I joined BYC five years ago when i was brooding chickens, ducks and geese. Any questions I had, I could find an answer here. I followed the site daily for about a year, then for reasons I can't pinpoint, I hadn't been on in a few years. I signed back on last week with the thought that after 5...
I apologize in advance, I don't know much about the birds, but my sister in law asked me why all her hens stopped laying. I suggested it may be mites/lice and explained how to best check for them. A week later, she sent me this photo and I was blown away! Any thoughts on what might be going on...
Back story: my girls are on organic layer pellets and have always had access to both crushed eggshells and oyster shell.
Shortly after getting a rooster, I noticed many more soft shelled eggs.There were several times I had to pull broken soft shells from the hens' behind.I did tons of research...
Hi all,
It started with what looked like a scratch with feathers missing in a tiny line above her eye and around the back of the head. It is now a bald spot above her eye that is the same color and texture as the red skin around her eye and seems to be growing slowly. She is constantly shaking...
I have a hen who has survived a bobcat attack but had a large chunk of meat taken from her leg. I've been alternating between putting blukote, honey and and vetericyn on it. It's been three weeks and the meat part of it has scabbed up well but the bone at the knee is still protruding. I'm just...
I am considering adding 3 chicks to my flock. I would like to keep their brooder in the coop with my 1 year old hens just so the introduction isn't a surprise to anyone.
My thought is that keeping a brooder light in the coop would keep the other hens too warm as it is in the 40s at night here...
So I saw a bunch of things like this at the Halloween store and am wondering if anyone has ever tried it to deter predators. I am really considering one.
I just set up several motion detector lights and I have some Nite Guard lights on the way to set up a full perimeter. I thought an animatronic...
I have two Emdens I thought were a pair but today the one I was sure was the gander built a nest. I can't find much info on whether that is normal for the gander. He has also recently started doing the submissive squat that the other has been doing for a while. I don't really know that it is the...
Well I can neither cull or give away my males, so am looking for female ducks. I am partial to Khaki Campbell or Ancona but willing to take what I can get before breeding season is in full swing just to keep the peace around here.
Willing to drive an hour or so depending on how many and for how...
I have one Embden Gander and 2 Swedish Blue drakes that need a new home(s). All are 7 months old. I just can't deal with all the boys-being-boys stuff and know I will lose my mind come mating season. I've already had my smallest duck hurt pretty bad by being mated by the gander.
I have an eggbound hen with what feels like 3 eggs in there sideways. I am willing to do the bath and calcium, etc but am worried this will kill her no matter what. Cull or try treatment? I guess I'll just start treatment while i await opinions...
About a week ago, I found an egg with a little bit of blood on the outside. I knew by the color of the egg which hen it was and checked her vent the next day while she was nesting. I couldn't find anything out of the ordinary but ever since then her eggs have been on the floor. I thought maybe...
I'm so excited to see my ducks FINALLY getting in the pond!
The chickens have been hanging around our ponds all week as the water level has got very low. They scratch and peck all day and come to roost at night with muddy feet.
Meanwhile, the ducks and geese have just cautiously watched a ways...
Alpha and Bravo want to be indoor geese and Bear wants to be an outdoor cat so they argue at the window.
These critters make me smile every day. 10 chickens, 6 ducks, 4 cats, 2 geese and one dog equals lots of smiles.
What crazy antics do you see regularly at your house?
My 10 eggs a day suddenly dropped to 5 the past 2 days so I followed some hens around today. Found a clutch of 11 under a trailer in the field. Add to that my darlings that actually stick to the coop, I got 17 today!!:yesss:
I kind of enjoy the hunt for the hidden nest.
I was super excited to get 10 eggs yesterday! The bad news, three were egg bombs, 2 of those bombs 3 were softshell. I loved the idea in a recent post of putting an umbrella under the night layer, but now I have 3... And I don't have any umbrellas😋. I know it will only last a short time as my...
Hi all, I have 10 chickens, 6 ducks and 2 geese who are fed Nutrena All-Flock. I wash, dry, and crush the eggshells and give back to them for their calcium. However, no matter what I have tried to put the shells in, it gets knocked over and scattered about because they weigh so little. I have...
My 10 chickens have been enjoying their 8x10 coop for a couple months while the ducks and geese had their brooder in the garage. All are free range. After several days of trying (and not succeeding) to get the waterfowl into the coop, my husband suggested that since they like to take a dip in...
My crazy farm consists of 10 RIR that hang out on the front porch, 2 Embden geese, 3 khaki campbell ducks and 3 swedish blue ducks that hang out on the back patio, 4 cats, 1 dog, 2 kids, and my husband in the house and my dad in his own house.
I've been following backyard chickens for a few...