My 2yr old hen,an Amberlink, always has her drop full! In fact, she's worn feathers off from where she drags it on the ground when she's foraging! Is this unhealthy? Or just her 'shape' ( full and rounded)???
My 2 yr old NH Red hen is suddenly droopy. She seems humped up at her saddle area, her comb has bleached out, she's out and about, but not as peppy as usual. I can't check her until later this afternoon, but I will check for mites, fleas, whatever and can dust her down. It has been hot, but I...
so they won't eat the layer feed....no matter what it ends up on the ground...I've tried pellets and crumbles....different brands...different types of feeders.....nothing works. I'm just spending money and throwing it on the ground! Can I just feed them scratch without jeopardizing them in any...
I have a Light Brahma pullet, born March 1st this year. She has held her tail to the side since she was 3 mos old. I don't think it's broken. It causes her no discomfort if you hold it in position as it should be. There doesn't seem to be any irritation or trauma either. Do some breeds have...
I just found roundworms! Been keeping chickens for over 5 yrs now....maybe 6, and this is my first encounter. Bout nothing else looks like roundworms, so I'm pretty sure that's what I found. So, I can ask my vet or check at the farm store for treatments, but here are a couple of related...
the local electric company is busy trimming and mulching....so I got a load of free mulch. Would probably be mostly maple, but who knows really what all is in there. I have an open run my girls spend most of their day in and it has some low spots...right now, muddy low spots. Can I safely put...
gelatin, actually. I think I would not want to use the dessert gelatin with food dye in it....but what about unflavored/uncolored gelatin? I give my girls frozen peas and beans, and I've seen photos on the internet of people making ice cubes with treats inside.....but my girls don't like ice...
the winds are soft, and the temp has cooled down this morning to 77 with 58% humidity, and all my girls are out in their 'front yard' sitting on the ground! They are so funny! Can't snap a pic to share because as soon as I go out the door, they are up and running to the corner of the...
It is rainy, but warm for this time of year in SE Illinois, but it couldn't be a happier day....at least not until my grandkids get home from school and all the excitement begins because I made a trip to the farm supply store and came home with chicks!!! 2 Barred Rocks, 2 NH Reds, and 2...
My girls do not eat the cracked corn in the scratch mix! Do your's like it? I used to be sick about it...it is mostly cracked corn and all of it seemed to be wasted on the floor. The I started having mice, which isn't a BIG problem flor the girls...they LOVE mice! Problem is just for me, I...
I have thought for some time that I had a hen eating eggs. But, I have never found any shell fragments anywhere. What I do find is egg yolk stains on the roosting boards, and sometimes in the floor of the coop. Yesterday when I gathered eggs, I found some in the nest box in a puddle of yolk...
no image, but can supply one later if anyone is really interested. Miss Bella turned out to be a Mister and therefore needs another home! He doesn't really know he's a rooster yet, maybe5 mos old, but his tail feathers are starting to show and they are the most beautiful colors! I will not...
Yesterday's post:
I've had chickens for about 2 yrs now, without any of the ladies having had health problems....but I'm wondering about my black australorp. She would be about 18 mos old now. She isn't very active. She does move in and out of the coop and run without anything noticeably...
I've had chickens for about 2 yrs now, without any of the ladies having had health problems....but I'm wondering about my black australorp. She would be about 18 mos old now. She isn't very active. She does move in and out of the coop and run without anything noticeably wrong with her...
Is it normal for my girls to throw their feed everywhere in the run? The floor of their little run is covered with layer pellets and cracked corn from the scratch I give them. Am I over-feeding, should I try another brand/type of feed? Seems alot of what I spend money on for them, they waste...
I've had my ladies for about two years now, adding a few new hens last year. We are thinking of building raised beds this spring, maybe with hoops! So......chickens in my garden? What are the drawbacks? I can guess the benefits, but after they demolished the grass run in about 2 wks (then we...
I have some daylillies to transplant and am thinking of putting them in a corner of the yard that's created by the yard fence and the chicken run fence. The hens could reach through and get to them easy enough, so I wonder if this is a good idea. Is there a page about plants/chickens that...