I have had chickens for years but this is a new problem. I typically start my little ones off in a barn stall that is very secure for their protection. Once they are 10-12 weeks old, I move them to the main coop so they have more sunlight and ability to scratch and forage.
I simply moved my 14...
I have taken over the care of 2 minature donkeys about 10 months ago. This is our first winter together. I live in South Louisiana. The grass is dieing but there will not be any frost or snow that sits on the ground. The person who had the donleys before me told me that they only gave hay on...
The last one and the all white ones are the two that I think are more pure bread and do not know the breeds. You can see some are a mix of the white and the barred rock.
I got 13 new birds from a friend. I have identified some as obvious barred rock. There are two other breeds and some mixed...
1. I am in south Louisiana. It has been upper 70's to low 80's at night. My 22 Cornish X are about 4 weeks old. They are 90% feathered. They are in an enclosed barn stall and do not free range. The stall walls go to the ground on all sides. I pick them up and they feel hot. I put a 3 speed box...
I have 22, 23 day old Cornish X. They are all healthy and eating and drinking. Vents look clear. They are well feathered except their butts. Several of them look like:
Is this normal? Like I said the vents are clear but down their entire butts are streaks of chicken poo. I haven't raised...
How long can pasty butt be a problem? I have some 15 day old Cornish X and I had a few who had a pasty problem the first week and then all was well. Last night I had to clean another one. How long can this be a problem? I thought after the first week they were out of the woods?
I currently have 23 Cornish X that are 18 days old. One is having some sort of leg issue. You can tell its hard to walk for her. She does get around to the feed and water. They currently have 4 sq ft per bird so space is not a problem. They also have two waterers and two big feeders. My point is...
I currently have 23 Cornish X, 12 days old. I have moved them from the equivalent of a large rubber maid container to about a 4' x 6' enclosure in a barn stall. I want to open the whole barn stall to them soon. That would be 8' x 12'. I just worry that with my light not being in the center that...
9 day old Cornish X. One is WAY smaller than the rest. Maye almost half the size. It seems to not walk well. Feet look fine and legs are not sprawled. He/she walks to the feed and eats but stumbles as if balance is off. It drinks water as well if I put it at the waterer. It's just clearly small...
I have read that with my Cornish X I could lose up to 15%. They have been here ~84 hours and I have lost two (out of 26). One on day 2 and one on day 3. They just died in the brooder. Vents were clean. Any ideas? Is this normal loss? I thought they would die later on, I'm just surprised I've...
Got 25 Cornish X Friday. Lost one on day two. Seems to have just gotten weak and died. Butt looked fine. I have a few who I am thinking may have pasty butt. I am cleaning them and they seem to be doing well. I think I may be over paranoid about pasty butt. If its dried on the down but vent is...
I purchased a packet of electrolytes from my small local feed store. After reading the mixing instructions I mixed the pack in a gallon of water and then will use one ounce of the premixed water to make gallon batches of drinking water as needed. I realized after I mixed this that it states...
I have ordered my 25 Cornish x. I got the first bag of feed and have everything ready. When I went to the small local feed store the owner who is always very nice and helpful said that they have had Cornish X in the past and always have fed 18% protein straight through. We discussed the 27%...
This morning I woke up to 7 dead chickens. That's my entire laying flock. A big dog was somehow locked in the coop over night. I was not able to figure out yet how he go locked in there. I got in touch with my neighbor who the dog belongs to. He came got his dog and had offered to replace the...
I think I am ready for about 15 Cornish X. I will be raising them entirely in a barn stall. My biggest concern is the waste. Does anyone have experience or ideas on using hay/straw vs pie shavings? To me it would be much easier to clean and maybe even cheaper.
Second option is to scrap the...
I repurposed a barn stall for 15 Cornish X that I'm going to order. I have a few questions and I am open to any suggestions. The stall is 8 x 12. Essentially closed on all four sides. I have secured the two doors so I can enter and exit but nothing else can. To start I will have 2 125 watt heat...
After two years with 8 buff hens and no losses I think I lost my first hen. I'm afraid it's my fault too. I work nights and today, like usual, I let them out at 8 am when I got home. I fell asleep late and when I woke up it was 9 pm, oops, I went to close up the coop. Apparently the wind closed...
I have been raising 8 buffs for almost two years now and I am ready to venture out. I want to try meat chickens but have some questions. I have been reading but still are unsure about a few things.
I do not want to do this solely for monetary reasons but I also do not want to shell out tons...
This is my coop for my 8 buff orpingtons. It's about 2 years old now. Works really well except I built the nest boxes too high. It's 8x12 and 8 ft tall. Coop stands about 2 ft off ground to allow some more run space. Inside has three rods for roosting. It needs a few repairs but works for what I...