Hi everyone! I need some advice. This past weekend one of the two remaining members of my OG flock passed away very suddenly, and I am now left with one 11 y/o hen, Crabby, who has lost vision in one of her eyes due to glaucoma.
I lost two other girls to old age this year, and when there were...
Hello!
So my old lady Easter Egger (she turns 8 this spring) has laid two eggs so far this week (in the dead cold of the so-called polar vortex no less). Should I be worried? I have read that laying at an older age can cause health issues for hens. I keep trying to tell her she’s retired but...
Anyone have experience dealing with gray foxes?
I heard a pair barking to each other in my yard last night and saw one slinking along our stone wall when I went out to investigate.
My coop is predator-proof, but my run is only mostly predator-proof. It’s chain-link fence with a chicken wire...
Hey everyone, just out of curiousity I was wondering if pigeons liked roosting together or if they prefer to sleep alone?
I raise chickens (I’ve always loved pigeons though) and they usually sleep snuggled together at night. But it seems that in most pigeon lofts the perches are designed for...
Hello all, I’m having trouble diagnosing my old lady hen Julia, who’s having an issue with her vent. She’s an eight year old Rhode Island Red. She has been on the skinnier side since the beginning of the summer but behaves normally in every sense. She doesn’t lay much anymore and hasn’t laid in...
This afternoon I noticed one of my EEs (about three years old) had all kinds of stuff caked in her beard, then I noticed her face was covered with blood and she had large amounts of foam in her eyes (see pic). She was perched on the roost, presumably to get away from the rest of the flock. This...
In my flock of 9 in Massachusetts winters I've never really experienced birds showing that they're cold, so to speak. I've been noticing lately though that they are shivering and huddling together in their outdoor run. The winter this year has been warm, normally we experience regular temps at...
My neighbors got these new dogs that occasionally get loose and cause trouble for our flock. We used to be able to free range our birds, but now they're confined to the run for most days.
I'm wondering if it would make sense to build a chicken tractor to keep them in for a few hours each day...
Hello all!
For my media writing class I'm writing a documentary about raising chickens and for the project I need to interview some people. But I don't know anyone to interview, so I thought you all could help me.
I'm going to list some questions below and if you could answer some or all...
My dad who eats eggs for breakfast every morning needs to lower his cholesterol, but he can't cut out eggs because they're the only thing in the morning he can eat that will keep him filled (and I tell ya he is not pleasant when he's hungry).
What are some things I should or shouldn't feed to...
This young Australorp of mine, about 11 months, is definitely closer to the bottom of the pecking order and since March has been steadily losing feathers on her head. I haven't noticed any bullying, but that doesn't mean its not happening.
Any ideas as to whats happening and how I can stop...
Hi all, I have two egg-laying problems.
The first one is that I think I have an egg-eater? Today was the second day in a row that I've found a brown egg with a hole in it like so:
Its only been one brown egg each time I've found eggs broken like this and with the contents spilled in...
I have an 8 x 8 chicken coop and 12 regular sized birds, with no run, and I was wondering if anyone else kept their birds inside all winter?
They don't much like the snow, so they'd probably stay in anyways, but I'm just curious if anyone does this for the winter?
They're all winter hardy...
Hi all,
I have this one Rhode Island who's something like two years old that is laying softshell eggs, or shell less eggs. The other birds currently laying are laying perfectly normal eggs. If provide crushed oyster shell, free choice as well. For a few weeks now this bird has been laying...
Have any of you ever had experience with some birds just shutting off production and then others continuing normal?
None of my brown egg layers (RIRs, BOs) have laid in weeks, yet my easter eggers continue to lay normally. At first I thought it was the heat, but its been cooler lately. Are...
Hi all I have a dominique (hatchery stock) pullet about 7 weeks old with this crooked toe. I had only just noticed it this week, but looking back in pictures of this particular batch, she seems to have had it for at least three weeks. It has not impacted her behavior at all, she walks, runs, and...
Hi all, for a few weeks now egg production has been down dramatically. Basically right now for layers I have two easter eggers, two Rhode Island reds and two buff orpingtons. All are in their third year are the same age. I know that egg production starts to decline in older birds like mine, but...
Hi all, on my run it seems to be that some mammal is chewing through to get to the chickens. Take a look at the pictures here. I just want to figure out what I'm up against so I can figure out how to take action and protect the flock. There's a pretty solid amount of vegetation around that side...
Hi all, I have my brooder set up in our garage pretty near to our dumpster. When I open the garage door for some fresh air tons of flies come in and do their thing. Some fly into the brooder too. At first it really freaked the chicks out, but they don't seem to mind as much any more.
But do...
Hi all, I'm looking for a dual purpose duck, and so far I'm really attracted to the Welsh Harlequin.. but so far I've only been able to find success stories in the laying department. Has anyone had success with using the drakes and extra hens for eating purposes?
This is my first time posting...