At 12 weeks suddenly two of our turkey poults have developed turned/splayed legs. Has anyone had any success splinting at this age? And what kind of splint do you use?
Several of the acid reflux medication (e.g. Zantac) are also powerful antihistamines that are known as H2 blockers or inhibitors- so it may be that your pharmacist is wrong and the doctor was right. If this is an allergy and I were experiencing the symptoms you describe I would certainly try...
Two year old chickens make wonderful soup. But you may be able to get her to stop- free ranging will help her not start again once you have derailed her from the habit. You can put oyster shell in a separate feeder so they can select more than is mixed in the food in case that is what she is...
If they have plenty of space and 6-8 hens per roo, you should be fine (although they will still spar for space). If you have too little space or too few hens, the fights will be more serious and possibly dangerous. I have read that if you have only roosters and no hens, the roosters will fight...
I have only had that with eggs that were too old- if the birds themselves are sick that can cause eggs to go off as well... on the other hands, when I take certain medications smells and tastes can be enhanced/changed etc. so that could be another reason the eggs smell strange to him. Good luck!
Don't feel like this was your fault- many of us have lost birds this way. Predators are made to be predators. We are competing with them for a food source and sometimes we lose. It has been that way for thousands of years. If you have close neighbors shooting is not an option whether you get...
I have built a pen withing the coop with cinder blocks and baby safe chicken wire. My bigger hens march up and down on the wall inspecting the babies (what I call their prison guard routine) and then gradually I oen up the prison yard (for a few minues while I am doing feeding and watering at...
I lost 30 babies a few years ago to a rain and cool morning (60 degrees). My older chickens stay out in all weather but I keep the babies dry. The babies I lost had gotten into the habit of sleeping on top of the shelter I built for them and did not move inside for the rain, and the rain was a...
COmmercial hatcheris do ses chickens but not with 100% accuracy- and there they have professionals trained to do this who look at hundreds of chicks a day- most standards breed (non sex linked chicks) are vent sexed at the hatchery. I am not squeamish about much but vent sexing falls into my...
Dietomaceous Earth=DE- but be careful that you get one that is just DE- a lot of DE now has hormone lures in it to attract bugs to help kill e.g. ants under a house. But you don't want to cover your chickens in hormone lures. While you don't have to give your chickens a dust bath it is good to...
It is safe and will save you costs on feed. I do this all the time. The only exception I make is not giving them poke berries but that is just me being paranoid because the freer ranging birds certainly have access to poke berries and wither eat them and do fine or know to avoid them. Ditto of...
(sorry for multiple posts)- (and this one is a bit graphic) regarding loud and lethal- the .22 or .22 magnum are a little loud but nothing compared to my shotgun or bigger hunting rifles. I use ear protection when I am practicing with the .22 only out of habit really- but I have used it hunting...
I am concerned about the middle of the day attack/rabies possibility. Please be careful handling the fox/the chickens it killed.
There are predator lures and calls available to help you draw the fox to a place where you can shoot it safely (clear shot, away from house and road). I am happy to...