Recent content by pwiker

  1. pwiker

    Can a rooster injure a hens back?

    A normal rooster will not harm a hen. There are those occasional roosters who will beat up on hens excessively instead of mating, but they are rare. Its also hard to imagine that this chicken was unable to get to the feed in between chasings. Finally, going broody a few days into laying is...
  2. pwiker

    Just starting out

    Congratulations. Welcome to the forum. You will find plenty of friends here.
  3. pwiker

    Combining pullets

    A good guide is to make sure that the flocks that you are combining are within 30% or so of each other's size.
  4. pwiker

    Molting or illness? 8 months old

    I would agree that it isnt molting. However, it could be sickness or malnutrition. Can you talk about what you are feeding her and about how much?
  5. pwiker

    Humans getting sick from chickens?

    Getting a disease from a chicken is extremely rare, however, ingesting chicken poop could introduce bacteria that could make you temporarily ... icky. If you did not ingest it, your cause is likely something else. It should pass. :-) I suppose you could become tolerant if you ingested it...
  6. pwiker

    Combining pullets

    I would not do that to young chicks. They do not have enough experience to avoid being killed. At the very least, separate or divide the brooder. 4 weeks won't be a big issue once they are 12 weeks old. The 28 day chicks should be ready to move to a big house now.
  7. pwiker

    Free range or enclosed run?

    One is not 'better' than the other. Your conditions will determine free or not-so-free range. If your primary challenges are predators, neighbors, roadways etc, you should keep them penned. If you don't have those problems, letting them wander is entertaining for both of you, they eat more...
  8. pwiker

    Chicken daylight

    Straight answer? Do not light them longer than 16 total hours. Most estimates run between 14 and 16 hours. However, lighting them is really only required for production and if you are not too worried about how productive your chickens are, you don't need to light them at all.
  9. pwiker

    Merging two young flocks into one

    Professionals will tell you not to merge flocks. However, merging is a reality for most of us with small operations. First, quantity matters. If the flocks are similar count, it helps to avoid concentrated picking. Second, room matters. Space for ones that are picked on to get away helps...
  10. pwiker

    Help!! Sick or Injured Chicken....

    Is the hen 'gurgling' when she breaths? In other words, is the mucus coming from her crop or lungs?
  11. pwiker

    How do chickens know an animal is a predator if they've never seen them?

    My experience with chickens is that everything that they are is genetic and I would imagine that selective pressure has imprinted directly into their brain structure shortcuts for certain types of predators. Snake detection for example may very well be 'built in' to humans (see this article)...
  12. pwiker

    Newbie struggling with deep litter in run

    We put together a e-book that may be of interest to you. We list out a few different litters and give pros and cons. The link is in my signature.
  13. pwiker

    Looking for Marketing person for contract or freelance

    We are beginning to build and market products for the US poultry market. We are looking for someone with Marketing experience for either contract or freelance work that has a interest in poultry and more precisely Backyard Chickens. Please PM me to begin a conversation.
  14. pwiker

    Am I on track?

    Lower your temperature in the brooder by 5 degrees each week from 95 the first week. At week 5, remove the extra heat and let them begin to get used to the cool. You will not want to shock them into the cold, so let the garage cool down or don't heat it at all. By 6-8 weeks they should be...
  15. pwiker

    Hawk problem? Talk to your DNR!

    All I can say is that no matter what, get that 'permission' in writing. If a neighbor reports you, that agent may have to choose between his job and your jail time. Don't trust their word. The fines are stiff and the tolerance is low. Be careful.
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