I have a 1 1/2 year old Partridge Rock who in the last week has not been herself. I've noticed that she has watery droppings (really just pure liquid) and her comb is a dull red. She's still walking around and taking dust baths, but she seems slower than usual. At night, she goes under the...
I have three Wyandottes and one Partridge Rock. All four of my girls started laying in April/May of 2009. The three Wyandottes abruptly stopped in October. Feathers everywhere, shorter days, I assume it was molting. But it's been about 10 weeks and NO EGGS. Thankfully, I'm still getting 4 a...
Three of my four girls are molting and we're down to three eggs a week from the only hen who is still on-duty. It's been close to a month now. The three look rather ragged, there are feathers everywhere, and I was just wondering how much longer I should expect to be longing for eggs. Any...
Each night, I go outside after sundown and lock the door to the henhouse. My girls free range for an hour or so before sunset and until now, it's never been an issue - they always went to bed on their own. Well the last few days, I would lock up the henhouse as usual (not looking inside) and...
I have four chickens, all about 9-10 months old. One Partridge Rock and three Wyandottes. About 2+ weeks ago, we here in Southern California were hit with a brutal heat wave. Day after day of temps between 95-105 degrees. This lasted for about 10 days and then broke and gave us 2 or 3 days...
I bought my four girls as chicks in November. I was told the white one was a light brahma, the gray one was a blue wyandotte, the lighter brown one was a partridge rock, and the darker brown one a golden laced wyandotte.
I posted a picture of the supposed light brahma on the chicken...
My Brahma pullet is about 6-7 months old and started laying within the last few weeks. We got one a day from her for a week or so then she started skipping days. Finally earlier this week I noticed she didn't leave the nesting box. I assumed she was just broody, but how long does this last...
I was working out back this morning and discovered a black widow spider in a corner of the hens' run. When they find her, they will eat her. Is this okay?
Scott
My girls are between 12-16 weeks old and I have some cherries I was going to throw out but then I thought, why not give them to the girls? Any reason not to? They're not going to choke on the pits or anything, are they?
Thanks.
Scott
So my girls aren't at laying age yet, but in anticipation, I bought a 5 pound bag of crushed oyster shells - then it occurred to me, how do I give it to them? Mix it up in their food? How much? Thanks....
-Scott
My girls are all under 12 weeks, and so far they've just been on starter food and now mash. They also feast on occasional kitchen scraps (greens mostly). But I see a lot about "scratch" and have to confess I'm not exactly sure what it is. Do I go to the feed store and ask for scratch? If so...
I close up my small, rabbit hutch style coop every night. I have four girls who spend the day wandering around their small attached run (fully covered with chicken wire and hardware cloth). Here's my question:
The coop is totally locked up except for the top, where an approximately 3/4 inch...
I've got two 10 week old pullets. One of them really picks on two six week old chicks who live with them. My question: will this wear off once the two chicks are bigger and can hold their own? I've not seen any damage, but I hear squeaks that send me running to check on them and I see the...
My feeder and waterer are in the chickens' run, so when I close them up at night, they have no access to food or water. First thing in the morning, I let them out and they go charging to breakfast - and seem happy enough. Thoughts on this? Thanks.
-Scott
I live in Southern California. I've noticed on several posts people talking about turning a light on in the coop at night for a few hours (presumably not for heat, but rather to keep them laying). I don't do this. Should I?
My four girls aren't laying yet so it's a non-issue for now. I...
My chickens free range in my small vegetable garden. We only started this habit in October, after my tomato plants were all harvested, but my question is this. When the warm days of summer are once again upon us and I have a full, large tomato plant in my vegetable garden, will anything bad...
We live in Southern California, so weather's not an issue this time of year. My coop has a run attached to it and the girls have 24/7 access to it and I got to wondering. This morning, I was out on my backyard patio about 6:30AM and noticed the girls out scratching around in their run. It was...
This morning, I put two of my older girls (not full grown yet, but feathers coming in) in their coop outside for the first time. Came home at lunch, they were still in their coop. Food and water are available outside in their run, so I was hoping they'd make the connection before they got too...