp, Suzie, but she’s taking a dust bath and refuses to move. One thing I did notice when we picked up Betsy, after she died, is that it seemed like there was a patch on her belly or maybe under a wing with no feathers. I’m surprised I...
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