Recent content by waytomanychickens

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    I found out many layer farms retires their hens at age 2!

    I only have 18 pekin ducks. 3 of them are pushing 12, they are good brooders the rest are about 6. I do "retire" extra drakes as they are rather hard on the hens. I am actually using them as fresh egg layers since I can sell all of their eggs for 50 cents each. I haven't felt I have to retire...
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    I found out many layer farms retires their hens at age 2!

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    Official BYC Poll: Crumbles, Mash, or Pellets?

    it is tough to balance whole grain as the sole source of feed.
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    Official BYC Poll: Crumbles, Mash, or Pellets?

    I get a very well balanced pellet from my local feed mill. I like pellets since they're easy to handle and feed. but I also treat my hens to scratch grains and as much veggie scraps or extra garden bits as I can. I always feed the pellets first in the morning, about 3\4 to 1 cup per bird and...
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    Help - Smallest chick bleeding

    guinea keets can be very aggressive , consider separating them from the chickens. I have had good luck offering crumbled tofu or mashed cooked beans with a heavy sprinkling of salt to help discourage picking. part of picking is stress, but it is also a craving for salt[blood is salty] and...
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    help!

    not sure what country you're in but it looks like a sparrow or finch egg. if there was only one egg in the nest it is likely a fresh one as many small birds will have 3 to 5 eggs in their nests. you could try tucking it back up in the bushes near where you found it ,the bird may come back and...
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    Helpful hints for building coops

    invest in a star bit and screws, they are much harder to strip. even 2.5 or 3 inch screws with a star hole will go in nicely
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    Rooster with Gout? Need advice!

    try an Epsom salt soak or a saline soak? it looks like it could be a bacterial infection though. I have had good luck using borax in water as an antibacterial agent. put 1\2 teaspoon of borax in 2 cups of water and soak his feet in it. extreme cases of leg mites can cause a lot of long term...
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    How many chickens is to much chickens

    it is mainly a safe area to roost\lay eggs. it has enough roosts for everybody and I can get in to collect eggs and clean when I have to. they have a big run and about a 1\2 acre of pasture to roam on during the day. its probably not the best set up but they seem to be comfortable with it
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    How many chickens is to much chickens

    I have had these girls since 2013. I do have to clean the coop fairly often in winter since they spend a lot more time indoors. the run is also 8 x 16 and I cover it with clear poly in the winter so they have a little solar gain to help the run stay warm. I try to keep a deep layer of bedding in...
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    free peahens

    I think I owe peacock owners an apology. the stray peahens that came to my house seem to have adopted me. I did ask all my neighbors if they were missing some peahens and no one has claimed them, so I now have peacocks again? they have been fun so far, every day I find them on a different barn...
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    Male khaki Campbell's fighting

    male ducks are usually quite aggressive. are you 100% sure they are all drakes? if they are all male they will fight until they have a pecking order established. if they aren't doing obvious damage to each other let them work it out
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    HEAT LAMP

    heat lamp bulbs cost about $6 per month to run. maybe try googling your brand\size of incubator to see how much electricity it uses? also, small electric heaters can use a lot of juice. we had one running near constantly for about 10 days in early may to keep our greenhouse above freezing and...
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    How many chickens is to much chickens

    i have 75 adult laying hens in an 8ft x 16ft x 6ft ceiling coop. the coop is nearly all roosts, nest boxes are on two walls. they also have an enclosed, solid roofed but un insulated run next to the coop that's also wired to be predator proof and can be covered with poly in the winter[i live in...
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    Extra toes on White Laced Red Cornish chicks...???

    i would say they have an ancestor with extra toes,probably a grandparent if the match their breeds description otherwise.or they got miss identified or subbed at the hatchery. i have had mostly good, healthy chicks when i get them through the hatchery, but i know that they have subbed other...
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