I've been researching like crazy, and don't know what to think. I've got six hens, and all are acting fine, but they have been having some problems with thinner eggshells in the last couple months. They were fine all winter and producing eggs with thick shells, but about 2.5 months ago I had...
I have a 32 week old Black Australorp who was laying for me every day. She would never lay in the nest box, but chose a spot in the garden under the tomatoes. Once we harvested the garden, her private spot was gone and she threw a daily fit wanting me to fix her a spot somewhere private to...
I have six chickens in my backyard in town. I have a secure coop and run, but let the chickens, which are 28 weeks old, out every day- all day. I have three dogs that don't bother them, and neither do my full grown cats. There are other cats, and dogs in the homes surrounding us that haven't...
She has been slow developing as far as red comb goes, and I haven't seen her squat yet. She's bottom of the pecking order, and I don't know if that contributes to the situation in any way. But my other chickens have been laying for quite some time. Is it normal for her to be this late? And...
I have a Black Australorp that from day one has refused to lay in the nesting boxes. I have locked her in the coop and she just screams and flies around frantically. She chose a spot in my garden that was dark and quiet to lay each egg. Now the garden is picked over, and she no longer has...
Just found an egg in the nest that is a pinkish-tan with blue/gray speckles on it. I find that so strange. The color of the egg looks like my Buff Orpingtons, but I've never seen the blue speckles on it before. I only have one chicken not laying yet and that is my EE (at least she's not...
My RIR started laying three weeks ago and has been fairly consistent with it since. She's maybe skipped 2 or 3 days in those three weeks. She is my smallest hen and has laid the biggest eggs, with two double yolkers- one was really large. The last two days she hasn't laid. She'll go in her...
I have six chickens, and only two have started laying so far. Today I have a Black Australorp that is almost 22 weeks old and she is acting strangely. Making a lot of noise, like the egg song my layers do, and hiding out in our bushes. She's frantically grabbing grass and throwing it over her...
I have six pullets that are 21 weeks old today. Two started laying 3 weeks ago- my Barred Rock first, and the next day my RIR. My Barred Rock's eggs were the typical tiny pullet eggs at first, but seemed to be getting bigger with the occassional large double-yolker thrown in. My RIR is my...
My six chickens are now just over 17 weeks old, with my Barred Rock and Rhode Island Red looking closest to POL. The Barred Rock has started squatting now when I come near her. We are using new cat litter boxes and I have the nesting material in them and a couple golf balls in each. But I...
We are trying to do some landscaping of our yard, and our local Tree Trimming company has mulch that is already starting to compost, which is what we want. So I guess there is no way of knowing what the trees are, and I do know that Cedar is supposed to be a no-no. I know Cedar is dangerous in...
My chicks (8 weeks) will be spending their fifth night in their new coop tonight, and I'm surprised how easy the transition was. They had access to their run during the day while we finished up the coop, but would come back into their big box at night. From the first day we let them walk up...
We have a 2x4 across the back of the coop that measures 89 inches and sets up higher than the nesting boxes. Is that enough for our six chicks? It's funny as they are eight weeks old right now and they all cram on the end by the window- just smashed together lol. I'd like to get about three...
My 6 chicks are now seven weeks old, and tonight they are walking around in their coop with their tails pointed down. Last night was their first night in their coop and they really love it, they seemed very happy and active earlier. I'm worried I did something really wrong though and I feel...
My chicks are 6 weeks old now, and their coop is almost done, but due to ongoing family emergencies it's not done enough that they can use it. :( It will be done by the weekend. They have been going out daily in their run, which is half covered with a tarp, but it has been in the 70's with...
I have an almost 6 week old RIR that seems to have a bit of a tic/twitch problem with her head. I first noticed it a couple weeks ago, but she could have possibly had it before that and I attributed it to itchy feathers, etc. She has always been off in her own little world doing her own thing-...
Ok, we are finishing up our coop and need some ventilation advice from you experts. It's 8'x7' in size. Front of the coop is 7' high and the roof slopes down to 6' in the back. We have two windows in there, they are good-sized. In the summer we also have a screen door (covered in hardware...
I have six 5 week old chicks. Four have tails shaped like praying hands- long and V-shaped. Then I have an EE with a short tail, but s/he doesn't stand upright like a rooster might- she's kind of barrel shaped lol. Then I have a Barred Rock that I go back and forth on. S/he stands more...