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  1. BillM2

    Automatic Door Closer

    I bought an automatic door closer and it’s erratic opening and closing using the timer mode. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Anyone got one of these? I’m a bit unclear also about the light sensitivity icons on the display; quarter moon, sun, etc. My coop is mostly in the shade. Would that...
  2. BillM2

    Strange lump on foot

    Found a softish lump on the foot of our old hen, Gwen the Hen, a County Fair Blue Ribbon winner. She’s about eight years old and sweet as can be. Any idea what it is and what to do about it? Thanks very much in advance!
  3. BillM2

    Rat Poison

    We have rats invading our coop. Bold ones too taking food in broad daylight from the feeder. We’ve tried snap traps with partial success. What rat poison is recommended? We’ll likely use a bait station that we’ll pick up in the mornings so the hens can’t get to them.
  4. BillM2

    Found Hen

    We found another stray hen today, the second in six months, down the street from us. There are no other nearby families with chickens so I suspect people are beginning to drop them off when they can no longer care for them. But my concern is with health. The one found today looks pretty healthy...
  5. BillM2

    High Heat and Eggs

    It's been above 90 degrees these last few days and wondering what impact that temperature will have on the eggs laid during that period. I typically place them after laid in a wire basket in a corner of the coop. Some have been out there for several days. It's shady but the temps have been in...
  6. BillM2

    Belgium d'Uccle breeding

    We have a roo and hen Belgium d'Uccles who are about ten months old. How will I know that my hen is ready to lay fertile eggs and when does this typically happen. It's early March and the weather in upstate NY is beginning to warm up. What should I be looking for? She now lays a few eggs per...
  7. BillM2

    Bantam Hen and Rooster

    We've never have mated a pair previously and have a pair of 7+ month old Belgium d'Uccles who are inseparable. The hen has been laying on a regular basis for about three months now and apparently hasn't for a couple of weeks. Is this a sign of a fertile hen or might the lack of egg laying be...
  8. BillM2

    Listless Hen

    I have a near three year old Golden Wyandotte hen who is not behaving herself lately. She seems like she doesn't have any energy and today she's all puffed up trying to stay warm, though it's 40 degrees out. I found her standing in a cold, snow melt runoff stream and picked her up and she weighs...
  9. BillM2

    Bantam Roo with Standard Hens

    OK, the answer may be obvious, but we have two four month old bantam Bearded d' Uccles, a roo and a hen. We'd like to breed the two bantams but should I keep the roo away from our other standard sized hens who are 2+ years old or so? When would the two bantams breed? Any suggestions? We've never...
  10. BillM2

    Therapy Chickens!

    Something for your chickens to become part of> https://equalarts.org.uk/our-work/henpower/
  11. BillM2

    Bantam Feeding -- When to Make the Switch and other questions

    We have five Mille Fleur bantam chicks now six weeks old, four boys and one lady, as far as I can tell! We've got them on a starter feed (not medicated for the last two weeks) and wondering when to switch to crumble? Any suggestions? Also, should they be getting grit? They have full grown...
  12. BillM2

    Black Silkie Bantams

    Looking for show quality Black Silkie Bantams chicks in the Hudson Valley area. Would like, if possible, girls. Thanks!
  13. BillM2

    A petition worth a signature

    Here's a petition worth a look and a signature: https://www.change.org/p/aramark-stop-purchasing-eggs-from-battery-cage-farms?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=255916&alert_id=IQYbcnLTPu_NyvxX83vpH%2BbPvSy8z1x387q4B6lP1lXjfdnMfI6WS%2Fqi726lYwrn6e5g81nC9er
  14. BillM2

    Water Heater and Plastic Founts

    I have a Farm Innovations heated base for founts, presumably only for metal ones. Since I add ACV to my water, I'd like to use the heater with my plastic fount purchased from TSC. I measured the temp of the heater base and it reads 66 degrees or so using an IR spot thermometer. That doesn't seem...
  15. BillM2

    To Worm or Not

    We have six chickens, three different breeds who are about 18 months old. All are in very good health, eat a high quality feed, and free range on our property 4 - 6 hours per day. I use DE in the coop and in their dust bath and ACV (with mother) in their water which I change every other day...
  16. BillM2

    Keeping Eggs in a Sunny Spot

    Now with summer coming upon us, my usual spot in the kitchen for storing eggs is now a very sunny spot. Is keeping my eggs there OK or should I rearrange my counter to put them in a shady area? Thoughts?
  17. BillM2

    Introducing New Chicks to Flock and Coop

    I have four, 4 week old chicks I first want to move into a partitioned section of my coop. I already have 6 hens who are in very good health who are just over a year old. Should I disinfect the partitioned area (previously occupied by two pet dwarf bunnies)? We've had no diseases and the chicks...
  18. BillM2

    Six hens; 24 hours; 10 eggs?

    I cleaned out my coop yesterday and locked up the birds around 8pm last night. It rained all day today so didn't make it out to the coop till close to 7pm. I found 10 eggs in their laying spot. With six hens, is this possible? It obviously is but I've been getting 5 or 6 most days. The temp has...
  19. BillM2

    Drying Out Run?

    We had a couple of inches of rain on top of a couple of inches of snow on frozen solid ground. Run off has made a wet, muddy mess of our run. The coop floor is dry after I removed the bottom layer of moist pine shavings. I'd like to dry out the muddy run but wondering what to use? More sand on...
  20. BillM2

    Keeping Water Warm

    I'd like to continue using my plastic watering fount since I add ACV to their water. I'm thinking that if I place the waterer on top of an electric heated dog bowl filled with water, that would heat my 3 gallon fount. Anyone try this before?
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