It was, in fact, rats. We have since raised that particular coop onto stilts. In fact, there is now nothing sitting directly on the ground. All feeders, waterers, and coops are up, up, up. We dug out the area under which the coop used to sit and filled in the rat holes we found with plaster...
As long as she is comfortably laying, is healthy and not overweight, this is not a problem. I had a very young Whiting True Blue whose first egg was a giant double-yolker. She laid well for a while and within a few months became hopelessly eggbound and died. From what I've read, an early GIANT...
I am seeking expert advice from all of you!
This week, on consecutive days - DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS - my only two adult silkies were killed. They were found in a nesting box within their Snaplock coop (same box - but one on Sunday, one on Monday). They were completely intact with no signs...
My 2 year old wyandotte hen is probably suffering from heat stroke and I need information or advice please. For some reason, their coop door was shut from 9pm last night until 2pm. We never close the doors because their yard is secure on all sides, so I suspect one of our teens did this...
Thank you for sharing your story about Gizmo. About a week ago, my Marigold started limping. She can barely stand on that one leg (kind of balances on the toenails of her left foot). She is otherwise entirely healthy. I have her in a wire rabbit hutch with lots of straw nesting pads in the...
The EE rooster lets her do her thing. She's bigger than he is, and the two of them are amiable. I cannot believe I got stuck with a grouchy brahma. When I put her in jail, do I leave her with the others (in jail) or put her kennel in the garage out of sight?
Our 6 month old brahma pullet is being aggressive towards the other chickens. She is top mounting some of the other hens (pretending to be a rooster) and picking on the other girls - with a few specific target victims. I though brahmas were supposed to be sweeties. Any thoughts on how to stop...
I just did the first 20 minute Epsom salts soak. Though the dark spot doesn't really look like a scab, I think I could actually lift the edges of the scab with my thumbnail after I finished soaking. I didn't push too far. I was planning on soaking again tonight. Should I then go ahead remove...
My 6 month old gal starting limping two days ago. I separated her in a crate. Today it's worse. I cleaned her feet for a better look. Is this bumblefoot?
It's 20 gals, and they fling it everywhere, too, so I'm not sure how much actually ends up inside the chickens. I physically witnessed Malibu nibbling the oyster shell this afternoon, and I checked her thoroughly for lice/mites. Clean as a whistle. Tomorrow, I plan to isolate her to get a...
Yes - the flock goes through a lot of Oyster shell - several pounds a week. Until this year, Malibu (the RIR) never had an issue with thin shells. Since she has ramped back up to laying, some eggs are VERY hard and just as they used to be, and others are totally flimsy.
Thank
Thank you so much for your response. I will check for lice/mites today. Question: Caltrate? For humans? How do you administer and how much? I don't think the integration really caused any stress, so I think I'll tackle your other suggestions first. We integrated via the playpen...
My 20 month old RIR has recently started laying again after the following:
1. Fowl pox in September (no eggs for a month)
2. Molt during the fall (stopped laying around December)
3. Winter without supplemental light (she was the first of my hens to return to laying after the winter - she...