Is it normal for a rooster's comb to lose some color when he's molting? He seems healthy and the flock is healthy (just all of last spring's hatch is having a pillow fight in the coop every night - lol)
My rooster has a few feathers on his legs and until now I just assumed they looked a little funny because of how the feathers come out.....but now I worry he might have the start of scaly leg mites. I cannot find any internet pics of leg mites on a feathered leg ...or even close up pics of...
Is it possible? I've got a young red barred cockerel that is from a grey hen (not true blue) and a red rooster. Is barring something that hides genetically? Or is his colour pattern just strange and not considered barred?
My rooster is always gurgling and wheezy. Half the time his crows are cut off like he has laryngitus. He sounds awefull, but hes healthy and strong and fertile. Anyone else have anything like this?
My rooster is half "purebred" something. She said Aracana but I doubt that very much. He is clean faced though many of his hatchmates had beards while none of the possible mothers did. His chest is mottled red and black and hes very good natured. Just for fun, If you had to guess what his...
Am I asking for trouble? Im new to the idea of growing them out and processing my own for meat.
I have a few batches of babies being hatched now and will likely process around end of November (my best guess on what I've read). I will be taking them somewhere not doing it myself. Do you think...
What type of comb is this? Wide and soft looking. Mixed breed. Her comb isn't like any of the others I bought from the same person. Shes a very large hen too.
Bluebell has hatched 2 babies of 4 eggs. My chooks are free range and she has left the other 2 eggs as of yesterday morning, but went back to the nexst to sleep last night. Today shes out with her 2. I went to get rid of the other eggs and one peeped at me! Its trying to hatch! I shoved her...
Im renovating a 8'x10' shed into a coop for approximately 20 chickens. I had designed a set of regular nesting boxed for hubby to build, but the fact that I've been blessed with 3 broodies this year has made me reconsider. So...what do you think of this....2 plywood broody boxes sitting on the...
I'm not good with tools, so level roosts sounds waaay easier to build than tiered roosts. Lol. Can I put them 12" apart? Or is that too close? I have a side of my shed that i would like to put 3 roosts accross but that section is 8' wide but only 3' deep. Suggestions?
I thought Peach's mothering protective instinct would kick in once the chicks hatched, but so far it doesnt seem like it. I have her and her eggs/chicks in a separate shed but due to the hot weather I left the door open and of course the other ladies come to investigate. She let 2 of the other...
It supposed to reach about 45C (113F) here this weekend (which is rediculous for this area!) Im worried about Peach and her new chicks (hatch started yesterday and still going). She is in a 8X10 shed and it gets very hot in there, even when the door and windows are left wide open. She should...
I've got 3 broodies right now with the first set due to hatch tomorrow. The original nest she was in is now occupied by a different hen. I went to pull out my sacrifice eggs today from the other hen (I've bought other eggs for her) and one of the eggs had 2 red mites on it. The ones due to...
Peach has eggs that will hatch mid-next week and currently she's just in the mail coop, which is small (4' x 6') but has attached run, and the other hens free range all day and don't bother her. Speckles has decided this week, that she wants babies too (found her sitting on top of Peach and the...
I attended a small (I assume) show this past weekend. Learned that I have never actually seen the size of a standard Orphington or Cochin! Lol...those suckers are huge! And that Langshans are one of the most beautiful chickens I have ever seen. There were only 3 Ameraucana (my breed of...
I see people posting about eggs that explode under a broody or in the incubator. How often does this happen? Is it just an undeveloped egg? Will it always happen if you dont candle the eggs to check to see if they are alive? Does it usually happen at a certain number of days?
My first...
I gave Peach 8 eggs and I swear I marked them all...I swear I did!! However this morning I had opportunity to check them when she got off the nest, and there are 11 eggs...but I can find only 7 marked ones!! I marked the 4 new(?) with "O" (the others have "X") so I can at least tell them apart...
If these are all pullets then I should buy a lottery ticket! I am not that lucky! But at 8 weeks....I'm not seeing anything that screams cockerel about any of them. Experts please weigh in!
Peach has never been the smartest chicken in the coop, but 2 days ago she went broody so I gave her 6 eggs. This morning she got off the nest to frantically run around for about 15 minutes then back to the coop. Well...she decided to sit on the golf balls I forgot to remove in the nest beside...
Peach has decided she wants to be a Mommy. Shes currently sitting on 4 eggs from yesterday. I should get 3-4 new eggs from my other hens today and 3-4 new eggs tomorrow. If I give these eggs from the next 2 days to Peach, will they all hatch at the same time, or would she abandon eggs once...