Recent content by OverEasyMichigan

Thank you all for the info. I didn't know they were "late-bloomers". I've been comparing them to the older hens (2 Reds and 1 Wyandotte). Thanks again!

Four are Buff Orpingtons and two are Brahmas. The Buffs are very friendly but now that you mention it, I notice that they don't squat.

This spring we added seven new chicks to our flock of five older hens. (One of the new ones turned out to be a Roo) The newbies are now six months old but none of them have laid their first egg. We had them on starter feed for the first 18 weeks then switched them to layer feed. They free...

One of my girl's comb and wattles are pink and pale compared to the others. Much to her dislike, I checked her for mites but found none. That leads me to believe that worms may be involved. I went to the feed store and bought a pint of Wazine 17. The instructions are based on a flock of 100...

Thanks Jack. I just read your link to your coop. Very nice. (The thread got a little contentious, but it was an interesting read!) I will definitely be buying this book and making plans for a new coop for next year. Once again, thanks for the info.

I'm in the planning stage of building a new winter home for my girls (9 laying hens) and have a few questions: If I use a heat lamp for warmth, will I have to turn it off at night? Will leaving it on disrupt their sleep? The area will be 128 square feet. Is a heat lamp enough?

Thanks. Where do I find that thread?

I let my girls out of the coop so they could stretch their legs and enjoy the beautiful Michigan weather yesterday. I went inside and let them be. A few minutes later I heard the most awful squawking coming from the backyard! Fearing that they were being attacked I ran outside to find “Chica”...

Whew!! Thank you ALL for the information!!!

Yes they have been eating Layer Feed for about a month now. I also let them run free in the yard whenever I'm around. I also give them cracked corn as a treat. I will give the calcium a try. Is that something I can get at the feed store? Do i put it out like I do the grit, in a pan?

My hens (9) have just reached 17 weeks of age. i have been getting an egg every other day. Twice now I've gotten an egg with a translucent shell. I can see right through the entire egg. I'm still getting the one egg from the other hen with no problem (other than it's the size of a golf...

Thanks for the info. I'll give them some time. My only worry will be where they decide to lay their eggs when the time comes.

I have recently moved my girls from my dining room to their newly remodeled coop. These are first ones I've ever raised so I don't have a lot of experience with chickens. The problem I'm having is getting them to sleep in their roost. Their first night in the coop was spent under their house...