Hi. I've got a 3-year-old hen, breed unknown (was supposed to be a California White, but is not). She has always been in good health and my best layer, until the last couple of months she started laying sporadically, and occasionally soft-shelled eggs. I attributed it to a wintertime molt, and...
I hardboiled a dozen eggs (store-bought) 8 days ago, but didn't end up using them like I thought. They've been in their shells until today. Can I still pickle them, or are they too old?
They smell fine, but a few have yellow/green areas on the whites. I've never seen it before. It's not the...
Hi. I've got a small flock of 7 hens, ages from 10 months to 2 years old. Generally healthy, though one is just coming out of a molt.
I'm seeing quite a few poopy bums & poopy eggs lately, so I suspect worms. I haven't seen any actual worms though, so I'm not 100% sure. I haven't been spending...
Hi. My guinea fowl drive my husband crazy, so we've been phasing them out in favor of chickens. Our last two guinea hens lived peacefully with our seven chickens. They weren't overly friendly with each other, but just kept each kind to themselves and didn't bother each other either. Then the...
4yo guinea cock died after being alone for several weeks. The other birds were nearby, but he couldn't see them. He seemed healthy yesterday, and I found him dead under his roost today. His food was full and dry. He had plenty of water, although it had gotten a little dirty. I wonder if the...
My rooster (white leghorn, 9 months old, coincidentally named "Winter,") got some mild frostbite on his comb a few weeks ago. Then on Christmas Eve, we had a torrential rainstorm and gale-force winds. The temperature shot up to 60F before it plunged into the teens for a few days. I put Espree...
1) White Leghorn (I think). 8-9 months old. Weight seems normal.
2) This morning he was fine. He was running around with the others, and my daughter held him for a while, as usual. Now he's standing still as a statue. The hens are moving back and forth around the yard, but he's not joining...
I've seen people here recommend Mushers Secret for frostbite prevention. I haven't been able to find that nearby, and it won't be here for over a week if I order it. He's already got a few black tips, and I don't want to wait. Can I use Espree instead?
My rooster has a large comb that flops to the side. On the underside, I just found what looks like a yellow, crusty kind of sore. I don't know how long it's been there. Any ideas what it is, or how I can treat it?
Edit: On a side note, I'm also attaching a different picture of his comb. I've...
I've always used pine shavings in my coop, but I recently bought some straw because I thought it might be warmer this winter. Is it okay to mix them, or is it best to stick with one type of bedding?
Also, I currently have a lot of leaves to rake up. Can I put some of them into the coop and/or...
They're sisters, about 3 years old. Their eating, drinking, pooping, and other behavior all seem normal. They're walking a little gingerly, but keeping up with the flock fine. I'm not sure how long their feet have been swollen. I have other guinea fowl and chickens, all with normal legs. These...
My neighbor has four hens. She lets them out to range when she's spending time outside. When it's time to go in, she calls, "Chickens! Chickens!" and shakes the bag of mealworms, throwing a few small handfuls into the run. The chickens go right in and munch on mealworms while she closes the...
She's about 3 years old. A fairly good layer, low-drama guinea hen. I've never had an egg bound bird before, so I'm not 100% sure. She has a large bulge underneath, covered by feathers so I can't see it well. She's not moving with the flock, but sitting on the grass, and it looks like she's...
I've never had an egg bound bird before, so I'm not sure. She has a large bulge underneath, covered by feathers so I can't see it well. She's not moving with the flock, but sitting on the grass, and it looks like she's rocking back and forth a little. She's been doing this for a while now. It's...
I was raised in the suburbs. We had numerous pets in the house over the years, and they were much loved. My husband was raised on a small working ranch, and animal-keeping was strictly practical. Together now, we live in a semi-rural area, and we own a dog, chickens, and guinea fowl. We're on...
I've had guinea fowl for a few years now, but I don't intend to get more when the ones I currently have are gone. In the meantime, I still have 5 guineas: 2 cocks and 3 hens. I know it's not good to have such a small flock, and the males, Tips and Snapper, are doing very badly together. Tips is...
My two kids have been raising some chicks that we bought from TSC. One pullet has become very aggressive to my daughter this week. My daughter is 12 years old, and has always been very gentle and responsible with animals, so I don't think it's anything she did. The pullet is a California White...
We used to let our birds out to range, but lost too many to predators. So during the Covid shutdown, my husband used our kids' old jungle gym to make a moveable "play-pen" type structure. It's only for use in daytime, and only when we're home. He attached wheels and bar handles to move it, and...
Hi! I'm new to chicks, though I've raised guinea keets before.
3 weeks ago, I bought four pullets from TSC: 1 Leghorn, 1 California White, and 2 Amberlinks. All are doing well, but I suspect one of the bunch is a cockerel. It has a comb much larger and redder than the other three.
I'll attach...
We have 3 guinea hens and 2 guinea cocks. The cocks have become very aggressive lately, with each other and the hens. They pick on everyone, but mostly on the smallest of the hens, Kitty. She ranges by herself most of the time, and is scared to come home in the evening. Inside the run, she...