I will try to put an outer nest box with a fake egg for the Moran. I tried putting the broody hen in a separate cage and she went crazy- banging her head against the top and screeching. I was afraid she’d hurt herself and knock everything out (food/water) if I left her there but wondered if I...
I’m not sure where the Moran is laying eggs. I’ve been letting her out to free range at least every other day. There’s two possibilities but we have plenty of egg eaters around to pick them up before I do.
Would that free standing nest box be for the Moran?
Thanks!
Hi, I’m down to only 2 hens because I’m getting ready to take a chicken business break after 10+ years. I’ve got an 11 year old EE that is broody and very aggressive. I also have a 3 year old black Moran that still lays eggs but can’t get in the coop because the EE attacks her if she tries. I...
My chickens have been going crazy for the cicadas and can’t get enough! I bring a few I find in the yard for breakfast in the morning but they beg for more so I find more. They keep on begging! Free range time in late day they are on the hunt for them too. I hope their eggs don’t taste weird...
Are there such things as squirrel proof chicken food feeders? Most feeders allow chickens to get pellets at will and squirrels will figure this out quickly.
I have tried cayenne pepper, spraying peppermint, ziptying pool noodles around my doors to the run and I have cats but my squirrels are relentless!! I have large gaps around the doors to fill. The fencing is not chicken wire (much stronger) so at least they can’t chew through it. But it’s...
We just moved and my new run is also a muddy mess. Straw, leaves and wood chips haven’t helped. My old one was built on a sand base and worked a whole lot better. I’m going to get construction sand put in this run to see if that helps but think it will. 😉👍
Maybe send her some information on the disease having chicken poos in your home can create (mostly salmonella) not to mention the dander they leave when preening their feathers. Maybe she’s just not educated in the dangers?
I’m checking in to see how your move went? I’m getting ready to move too but not so far away. Just a town over but still stressed out! I haven’t been able to find a suitable coop/run for this neighborhood which has nicer homes than my current one so was thinking of getting a pre-fab one but...
I’m so sorry for your having to go through this! I can’t imagine seeing my flock go through that. Thanks for sharing your experience so we can all be prepared if needed. I’ve worried about this sort of scenario since I heard about the avian flu.
I agree there is a difference between free ranging in a large backyard with a fence and a farm with no limits. The large back yard does have its benefits by keeping them from wandering too far into neighborhood shrubs or woods that can be hard to round them back up. It can have just as many...
My White Campines have been my loudest chicken breed. They screech very loudly when they are ready to get out of the coop/run to go free ranging and also alert the flock to predators. I've always worried about my neighbors until some got guinea hens - no worries now. Now that I'm down to one...
I agree with others on a bigger space is needed. When integrating older flock with new it’s also good to split the run/coop at first so they can meet each other without hurting each other before putting them together - do that for a week or so. There will be fighting but should die down after...
Thanks for this very detailed and helpful article! I wish I had it a few years ago when I was a new “chicken tender” and my hen got sour crop. I can’t recall exactly what I tried now but it was a mix of herbal remedies I found online and yogurt. Didn’t work and she died. 😢 I’m definitely...
I thought about doing that but since they had not been out long, it didn’t seem like they would be at that stage of bad yet. Might have gotten moisture inside the shells from condensation though.