Does everyone using the MHP usually end up placing the chicks under it each night? My chicks are in the basement which has very small windows, so it's fairly dark most of the time. Is this my problem - not having the natural waning of daylight so they'll go under the MHP on their own? If I...
I just received hatching eggs. Out of 12, 4 were broken. They were packed in such a way that the egg goo got all over the 8 good ones. My question is - can these be washed off and put under the broody? I don't want to hinder the egg shels, so it can't "breathe", but I can't put them under...
Most of my hens have finally made it through their molt. Yesterday one of the hens squatted. Does that mean that she may start laying eggs in a bit? I think she may be one of the "mamas" that raised a chick that hatched from a shipped egg (long story). If so, she has been on hiatus since August...
I have 17 hens. I let them out in the a.m. to forage for the day. I usually toss them two cans (soup can size) of scratch in the morning as well. I then feed them fermented feed before they go to bed at night. Is this enough food for them or do I need to add another meal?
Cream Cheese? I have it left over for a "Girl's"Hen" Party Weekend and don't want to eat it myself, or throw it away if I don't have to...
Thanks for the help!
When I give my birds oyster shell, they eat it until all that is left is the shell dust. Will they eat the dust, or should I throw it out and put in fresh oyster shell?
Everyone always says how long their oyster shell lasts them. I have 14 hens and have gone through at least 6 pounds of...
I have two Golden Laced Wyandottes that seem to be going broody. They lay an egg every day or so, but I collect them. They stay on the nest anyway. They are on it when I close them in at night - usually about 8:30 or so, and are still on the nest in the morning - near as I can figure. As far as...
Hi,
When I clean off the chickens' poop board, I've been noticing that there are tiny scales(?) (look like smaller than fingernail clippings) that are in the Stall Dry.
Does chickens shed their leg scales regularly? I haven't noticed any bumpiness on their legs or anything else that looks...
Hi,
Just wondering if it's safe to eat - for chickens, that is.
Got a bunch of it, and I'll pull it up and feed it to the little princesses if it's safe...
Thanks,
Sheila
I'd like to put a regular metal type screen door on my coop and take off the metal service door that's on there now. This would be for additional ventilation for the summer. I would replace the screen in the door with hardware cloth for protection against predators. Another reason I'd like...
I've got 16 chickens total - all pullets. Four are 8.5 weeks old. The other 12 are 6 weeks old. The younger ones have been in their brooder the whole time, the older girls got moved to a large dog kennel about May 18. The kennel has wires sides, the brooder has a hardware cloth window that...
Is it all right to have my (approximately) 3 week old chicks eat food off the floor of their brooder? I just got some day olds and moved these guys into a bigger brooder. There are fresh pine shavings on the floor, but they made such a mess with their food that most of it is on the floor. Can...
from the chick's butt? I can get the area really close to the vent clean. I can see the little vent "working", lol, but I can't get the stuff to the sides of the vent off. My chicks are kind of shivering when I clean them, so I haven't been keeping them from the brooder too long. I do put...
from the chick's butt? I can get the area really close to the vent clean. I can see the little vent "working", lol, but I can't get the stuff to the sides of the vent off. My chicks are kind of shivering when I clean them, so I haven't been keeping them from the brooder too long. I do put...
I've got four 3 day old chicks. I just put shavings in the brooder today. I think one of them is trying to dust bathe in the shavings. Is this likely, or are they too young? If they're not, I was going to put a shallow bowl with some sand, DE, and wood ash in it, in their brooder. Should...
Is it possible to have the above listed birds live in relative harmony? I'd like to get a few keets for tick control, and the Muskovies for mosquito control. I will have 16 chickens, the keets and ducks live in the same coop if possible. Anything I need to know - or will this combo not work...
Hi -
I'm putting the cart before the horse here, as I haven't even gotten my chicks yet (these will be my first), but.... When I DO take them outside to forage and "romp" do I just put them in a box of some sort and cart them outside or carry a few out at a time or??? My brooder is 2x4...