My friend came home yesterday to find one of her five 6 month old pullets dead on her back under the nest box (in a chicken tractor- safe from predators). She was a Buff Orpington that had recently started laying. She was healthy that morning, everyone was eating well, no diarrhea, ect. She...
I have read all the posts I can find on the topic of feather picking and gathered lots of good advice, but I still have some questions. I have 5 hens (2 adults and 3 6-month-old pullets) that live in an enclosed 10x16 run with a 5x4 coop. They are allowed out to free roam whenever we are home...
I was wondering if anybody knew at what age it is ok for growing chicks to get the extra calcium in a layer feed without hurting their kidneys. Do they need to be laying eggs or just around that age (18 wks or so)? I have two laying hens and three 12 week old chicks and I wondered when I could...
I have a 4 day old Black Australorp chick that seems very active and healthy but after she walks around for a bit she always sits down on her hocks. She can stand up just fine (even on slippery surfaces) and can run good (and fast) but when she stops she always sinks down onto her hocks. Then...
I have one Plymouth Rock hen and one Rhode Island Red hen and am wanting to get two more chicks this spring. I was wondering if it is ok to have bantum pullets in with them. The Plymouth Rock is pretty bossy so I don't know if size is important to chickens (if she would pick on the bantums...
Hi-
I've got a question about my chicks poop! I have my first ever baby chicks, one Rhode Island Red and one Plymouth Rock, both 3 weeks old now. I got them when they were a day old. I am keeping them inside, in a plastic storage container with pine shavings (changed daily), a heat lamp...