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  1. Vicker

    Chickens staying in the coop suddenly

    I wouldn't worry too much about it. For whatever reason, they feel more comfortable inside. If something spooked them out there, they'll get over it with time.
  2. Vicker

    First Timer Do they need to be on layer food to lay?

    Coincidentally, I just saw a new video, referencing studies about feeding layer hens. He says layer feed was developed for the egg industry to provide the bare minimum of protein to create more profit. If your hens are stressed or molting or just need a little more protein, 16% isn't going to...
  3. Vicker

    Rooster crowing all the time

    Sounds like The Bremen Town Musicians 😊
  4. Vicker

    Rooster crowing all the time

    There are some generalities, like some will outgrow it, but you really don't know what you're going to get with a rooster until you get it. I like to wait until they all start crowing to cull the most obnoxious ones. I once made a velcro crow collar. It reduced the volume, but I ended up giving...
  5. Vicker

    First Timer Do they need to be on layer food to lay?

    I get them off chick starter around three weeks and onto a good (not Purina or Dumore) all-flock, with oyster shell on the side.
  6. Vicker

    What time of day do YOUR chickens lay?

    Most are laid by noon, but some come along throughout the rest of the day. Sometimes I find one after 5:00 pm.
  7. Vicker

    Comment by 'Vicker' in article 'Taming The Flock: How To Be Your Chickens' Favorite Human🐓❤'

    I don't go out of my way to tame them anymore, but I try not to spook them if I can help it. My tamest ones were always the ones that were most easily grabbed by predators. I have a hen now that used to be skittish as all get out. Now, she drives me crazy flying up to get something out of my...
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  8. Vicker

    Chickens lot laying the color egg they are known to lay

    My Australorps and BR lay varying shades of brown. I have some EE and a Saphire Gem in the mix. Occasionally, I get a slightly less than pure white egg. I never know what I'm going to get from day to day.
  9. Vicker

    19.5 week old Black Australorp: cockerel?

    Comb size isn't the best indicator. Some of my BA hens have big floppy combs and others have small ones. I do think those are rooster feathers, though.
  10. Vicker

    Chickens aren’t laying

    Mine are slacking due to the heat, and some are starting to molt a little earlier this year than usual.
  11. Vicker

    New aggression in flock

    Chickens can be such jerks.
  12. Vicker

    3 week old Chick’s eye partially open since hatch

    Sorry, haven't a clue.
  13. Vicker

    19 week old Cockerel sudden death

    The stretched out body position looks like an almost instant death from accident, injury or pre-existing condition. If he'd been sick or had been kept from food and water, he'd have shown symptoms. When a sick chicken dies, they tend to sit with their legs tucked under and head lowered.
  14. Vicker

    Culling Towards the Best Flock

    Lots of factors to consider, right? Raising 10 Delaware chicks now, as I transition to a dual breed that leans more toward meat. Hopefully, at least one is male or I'll have to be on the search for one. So, in paring down from my 23 other birds, I know definitely that I'll cull any current hens...
  15. Vicker

    Abundance of flies - how do they affect chicken health if larvae is ingested

    Yes! I forgot about this. I need to get some more.
  16. Vicker

    Rooster count

    I've had various breeds and flock numbers over the years, with all the free-range space they want. The individual roosters and the flock at the time tell me when multiples are too much. Years ago, I had a flock of 28 Sumatra with 3 roosters that did fine. They respected the top rooster and...
  17. Vicker

    How to keep my hens cool in the hot summer

    Mine don't care to stand in a pool. They'll gather around a flat storage lid that has a bag of ice on it and will lay on damp ground in the shade. I've had some that enjoyed a mister and others that were afraid of it. I give frozen fruits and vegetables.
  18. Vicker

    Comment by 'Vicker' in article 'How To Tame Chickens from the Start'

    I've learned that the tamest ones are the ones that get picked off by predators, so I no longer set out to make lap chickens. Funny that Black Australorps are on the list, because mine are the least friendly I've ever had. Even more funny is what's going on in the brooder now. We just got...
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  19. Vicker

    Coyote attack in the middle of the day.

    The only daytime coyote we've experienced had something wrong with it, maybe rabies. It wasn't afraid of us. My husband dispatched it. We've had night-time raids on chickens and sheep. After seeing some eat a sheep that was still alive, we now shoot on sight. Portable electric fence netting is...
  20. Vicker

    When do you start adding to your flock- contingency plan

    Gosh. I should have had a plan🤣. I've been "winging it" for 20 years. I get baby chick fever every Spring. Yes, there have been unintended losses, and I did cull some older hens to manage flock size. Mostly, I add a few chicks in the spring and cull the roosters. Since I've been blessed with...
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