Recent content by moxiemom6

I saw you use DLM in a thread. I'm in illinois - pretty cold here too. I do DLM but my litter is frozen under the roost bar where the poop is. I have been breaking up the clumps and adding small new layer. Coop is elevated 3'. There has been no issue with excess moisture - ammonia smell. Thoughts?

I'm in illinois - pretty cold here too. I do DLM but my litter is frozen under the roost bar where the poop is. I have been breaking up the clumps and adding small new layer. Coop is elevated 3'. There has been no issue with excess moisture - ammonia smell. Thoughts?

I am in northern illinois, about 45 minutes south of wisconsin. My run is covered with plastic with the exception of one spot for ventilation. So, there is no snow in the run. The coop is not heated and I have a little cross ventilation that does not blow on the girls as they roost. They all...

I have a red star who has been molting more than the rest of the girls. I noticed that she has been rather nakey in the seat of her pants, and assumed it was an unfortunate spot to molt. Today, she looks a little crusty in the butt as if someone dusted her with flour, and her tail feathers...

Thank you for posting. I use deep litter and everything that I have read states that you do not use diatomaceous earth (DE) in any compost setting. Composting depends on microorganisms and DE kills all that stuff.

thanks for taking the time to write, and post this.

You will need someone to collect eggs! If someone does that and checks water and feed, and you care confident that your run and coop are impervious to all things that eat chickens - I guess that would be OK.

I got my girls from Murray McMurray too. I have 14 girls that are a little more than a year old. I get about 10 eggs daily as an average. You can look at what is a good laying breed and good for hot weather. I have "heavy breeds" for cold weather as I am in illinois. 50 chickens sounds like...

I have chcikens. One of the things that is noted as very important is to dip their beaks into water as you put them into the brooder. The idea is to watch that they take a drink after the dip (not dunk) to the water. Lack of water will kill them. I don't know about quail specifically but I...

What type of waterer do you use? Thank you for replying!

Thank you for the reply. My girls have always had a dish outside, and a waterer with cups in and outside the coop. Guess I can transition them to nipple waterer before it gets cold! They are certainly suspicious of change and slow to do it! What brand deicer/heater do you have? I only...

Is that a bucket that you put a heater into? I am in northern illinois. There are 14 chickens in the flock. Thanks for feedback!

Ha! Sorry to bring up the thought of cold weather! I'm in northern illinois and keeping water from being an ice cube was challenge! Mybe you will follow this thread and we can find out a thing or two to help put! Take care

Winter is coming and I would like to hear what you use to keep the water from freezing. Last year, I bought a heated waterer that was filled from the bottom and then you had to flip it over!!! I hated it. I drilled a hole through the top and used a cork to keep it from letting water overflow -...