Recent content by phryan

  1. phryan

    Mites on Broody Hen

    While checking on one of my Broody Hens I discovered her eggs were covered in mites. I dusted her with a bit of Sevin dust, sprinkled the nest with DE, and set up a shallow tub in the coop with sand (thinking maybe the proximity would allow her to 'bath' more). She had been on the eggs for only...
  2. phryan

    Raising a kitten into a Barn Cat

    2 days ago I found a kitten in my barn, it had upset my rooster which had alerted me to 'danger'. It is either feral or poorly socialized. It is currently in a dog crate in the barn with canned food, water, and a box/with towels for shelter (it is still below freezing most of the time). Thinking...
  3. phryan

    When to Process for Thanksgiving

    First time raising turkeys for Thanksgiving, understand that they need time to get through rigor. Does anyone have a preference of processing on Saturday or Sunday?
  4. phryan

    Looking for Help with Breed/Sex

    I ordered a mix of Rhode Island Red (female), New Hampshire Red (female), Speckled Sussex (female), and Welsummers (male) from Meyer Hatchery they are 3.5 weeks old. I understand they will be hatchery quality and vary from the standard. Most I've been able to ID because they resemble each other...
  5. phryan

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Technically not one of 'mine' but she is raising them on my land. The second hen I have seen with chicks this year, the others are quite a bit older.
  6. phryan

    Open Sores and Tail Feather Picking (Second Year Blues)

    This is my second year doing cornish cross meat birds. Last year was my first attempt, I ended up with 48 of 50 big healthy clean birds. This year is not going nearly as well and I am having issues I didn't have last year. My setup is a 10 x 10 x 2.5 ft mobile chicken tractor, solid walls/roof...
  7. phryan

    The Rhodebar thread!

    I'm not sure this is the best place but I'm looking to expand my flock and am interested in Rhodebar. Does anyone have a source of eggs or chicks with decent genetics they could pm me?
  8. phryan

    Hen won't walk

    Came home yesterday to find one of my 6 month old pullets hiding in a corner of the coop. She will kind of hobble around using her left wing for balance, but she doesn't extend her legs so she is moving on the foot and lower portion of the leg. Toes are close not the normal extended. No outward...
  9. phryan

    How do I free range and have a garden too?

    In my experience chickens and gardens don't mix. I use the portable poultry netting to control where the flock can go, like lazy gardener the flock has access to the garden from harvest until spring. For about about a week in the spring I will limit the flock to only the garden, they tear it to...
  10. phryan

    Broody Hen Thread!

    Not exactly a broody anymore but when I went out to check and make sure everyone made it into the coop last night. Found my most recent broody and her 9 chicks now almost 2 months old had taken over a nest box for the night. They were packed into 15" cube.
  11. phryan

    Production Red Pullet or Cockerel?

    About 16 weeks, can anyone confirm if this is a Cockerel?
  12. phryan

    Why won't they go to bed?

    I had a similar issue when I started. I put a light in my coop that stays on for an hour after sunset, so its light inside until its total dark outside. It could also be they are young and don't get the process yet. My coop has an automatic door and the adults know the rules, occasionally I'll...
  13. phryan

    Reducing Feed Costs and Raising Nutritional Value (Questions and Ideas)

    How much land do you have? Rotational forage where you let them into an area for a while combined with planting specific forage blends could cut back on the amount of feed they will require. My summer feed bill is a half to a third of the winter bill. Need to figure out how to harvest and store...
  14. phryan

    New,chicken owner a rainy weather

    They should have access to food during the day, food can get wet so long as it is eaten soon. Wet/damp food will spoil. My flock will venture out in the rain, they will stay in the coop if its raining hard or cold and rainy.
  15. phryan

    Approximately how much feed should we be going through?

    If your birds can free range that feed level doesn't seem far off from mine. During the summer a 50lbs bag will last my flock of 20 nearly 3 weeks (.12lbs per bird-day). They can free range and are rotated to different areas every few weeks, they can and will strip a 10x40ft area bare in about...
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