I wish I knew! Mine were laying in their coop, until the pond melted for the spring, and now that they have a pond to swim in, they lay on the edge of it, and I think they are laying some so close, they are rolling in and sinking. :( I would LOVE if someone had ideas on how to convince a duck...
I'd try fencing the top. I hate to clip wings, but if you need to do that to keep them safe, then do it. You can't stop a turkey from trying to sleep in the trees or lay eggs in the woods - so if you have to physically restrain them, then do it.
Get your supply chain in place first and do the math.
Find out where you want to buy chicks and how much they cost.
Find out where to find feed - if you want to buy it bagged, find out the current prices. If you want it in bulk, find out who can do that for you, if they deliver, what...
Look to see if there is anything in its eyes. It might have something stuck it is trying to get out, or a number of respiratory illnesses that drain through the sinuses, sometimes causing congestion in the eyes.
It depends on how many birds you have and how big the garden is.
A few birds will keep the pests down.
Lots of birds will eat young plants and kill them, dig dirt baths in your garden beds and kill plants, as well as eat the produce you are growing. My best garden is my greenhouse, which is...
Do you have the automatic water tank set up on it (5 gallon bucket with tubes that run to the water tray in the top?)
They make wicking filters that set in that try, it can take 2 at a time. Those sit right in front of the fan, and can really ramp up the humidity. You'll notice your tank drain...
I have not made my own broilers. If you are discussing the cornish rock cross version, the reason I have not is because it's not as simple as hatching an egg. Standard and heritage breeds of birds can mate naturally, and if you have a good rooster and some hens, you can hatch good offspring...
Just keep her warm and dry and let her rest. Make sure her feathers dry out. Check to see if she is eating and drinking, and keep her separated until she gets her strength up. Be prepared that she might not make it. That was likely pretty strenuous for her, and she might have swallowed too much...
My first ram, on a whim, I named "Jean-Claude van Ramme" which I found to be hilarious. We are getting another katahdin or dorper ram soon and I want to name him something clever that will make me laugh. I liked the twist on a real name for him. Can you guys help me come up with something...
THanks a million for posting this photo. I have no idea if or where my guineas are laying, so seeing this will help me know if they are laying in the chicken nests!!
Turkey eggs take 28 days, instead of 21. As long as they fit, and you can turn them, I don't see why you can't.
I run chicken and turkey eggs in the same incubator, on the same settings, just giving the turks an extra week. I have hatched them from my sportsman, as well as my mini-3.
This happens occasionally for me too. I always assumed it was a chick that either didn't form right, or wasn't quite done developing,and hatched too soon.
Although, I've never seen another chick fall out, I have seen the yellow goo. Sounds like twins. The best you can do is feed, water, give...
I am sorry for the losses, too. I never get baby chicks between October and March, because it's too cold to ship them overnight. They sit in cargo holds, or warehouses with no heat until they get to you. I don't take the risk, I also struggle to keep my brooder warm enough at night, even with...
Hey, sorry I don't log in very often, also in Berthoud.
I didn't realize the feed store changed owners, I hope the chick ordering works out for you. I am working towards a model where I hatch all my own chicks in the future, but it will be limited in breed, since I don't plan on running a...
That might still be a RIR. It could also be a production red, or any variation of a production breed - do you know if all the 800 were straight breeds, or could some of them have egg laying hybrid breeds?
Give them enough space to live, and enough food for everyone, and they won't need to hurt each other. Sure, you might have some pecking order tussles, but chickens with enough space, water and food don't need to fight and kill each other. We raise HUNDREDS of chickens, and have never cut a beak!
I had some turkeys I ordered, when my local post office called they told me it didn't sound good. By the time I got there, the only one they heard peeping was dead. 25 dead turkey poults. I looked closely at the box - they had left the hatchery 6 DAYS before they made it to my local office. I...
Even if your dog did it, there are other predators out there that still might and can. I don't know where you live, but stray dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes... you name it, they can and will kill chickens.
So first, you need a better pen for them to keep them safe...
Could possibly be something like mycoplasma, aka an upper respiratory infection in birds. She might need some antibiotics to fight it. Are her eyes or nose draining any fluid? Are her eyes swollen underneath? Tylan is the best medicine for mycoplasma, but I can't guarantee that's what she has.