Found our Rhode Island Red "Red" (not very imaginative, I know) laying under the coop doing the drooping eyed head drop. Doors were open for free range time so her being here is very strange. Eventually, we sent our son in to scoop her out as she would not be moved otherwise. She moved a little...
Another white leghorn having issues. Red Leg this time. Still acting like a normal chicken doing active chicken things. Son noticed this and wife took a picture. I believe it is a prolapsed vent and I intend to clean her up real well, gently squeeze the poop out (they witnessed no pooping...
Was working outside and walking by the coop. Noticed bare leg, one of our white leghorns was standing very still looking sleepy. I let the girls out for some free range time and she was slow to move, waddling and walking more like a duck then a chicken. If she had pants, it looked like she...
Been around for a bit. This is the coop and run I was working with before: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/senor-xanders-casa-de-pollo.1219528/ and have been working with it for about 2 years now. But I discovered issues during that time: as composting material built up it blocked...
We organically raise our garden. Japanese beetles and squash bugs are our main culprits (would love to hear any specialized tactics in dealing with these individual montsters).
For the Japanese Beetles, I set out a screening trap. Each morning I unscrew the bottom, spray cold water down into...
Title says it all. Just a little FYI for any alternative bedding seekers. Fresh grass is great in the run. They eat it, dig in it, smells great, breaks down beautifully into fertilizer with their poop.
Not in the coop. Does not dry out. Mats together. Will likely become moldy. And being...
The other day, Mohawk, our brabanter that is our gentlest, friendliest and most docile girl apparently attacked my 7 year old son when he let them out the other morning. This completely baffled me as she allows our 2 year old and just about anyone else to pick her up and follows me around as my...
Anyone else find it odd that after a bird is injured and you nurse it back to health a little bit that it is always much friendlier towards you? I mean, it makes sense, but seems a little too intuitive for chickens. I have a coworker who falcons and says the best way to build trust with a new...
Randomly found an odd feather pattern on one of my leghorns-or lack thereof rather. I routinely have "cuddle time" with all my chickens where I hold them, try to check out their feet and fold their feathers back along their neck and back inspecting for ticks, mites, bugs, irritated skin, bite...
The day has come! Following Aart and some of the other's advice the big chickens have met the little chickens in jail house setting. Pictures attached contain the first coop I have built so be gentle. It is 4x5 for the 6 chicks who are currently almost 4 weeks old and almost more feather than...
Came home from work and made my morning round to visit the girls. Had some of my leftover ham sandwich to share. One of the leghorns will frequently jump onto my shoulders to hang out for a bit. She is always polite to my surprise. I expect a shot towards my eyes, ears, face, anything but...
Storm is our brabanter without a comb. She is super spastic and one of our least friendly chickens. However, whenever I am cleaning the coop she always seems to be in there or the first to come visit me inside while I am working. Scratching in the newly moved pine shavings or going into the...
We couldn't resist and picked up 2 buff orpingtons, 2 calico princesses and 2 sapphire gems to add to our flock. It is one big melting pot with there already being the 4 leghorns, 2 brabanters, 1 RIR, 1 EE and 1 Andalusian. We have the little gals in a tote brooder with their...
I wanted to present the setup I am enabling in case there are unseen drawbacks or ways I could enhance the system.
We do a bit of light gardening and I am making a stronger effort to compost some good fertilizer for when planting time comes. I am employing my chickens for their personal...
I never would have seen it if I had not installed their exterior roost bar that allowed a view of "up there." One of my leghorns was on the roost, no distress, and I saw what I imagine to be her vent prolapsing ever so slightly. 1/2-1 inch max. After a few seconds of mental panic she pooped...
I have 9 chickens total. I have educated guesses on what they MIGHT be, but never am entirely sure. Here is what I believe I have:
-4 white leghorns
-2 polish hens (the white and black speckled, one missing her plume)
-1 Rhode Island Red?
-1 Americauna/Easter Egger
-1 Black Minorca? Vader the...
Was doing quite a bit of work in the coop/run today and figured I was long overdue for some pictures of La Casa de Pollooooooo!!!!
In all seriousness, it is a work in progress. Today I rolled the aviary netting that you see draped up to the top of the welded wire and zip tied it there...
Last night on my way to work, my wife calls me and exclaims: "There's a opossum in the run!" She was going out around 1830 to close up their internal run and coop for the evening.
Oh Lord. I think. We just lost the rest of the birds.
Luckily, he was just interested in the compost pile...
Vader. She is and has always been one of our most neurotic and high strung chickens. I have no idea what breed she is, but she looks like a black minorca with the white ears but are not floppy. A bit of a greenish hue to her back feathers. Very pretty overall, but she is the creeper bird...
Many chickens are injured on a daily basis. One of the first recommendations from friendly and supportive chickens lovers is to clean that wound! And rightfully so. But many times with solution A-Z...Some right for the situation, some not, some downright counterproductive to the desired...