Don't understand it, my two sets of chickens (9 total) have not laid for over two months. Both sets have different birth dates over six months apart. They are cooped together and get along, they do have a pecking order. None of my birds are older than 4 years. Feeding them 16% layer food...
They say, don't count your chickens before they are hatched, well I started with seven little chicks almost seven weeks ago and within the past three nights I'm down to three! The first to go missing was the Buff Orpington (Buffy 2 - lost Buffy 1 to a fox a year and a half ago) ), found...
I am looking for designes for a portable chicken tractor made from PVC and chicken wire. This run would be used during the day to allow my girls to free range under protection from air (hawks) and land preditors (coons, skunks, foxes, etc). Needs to be light enough to move around so the...
Now that winter has reared her ugly side, my chickens have decided to protest by not laying eggs. I realize that due to the lost sunlight their egg production does decrease. The question I have is, should I use artificial light to bring my chickens back to producing eggs as they used to or...
My Silver Cuckoo Maran named Sparkles has been limping for the past week. I could not see any cuts or scratches on her feet. I also do not believe that she has bumblefoot; unless she obtained it from jumping off to high of a roost. I have just lowered all my roost to approximately 18 " off...
I know for the most part that chickens can handle cold rather well especially if they are a cold wheather breed (mine are). The question I have, once the temperature gets into the teens and lower, should I use an electric oil heater to take the edge off? I also know that I do not want them to...
Well today at 3:30 in the afternoon right in front of my porch, I lost my first girl to a red fox. Buffy my Buff Orpington was only 37 weeks old. She was one of my favorites who loved to be picked up and held. I raised her from a day old chick. In fact she was my first hen to lay and she...
I have heard that chicken scratch is great for an added winter treat because it helps the chicken by adding to their normal production of body heat which makes sence to me. The problem I have is my hens don't seem to care for scratch at all. I purchase it from a local feed store because I...
I have a couple of simple questions about chicken behavior. Now that it is getting colder outside I want to make sure my hens are going to stay as warm as possible without any added heat from outside sources. Their coop is draft free except for the windows I leave slightly open for...
Went on vacation and my neighbor and his wife chicken sat my girls. They did an excellant job except for one thing; they combined my Purina Start & Grow with my Purina Layena. I know that the calcium is bad for newer chicks because of the damage it can cause to their kidneys. The question I...
Does anyone know of a web sight where I can purchase freezed dried meal worms for a good price? Presently I am buying from Mealworms Time (10 oz. Economy Re-fill Bags for Dried Mealworms) at a price of $48.99 for two bags. These economy bags last approximately six to eight weeks which breaks...
Same ole question about bringing together two different flocks. I have tried several different fixes and still have a problem with flock intergration. I have 5 laying hens at 30 weeks and 6 new chicks at 12 weeks. Since my chicks were six weeks old, they have been living in a separate smaller...
Hey, signing in from North West corner of Arkansas (NWA), more specifically Rogers. Anyone out there near by? Just started raising chickens last March and I now have five layers (pullets) at 28 weeks and 6 chicks at 10 Weeks. If you look at the bottom of my input, you can see that eack of my...
Now that fall has arrived, at what temperature should I start the heat lamp in the chicken coop? I know chickens are hardy and not to worry about them until the 30 degree temps set in. Also, should I use the standard red heat lamp that I used for the brooder or should I change to a white light...
Do chickens recognize each other by smell? I have two sets of chickens. The first set of five pullets are 23 weeks old. The second set of six chicks are 5 weeks old. All eleven chicken are different breeds. In order to intergrate both sets of chickens into one flock, I have placed a small...
To quote MPC "Hey, chicken addicts! Did you outgrow that eenie-weenie coop you started with last year?" Yes that was me, I purchased a Saltbox chicken coop last year for my first group of mixed breed chickens (5). And now with chicken mathmatics, I had to move up in size to the 12 to 15...
I've got a question. Next Monday (8-16-10) my new set of chicks will turn three weeks old and I was wondering if I could parole them from their brooder and take them out side for fresh air and natural sunlight? My wife says that they are still to young but I believe that since the weather has...
Can someone tell me if I set up a childrens wadding pool if my chickens would use it to cool down. The recent temperature has been in the high 90's and even 100 degrees. I have plenty of shade, fan blowing, fresh water plus supplements (electrolytes and vitamines). And still they are panting...