I finally was able to incubate a small bunch of Olive Eggers a month ago. And I have had the worst luck. I have one second generation and two first generation that are giving me a huge headache concerning gender.
The second gen chick is Cream Legbar/ BCM cross hen with a BCM roo. The first gens...
Yesterday my broody Wellsummer successfully hatched her first clutch of 11 out of 12 Icelandic eggs. (I have no rooster and bought her some eggs) Because of the way my coop is elevated, I thought better to bring her into a dog kennel in my dry basement for the last 5 days of sitting. She barely...
My Bielefelder has been inside for a week now. She sounded like an accordion when I picked her up 7 days ago and brought her inside. The others were also picking on her. I treated her with VetRx twice a day and fed egg and cooked oatmeal which is the only thing she will eat. She wont eat her...
My 55 Flowery Hen has had bumblefoot in her left foot off and on since May. Back in late August, I found a tiny scab on her foot about 1/16 of an inch, softened it and removed it and popped out small kernel the size of a sunflower seed. That left a tiny hole. There was no more stuff coming out...
This morning at the local garden and feed store a young Guinea hen met me at the car. Actually, she was pecking my door. She's super friendly and chatty. The clerk there tells me she is an escapee from a poultry swap who has taken up residence in the last few weeks. There were three, but the...
This is my second flock integration and I'm doing it much differently. Last time, it was four added to six and I kept them separate till they were nearly 18 weeks. Used a tractor by day for two weeks and then a crate in the coop at night for 4 days. I just didn't have the energy this time...
I have a year old broody Wellsummer, no rooster, and I wonder when she will stop. She comes out every morning and eats, drinks, etc. I remove her from the nest four times a day, take all the eggs, two or three times. She just sits on air. She's not mean to me. Let's me pet her and take her out...
My two week old Icelandics have only been with me for a week, but they are already isolating themselves from the rest of the chicks on top of the brooder. By what I have read about the breed their independence is showing early? They fly around like sparrows!!! I have a mixed flock and wonder if...
Two of my new babies are Salmon Faverolles and they are 5 days old. Both have black on their heads and backs. All of the SF chicks from the breeder' had these marks. I have been reading about black being prominent on males. Is this true? She couldn't have had 25 males in the bin. Should I be...
I have a 10 mo. old Bielefelder who did not start to lay until 32 weeks. They say that this breed is supposed to lay up to 70g large brown eggs. She has yet to lay anything past 50g. They are the smallest of all my chickens except my Spitzhauben.
My Barred Rocks lay larger eggs...heck my tiny...
Maybe I am overthinking it, but Im in a struggle over feeding my nine girls. I used to feed them a non GMO whole grain feed from Homestead Harvest. They loved it and did really well through the winter on it. But its expensive and it must be shipped to me. Its nearly 50$ for 40 lbs and doesn't...
Only one of my hens is having digestive issues it seems. The food comes out undigested. I've included a pic of hers next to the others. They are on free choice pasture and organic grains all day. Their run is river sand so they do have choice for grit. I suspect one of my Easter eggers. Both...
I'm a 10 mo. backyard chicken mom. Nine girls. Six at 10mo, 3 at 6mo. In November, I lost my favorite Cream Legbar at 20 weeks to visceral Marek's (confirmed by necropsy). All of my flock came from local breeders so they were unvaccinated. The State Vet and I chatted at length when Iris was...
My 6 mo old Bielefelder pullet started limping on her right foot yesterday afternoon. I looked at her foot this morning and couldn't see any redness, swelling, or a telltale scab. I brought her in anyway and soaked her feet in Epsom salts and hot water and cleaned them well. Wiped them with a...
I have a 4.5 month old Cream Legbar. Two days ago I found her limp in one of the nesting boxes. She had eaten only an hour before normally. I brought her inside and she was really lethargic. Gave some electrolyte/ vitamin water. By that evening, she had perked up and ate some raw egg and more...
New chicken mom here. The Covid crisis led me to cope with falling headlong into learning about chickens. I had wanted them for many years. Being stuck alone at home meant it was finally time.
I have 10 girls: Barred Rock (2) , Easter Eggers (2), Welsummer (2) (now at 7 months old) Cream...