Recent content by HotDesertChick

Come monsoon season in the NM desert, the fly populations tend to explode, but decreasing a suddenly-burgeoning fly population is controlled by using a multi-step method: 1.Thick layer of Sweet PDZ (“Stall Dry”) under roosting area, chickens will track a small amount to floor, into pine...

Shadrach, you have 'hit the nail on the head'. "Let's try and keep some sense of proportion and rationality..." Very well said. If all of us just learn, & practice, a few basic rules about observation and hygiene, this virus will not be dangerous to most. Any coronavirus is easily killed...

Raccoons are incredibly intelligent, and extremely dextrous with their small tootsies. Once upon a time, I stole a baby raccoon (eyes weren't even open) from a nest. She grew up to be a wonderful pet, with amazing skills as a "break-in artist". Took her home from college (many thanks to...

I think granulated Sweet PDZ Stall Refresher is the best thing since sliced bread. Have only been using it for about five years now though. I only use it as "litter-box filler" on the long poop board beneath the roosting area. Have never intentionally put it on the floor of the coop. But...

Been around chickens for virtually all of me life, but more as a "bystander" or helper as a small kid. My father had failed in an expensive business (commercial aquarium) on the Oregon coast. We survived by renting run-down properties that allowed my family to have a milk cow, raise a couple...

Thanks, Cavemanrich for your good comments. As I want to stay with a 5-gallon-bucket feeder inside my coop, I likely could only put two 4 inch elbows into one bucket. Wouldn't the small bantams hop right inside the "chutes" (They would love that!)?? Don't know if a "two-hole feeder" would be...

Can the crested breeds eat from my feeder? The "Chutes/openings" are 3" PVC plumbing street elbows. The opening of the PVC chutes are 1" from the floor of the bucket. All of my present chix, Black Marans, Welsummers, and D'Anver tiny bantams eat O.K. from the openings (bantams have a "boost...

Thanks, Gray Farms for your comments. I completely agree with you. My mom went through a big "chicken phase" over 70 years ago on the Oregon coast. Dad built her an 80-foot long "chicken-stall barn" (think a line of 10' box stalls for birds). It was a lot of fun, and practically all of her...

Thanks sylviethecochin for your comments. The only "incubator" I have is a sweetheart Black Maran hen. She hatched/impeccably-reared two small clutches of d'Anvers this past summer. She was soooooo proud of her tiny chicks and was a great Mama, even though the combo looked a little goofy. If...

I have been having a lot of fun with my Belgian d'Anvers, the hens are total sweetie pies (roos,...err, generally the opposite). But I would like to add some quality Cochins to my/our "herd". Have only had experience with standard Cochins decades ago, but they were not quality birds by...

Thanks, Beekissed. Great idea using the bands on alternate legs. I presently have bands on the right leg, from 1 to 10 for my "list of suspects". I can add more bands, if I try to "assess" the entire group (without judging comb color, etc). Would it help to band EVERY hen and note each...

Great job. Very well thought out, and executed. Two Thumbs UP Stay warm.

Thanks, Beekissed and aart for your great comments. I have never tried slipping a finger up a hen's bum, but if the hen only lays every other day, or a couple days apart, I would not be able to palpate an egg? It would be still be too far "up" the oviduct? Aart, I have used the fingers...

My present herd of 7 Dutch Welsummers and 10 Black French Marans are only reliably putting out a grand total of 5 and 6 eggs per day. The hens are a 2016 hatch, and molting only a small amount. After dark tonight, Hubby and I, tagged ten hens that still appear to be laying(??). All of the...

Great comment... about the pony beads added to plain ol' two-color zip ties, donrae. You gotta Noodle, me don't. Call me Simple? I also do beading, and have a big stash o'beads (not very many big-holed beads though). Amazingly cheap/simple solution that sounds like a workable...