Recent content by Headhen3

  1. Headhen3

    Advice Please....Decided Against the Omlet and Want to Build a Coop for 50 Chickens

    Will chicken manure really break down enough in just one years time? I have about 60 grown chickens and the areas I dump the manure are barren for quite awhile. I would be afraid of the combination of wood mulch wood chips for bedding and chicken manure would just burn anything out.
  2. Headhen3

    UK Bird Flu - All poultry must be housed indoors by 14th December

    1/2 inch mesh prevents predictors from reaching to grab chicken parts. Chicken wire is weak and is the right size for a chicken to put its head through panic and break its neck And I assume 6x8 means feet not inches
  3. Headhen3

    UK Bird Flu - All poultry must be housed indoors by 14th December

    1/2 inch mesh also stops predictors from reaching through to grab a bird and tear off a wing or leg I think chicken wire is the perfect size for a hen to stick their head through, panic and break their neck. Anywhere I use mesh it is the small size
  4. Headhen3

    Am I feeding my girls enough...

    I can’t imagine why we are told that each chicken should have “x” amount of feed per day. How are you supposed to regulate that. I have 5 feeders for my flock so no bully can stop a lower ranked hen from eating. I feed Nutrena Egg Producer pellets and throw out scratch feed twice a day. They...
  5. Headhen3

    Newbie quail mama needs help!

    Did 500 baby quail for someone a fewyears ago. They need heat right now but enough room that they can find their own sweet spot between too hat and too cold. Think approx 90 degrees the first week and down 5 degrees per week after. Don’t cook them though. I’m sure you have already found that...
  6. Headhen3

    "Small order fee"

    Meyers does offer Mareks at about $1 per chick. I have heard some real horror stories about hundreds of chicks arriving weeks late all dead. Part of slowing down the mail delivery by the “gummint”: I always pick mine up as I live within an hours drive of Meyers and TSC chicks are not vaccinated...
  7. Headhen3

    Caponizing a roo

    Love your quote. I would think there is a reason why this procedure is rare these days and I believe your answer is the correct one. I still want to know why this person wants to canonize. That has not been mentioned.
  8. Headhen3

    Alfalfa pellets for my chickens?

    I have an arrangement with the owner of a small bakery and in return for eggs for his family I get all the unsold bread. Girls get bread made with blue black and raspberries, cranberries, apricots. etc. I also buy as many large pumpkins as I can afford and feed them over the winter. Just put a...
  9. Headhen3

    Official BYC Poll: Crumbles, Mash, or Pellets?

    I feed Egg Producer pellets except of course for chicks. I feel less is wasted and my proof is that chicks I raise end up basically bedding themselves on uneaten crumbles they have dumped out of the feeders. the Egg Producer pellets are formulated for free range chickens and I have been really...
  10. Headhen3

    What to do about the raccoons?

    My birds are all locked up at night but the raccoons still come around to check on them. I have a bunch of barn cats and I know any leftover cat food attracts the racoons and I have to remove and lock up the chickens feeders as well as anything else they could eat. It’s not that I haven’t...
  11. Headhen3

    First attack on my baby chicks !! So sad

    Try an ear of corn tied to the back wall of the trap. I’ve had racoons reach over the tilt plate to take bait without the trap door closing. And plan on resetting your trap over and over. They do travel in family groups. I’ve gotten 4 racoons I the last few weeks and saw another one tonite so...
  12. Headhen3

    Official BYC Poll: Which waterer is better: Nipples or cups?

    I use traditional waterers. I’m not a big fan of nipple waterers because I have seen them leak and birds not use them. Also I have well water and prefer something I can literally take apart and scrub as needed. I don’t think you can really clean a nipple and even city water gets nasty over...
  13. Headhen3

    What to do about the raccoons?

    I don’t understand not wanting to kill something that is killing your chickens. Don’t the chickens have a right to live also? I have trapped and killed 4 racoons and an opossum in the last month. And I know it is a family group because one of the younger ones was hanging around one morning...
  14. Headhen3

    Best Bait for Raccoons?

    The absolute most best bait is sweet corn. I mentioned marshmallows but got to thinking that my all time bet luck was with sweet corn. Raccoons can’t resist it. And while I appreciate them I just do not allow them in my barn. Their and possum feces carry EPM and if you have ever seen a horse...
  15. Headhen3

    Comment by 'Headhen3' in article 'Keeping a Rooster (A Personal Journey)'

    Great article. I have 6 roosters that are all good boys but I did have one homicidal sociopath barred rock that I had to put down as he became too dangerous. I’ll keep your tips in mind if any of mine start to act up. Thank you!
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