Recent content by swimmy44

  1. swimmy44

    Chickens changing coops on their own

    Yes better in any coop than up in the trees which mine would sometimes do. And these were regular hens not guineas.
  2. swimmy44

    Chickens changing coops on their own

  3. swimmy44

    HELP!!! Extremely noisy chickens!

    Looks like the bottom of the coop is just wire? If so nail plywood over that which will deaden the sound heard from outside.
  4. swimmy44

    Should I get a goose?

    A heavy hen can’t be carried off. Hawks are much more likely to go after smaller white birds like leghorns. Easy to see.
  5. swimmy44

    Should I get a goose?

  6. swimmy44

    Should I get a goose?

    When I lived in the woods my birds free ranged. I had an Australian cattle dog and she wouldn’t let any animal including hawks into the yard which was acres - about one acre mowed. We saw her chase and grab a young hen from the talons of a red tailed Hawk once. After that the Hawk stayed away...
  7. swimmy44

    Should I get a goose?

  8. swimmy44

    Advice for overwhelmed soon to be chicken owner!

    I think a hamster cage may be too small - 3 week old hens are not small even though Polish is not a large breed, kind of in between bantam and full size. Just keep them inside and out of drafts - they will still need warmth at 3 weeks although they will have some adult feathering. You won’t...
  9. swimmy44

    Regular feed to organic change ?

    One thing I was advised by someone with experience is that the grain and nutrients ingredients of organic feed is difficult to source as pure organic. Many ingredients used are shipped in from China and although labeled as organic, is difficult to prove on this side of the pond. So the alleged...
  10. swimmy44

    Is high quality feed worth the money?

    I buy my feed in Petaluma from a grain company which has been operating for years. Petaluma CA is the original chicken capital of the country and the whole town is chicken themed. High quality feed at low prices supplemented by veggie compost from me and my neighbors - you can’t beat that.
  11. swimmy44

    Official BYC Poll: With Winter Upon Us, What Preparations Have You Made For Your Chickens?

    Haha don't miss Western MA or VT winters. One....little....bit...! I raised chickens and turkeys in Western MA from '88-'08. Moved to non freezing NorCal in '08 and the rest is history. No more frozen eggs, frozen water, frozen combs or anything! Good luck and Happy Holidays.
  12. swimmy44

    Hen plucking my molting chicken feathers

    I know about the peepers but when I tried to buy them I would have had to buy a huge # of them so I reverted to my old farmer's standby - bag balm for all - putting it NEAR but not ON nostrils which makes it impossible to smell what they then want to Peck!
  13. swimmy44

    Hen plucking my molting chicken feathers

    Suggest you cage her with a mild mannered hen from your flock. When she heals it will be a other transition to the flock of she is not solitary for days or weeks. Buy some bag balm for her wound and slather it on. It will act as anticeptic as well as mask her smell and the blood odor. When you...
  14. swimmy44

    Official BYC Poll: What Is Your Least Favorite Thing About Keeping Chickens?

    What I do not enjoy is dealing with an egg eater. First you have to identify her then separate her from the flock. Never gets better just worse. Frustrating.
  15. swimmy44

    Muddy coop

    I lived in western Massachusetts many years with chickens - in severe mud seasons. The ground was poorly draining clay and after rain and much moisture weeks on end, it would smell awful. We were advised to spread on garden grade lime which was a powder. Worked well, completely deodorized the...
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