I have 1 chicken (flock of 5) that has had persistent matting around the anal area. I've tried soaking her in water and gently removing the waste matter, but it just keeps coming back. The other chickens had picked on her and pulled feather's out. I separated her once, and cleaned it up the...
As soon as they are old enough to free-range, when I want them to get back in the coop, I yell "come on chickens!" while clapping my hands . I have many predators around (dogs, cats, coyotes, cougar,etc.) so I want them to come running when they hear me clap my hands.
Initially they always...
I thought something might be wrong with one of the two black sex links that I have!
I thought that both of the two sex links were done molting in September, but maybe it was just one of them that molted then. I was a bit surprised to see the other black sex link with scruffy looking...
I have something in the yard that is burrowing up and leaving a pile of sand that appears to be tubular little pyramids.....does anyone have any idea what kind of critter might be doing this? I actually have a small diameter fence laid down under dirt and grass, in the coop so I was surprised...
This is the first year that I have had mice in the coop - they did run out of the coop when I was cleaning it, but I'm pretty sure they would love to come back!
I have used bounce sheets in my garage to deter mice from the camping supplies, and it worked. So I am going to put some bounce...
I brought my chickens into the house in a big cage yesterday as it was going to be 22 below zero last night, but when I brought them in - I noticed a little frostbite already on all of their combs.
What kind of cream do you put on the combs? Is it to prevent OR treat frostbite? How often do...
I brought my chickens inside this morning into a big dog cage this morning as it is going to be greater that 20 degrees below zero tonight. They have been in a coop with a warming light but yesterday actually spent quite a bit of time outside. The door to the coop was open to the pen, so they...
hmm - I don't feed corn to my chickens - should I add corn? They already get Dumor Laying Mix, and Oyster shells. And I've been cooking a bowl of oatmeal for them on a daily basis for them ever since it got cold, (which they absolutely devour on site,) so they could have something warm in...
My husband actually hasn't noticed yet.....I'm guessing I may get a comment or two when he happens to decide to try to head out using the front door.....but he is always kind to animals...so I don't think it will be too much of an issue!
3 out of 4 laid eggs today - but I think the egg laying is most affected by the number of daylight hours. As the days get shorter, there is less egg production from what I have read.
Being my first winter with chickens, I may be going overboard....but I'm looking at it this way...I don't want frozen chicken for dinner tomorrow......LOL
It's 22 degrees below zero today and tonight....I wimped out and set up a dog cage in the mudroom and carried them all in for the day/night. That just seemed too cold for any animal!
I am a first time chicken lady...and it is going to be 22 below zero tonight! Although the coop is fairly draft free....that just seems too cold for any animal .....so I wimped out today, set up the big dog cage, and carried all the chickens into my mudroom for the day/night.
One thing that has helped me to catch chickens is that since they were baby chicks, I picked them up and carried them a little on a regular basis - holding them close and supporting them as you would carry a small animal, so they get used to being picked up.
The other 5 come running when I...
I keep a thick layer of pine chips over the linoleum. The only area that tends to get a little "low" on pine chips is near the entrance. It seems to get moved by the chickens in that one area exposing a small area of linoleum. Would it still be "too slippery" for chickens and cause foot...
It's like a warming plate - do you have access to any pet supply centers for a warming plate that comes with a water dispenser? If not, try a "hunting" type store for a deer waterer. It's shaped like a small pond. (Maybe ~1 x 2 ft) - but it won't be level, so that's why I added pine chips, so...
It was a little pricey ($70) to buy enough linoleum to cover (2) 4x 8 floors, but it protects the wood floor of the coop, and I can just pull the linoleum out of the coop when I do major cleaning, and hose it off. I also had a scrap that was big enough for my roosting bars, and I put those on...