Recent content by hopscram

Does he have a blockage in his crop? You can pick him up and feel around his lower neck and down toward the top of his breast bone. If there's a big lump, then he may have a blockage in his crop. We had a hen who was acting similar to your post, lethargic, no interest in eating (a troublesome...

Thanks, Brittany, for the suggestion. I'm not sure that's it as I've never seen any bullying, and we spend a lot of time with the chickens (especially the kids). If anything, Oreo, the Ancona, is one of the higher chickens in the pecking order. Despite her size, she has that Italian spunk...

Hi All, Our Ancona hen stopped laying almost two weeks ago (before that she was consistent, every other day+), She's acting fine it seems--usually first out of the coop, quick to scavenge bugs and treats, but we've noticed her comb is a bit more droopy and has lightened in color. We have...

Per the cost restrictions, I'm not sure how populated the area is where you live but you might have luck calling a fence company and see if you can have access to the tear down of a new fence that's going up. In these parts, most of the privacy fences are cedar panels with either cedar of...

I'm starting to lean toward the enclosed run to have the ability to keep them confined--having options is good and this would be a huge advantage when we go on trips and have to leave the birds for a bit. It would be an initial extra cost but likely worth it in the end. Though, that hardware...

Thanks for the replies! The privacy fence is all cedar and the materials I would build the coop out of would also be cedar fence planks. And I am zoned for six chickens--we're on the corner lot, so the coop would be constructed on the corner where there aren't any adjacent neighbors (plus, all...

First post for a new chicken farmer in the suburbs...we just got five pullets (two Norwegian Jaerhons, one Cuckoo Maran, one Silver Laced Wyandotte, and a White Rock). The kiddos love them and they're thriving in the garage brooder. We got a great deal on an Extreme Cape Cod Coop at CostCo...