Never had this issue with previous flocks. They sleep out in the run huddled together and under the 18" that isn't covered (even in the rain). I've tried locking them in the coop for a few days with no change. It's starting to get colder, worried they will freeze to death one night.
They...
Black sex link about 7 months old. She laid one egg about a month ago and not one since. She is at the bottom of the pecking order out of 5 birds. The others have pecked most of the feathers off her back but they are finally starting to grow back. When we go out to give them treats she...
Got my first two eggs over the weekend but not one today. Is it normal for their egg laying to be erratic the first few days? She dug out the nesting box today but I couldn't find an egg hidden anywhere else.
The birds I had two years ago hardly made a sound except when they laid an egg. This new batch is obnoxiously loud. Seems they are always squawking and they haven't started laying yet. Same breeds as last time, black and gold sex links.
Anything I can do to quiet them down?
Nothing notable for the first week. Noticed yesterday that it's not very active. All of the rest are up and moving around all the time. This one sleeps until disturbed, then goes back to sleep when the others go away. If I pick her up she chirps for a minute and then closes her eyes and lays...
City Council last Weds approved 4-2 the keeping of chickens in residential zones. As the discussion progressed I got more and more nervous but we made it.
The original ordinance presented in November would have made keeping them very difficult so they formed an ad hoc committee of several of...
Your city council will be hearing public comment and may have action on changing the city's ordinance to allow chickens. The ordinance is pretty restrictive currently so your voice is needed at the meeting. If you can't make it to the meeting please contact your city council members and the...
Planning and Zoning will hear public comment on chickens Nov 4. It's taken quite a bit to get it this far. I've spoken with several members of city council and this has a very good chance of passing.
I'm collecting some information for my presentation to the commission. Whatever stats you...
How do I fix this? I've got dummy eggs in all of the boxes (7 total) but they all lay in the same box. If I'm not diligent in collecting the eggs I usually get a cracked one.
How can I convince them to use multiple boxes? I've got six total hens, four of which seem to be laying regularly.
Thanks to a lot of leg work and many conversations with a couple of city council members, on August 11th Councilmember Ben Southworth publicly polled the council to see if they were open to discussing changing the zoning ordinance to allow hens in Residential Zones here.
The discussion was very...
Brought my hens home yesterday from exile. I have approval from my city council member to keep them while they draft a resolution to be voted on changing the zoning ordinance. They started laying eggs while they were gone (tiny little things).
This morning I noticed they were noisier than...
I've been using a mason jar feeder and they are throwing it everywhere. Picked up a sheet metal wall mount feeder. How high should it be off the floor?
I'm looking for a decent wall feeder that will feed up to 16 birds. The best looking ones so far have been from Stromberg's. Does anyone have experience with any of these or would recommend something different?
About 10 weeks old. Has been a normal healthy bird up to this point. Now can't put weight on one leg. Seems to just slide out from under him. He can still make it to the food and water and make it up to the rim of the box to roost (about 20"). Doesn't act like he's in pain. I can palpate...
Got it in the "random" bin. It's growing like a weed. Has doubled in size in the week since I've had it. Not a friendly bird either. Doesn't like to be picked up, panics if you get near it. It's at the bottom of the pecking order though. The two RIRs I have peck at him constantly until it...
How do they manage to keep knocking over the waterer? I'm using a mason jar type waterer with a plastic container. I've added marbles to the water to weigh it down but they keep knocking it over, usually right after I put it in there. Any ideas? I have about 3-4" worth of pine bedding in...
Bought three straight run chicks (1 week old I think) this weekend but want to add three sexed this week to increase my chance of having more layers. (Roosters can't stay.) Can I add another three to the same brooder if they're a week or so apart?
I've been trading some e-mails with my zoning commission about current ordinances and changing them. I was informed this morning it would cost me $1200 to apply for a change. I don't get the money back if it is unsuccessful.
Anyone have something similar to this?
I'm browsing around looking for coop ideas. I have an area in my backyard that once was a garden. It's a long rectangle bordered by railroad ties. What I want to do is put a coop at one end and turn the rest into a run. I can't really free range the chickens in my backyard. The area gets...