Recent content by lukkyseven

My favorite chicken is now 6 years old. I'm probably just lucky, but she's had 11 clutches of chicks in her many years of service. I couldn't even tell you if she lays eggs for me any more, but she has earned her spot and will never be made into stock.

I don't. I'll toss the eggs today. I don't stress over it so much as I almost always get at least two broody batches a year and that's more than enough for me to keep my flock young.

The good news is she's only a year old. I like when you get a young hen that goes broody. My experience is they end up being really good mothers down the road.

She just went to the roost bar last night. I was just curious if I were to somehow rush chicks to her maybe she'd flip back to the broody mode since she's been there for at least 24 days. I fully don't expect it to work and I don't raise chicks myself and therefore probably wont even try.

So my hen Red gave up on her eggs at 24 days. I had just candled them and she was super close to getting at least two chicks. My best guess is she wasn't a constant sitter and would get up for longer periods of time and thus delaying the development of the chicks. I think I know the answer to...

I have 2 parallel 2x4 roosts. How long would you estimate it would take for the feathers to grow back?

Thats what I was afraid of. This means the feathers won't grow back until she goes into molt correct? I sadly don't have an easy way to quarantine her right now

So this girl just molted her neck feathers a month ago. None of my other birds are in molt and there's no sign of mites. I'm thinking she is being bullied. There is a slight sign of distress in her breathing when I was holding her, but nothing that sounds like respiratory problems.

I have used plywood size coops my entire life when keeping 12ish chickens. There's plenty of room inside of the coop. They all huddle to one side of it anyway. I have read all the recommended size notes for coops and I find real life experience different from suggestions.

12 chicks. coop is 4'x8'

I have been moving them for just over a week now. They have a favorite corner and was thinking about putting something in that spot so they can't roost there.

Let me start by saying I've gone through this before. I am currently picking them up and putting them into their coop every night. Some nights I lock them in, others I just leave the door open. They stay inside either way. I'm wondering if it's worth trying to put an older hen in with them...

I have ointment on it, but she continues to peck at it herself. Pretty sure I can keep bugs off

This all happened in a matter of hours. I checked them around lunch time and noticed nothing. After dinner it got this bad. Bleeding has stopped and I have a way to separate her, but if its tooate I'd rather not allow her to suffer.

They all taste the same haha. I've also had all the color eggs at one point or another in my lifetime so I'm over that phase (at least I hope lol)