Recent content by Henway Park

You don’t need lights this time of year; let them have natural daylight cycle. I give my 12 first year hens layers pellets in free feeder and plenty of water and get an egg a day from each. You don’t need all that precision; maybe it’s stressing them out.

Start by clearing and leveling the area where the coop and run will be located plus @2 feet on all sides. Dig out about 3-4 inches of dirt, lay down a galvanized hard.ware cloth, and cover with the excavated dirt. You have now predator proofed against digging creatures. I would also suggest a...

I bought a kit from ez clean coops in the Midwest. My daughter and I assembled it eight years ago and it has held up great. I made a couple of simple modifications and can do a straw and litter change in about 10 minutes. I also expanded the run. One suggestion for any coop, before you...

I have the same issue; the chickens were confined to their run because of hawks during winter and pecked each other's feathers. I thought it was lice or mites and treated them accordingly but I now think it was just boredom. Now I have to wait for molt for them to regrow. I suggest you watch...

Regarding the Frontline, I want to try it on my hens, but I heard that you shouldn't eat the eggs for a while afterward. Does anyone know how long?

My chickens free ranged into autumn, but I had to move them into their large run when the hawks became a problem. They were very unhappy and pulled each others' feathers out. Now that the trees have leafed out, there is enough cover for them and they are ecstatic to be outside again, but...

if the dog is in your yard, it is a stray. Take it to the pound and let the neighbors pay to get it out. Once should do it; twice definitely will.

I think the best approach is to wait until spring to free range. Despite having lots of hawks around, I had no problems with free ranging until winter. I think the lack of cover and limited supply of food makes the chickens an attractive target. When the chickens have plenty of cover, and the...

Inside space per chicken 2.4 sf Run space per chicken 8.6 sf Free range space per 3500 sf They are inside only at night to roost; auto door opens at dawn and closes at dusk. They are in run for the winter; too many hawks, not enough cover Free ranging all day after trees leaf out.

I have had to keep my hens in their coop and run following a hawk attack since they have no cover. Too much togetherness and the contact with the hawk (I suspect) let to an nasty outbreak of lice. I have treated the birds and the coop, and dusted both with DE. I think the problem is now...

I just happened to walk thru my kitchen and look out the window to see all my chickens flying, and thought a dog was chasing. As I got to the door, a bundle of feathers went flying past; as it turned out it was one of my chickens with a hawk, smaller than the chicken, wrapped around it. I...