Our huge English Orpington rooster had no problems with hens half his size, and even with Leghorn hens who were only about 1/3rd of his size. The last ones looked really awkward, he often ended up standing on the ground with at least one foot rather than on them, but he got the job done when he...
We currently have two broodies raising 13 chicks together. They seemed to bond since sitting on the eggs... which started as two nests without a divider and they merged it into one big nest. Now sometimes they stick so close to each other that I wonder for a moment if a broody is missing, lol...
Set yesterday and marked it on the calendar, only then did I realize they were due on the 4th. So I said, I bet there's a hatchalong for that!
54 eggs is a total abuse of my NR360. Took the turner out and arranged them in straight(ish) lines, double stacked.
The only reason I risked that is...
I think one of the best things about a forum environment like BYC is the variety of opinions shared and support from many members. Not that there's anything wrong with private conversations, but the things you ask or pictures you share could be interesting to others and start informative...
Since you asked about anti-inflammatories... MSM is the most effective of the non-prescription options. It's natural and inexpensive, also very safe and shouldn't interfere with other medications.
Lim et al. [21] suggested that dietary MSM can be used from 0.1 to 4.0 g per kg of diet. In...
Too ambiguous. You have to be able to read someone's face and note the timing to see what the raised eyebrow is about.
I'd like a Rollyeyes reaction. It's much more direct.
Roots can be very delicate, and every species of plant is different regarding what it can withstand.
For reference, think about cooking a carrot, spring onion, or potato. You can cook either in a variety of ways, slow over low heat or fast on high heat... but the spring onion would be...
I would guess that sudden death without showing symptoms in advance is usually only caused by a few things...
Excessive Heat
Heart attack
Broken Neck from impact of some kind
Choking (I see treats in the photo, not saying that's what it was, but it's possible)
Almost anything else is going...
Is that snowy white one a silver based color?
Some of my littles right now have that bright white and some yellow, so I'm assuming silver and gold.
I feel ya on the nutrient issues. So far, I've mostly only had the issue in summer when it gets hot. I think the warehousing / shipping /...
His feather health doesn't look great. Have you checked him for external parasites? Hopefully, some time on a good 20% feed will fix the issue after this falls molt. If he still looks all scraggly after that, I wouldn't breed him.
I can't help but be curious... what's wrong with eating your own chickens eggs? It can't be a moral issue since you surely treat them well... or am I missing something?
I'm really happy with our recent use of Elector PSP for mites. There's a guy in a local group who sells the small bottles for $25.
Like you, I had trouble with my spray bottle. It didn't stop working but it was difficult and prone to getting stuck. TSC has nice ZEP spray bottles in the horse...
I thought the question was going to be, does the stress of childcare shorten a broodys life? LOL
I mean, it is hard on them. 3 weeks of barely eating enough, then barely able to take baths without chicks sitting on their heads and scooching under their wings.
We recently let ours go broody...
Agreed! Here on BYC people do share that advice. But in the larger world, too many people don't know the concept should be different in different climates. In my local FB groups, there are people offering custom coop building services or pre-built and none of them have ventilation adequate for...
The member who wrote this article lives in NC.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/
In a hot climate, insulation can be helpful under the roof, depending on the design and materials of the roof, to resist the suns rays.
Insulating walls...
Did you just get her or did you raise her? Does she eat the same feed as the ones you're comparing her progress to?
Protein matters when it comes to feather health and speed of growth.
If you did only just get her I would give her a while to catch up on a 20% protein feed. If you raised her...
Eggs from a Mareks positive flock would need to be sanitized before incubation in case of exterior contamination.
Also, if you read the provided link, there are diseases with similar symptoms that can be vertically transmitted.
Of course, they could have been infected on your property, or not...
I do agree with you in a way.... but, in defense of breeders, it's not like they can draw a line around the eyes and say "no feathers here". The choices are Muffs or no Muffs, and full or scraggly looking. Nature then has her say.