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  1. chickensforever

    How do I get my hens to like me :)

    The treats are pretty much what's going to do it. If you're throwing treats out to them, start to decrease the distance away from you so they gradually get used to being closer. Figure out what your chickens like the most and give them increasingly "valuable" treats as they get closer. For mine...
  2. chickensforever

    Not eating or drinking much...

    I think you're right, the decrease in food consumption is probably related to the increase in scratching around. There is also generally a higher water content in the plants and weeds that they're probably eating which might contribute to the decrease in water consumption. They also don't drink...
  3. chickensforever

    8 year old Black Ostralorp with arthritis?

    I don't know about the vitamins, but you could put a heatlamp in the coop. Arthritis definitely affects chickens (and any other animal with joints). We have several older hens (also about 8) and they seem to like the heat lamp, even during the summer months. Unless you live somewhere really hot...
  4. chickensforever

    Eggs being squirreled away in hidden nest

    I wouldn't eat or feed anybody else eggs that had been out so long. Any liquids could have gotten through the shell, and eggs that hadn't been refrigerated in so long might not be safe. To keep her from doing it: can you close her in the coop a little longer before you let her out in the...
  5. chickensforever

    ready to lay?

    My chickens started laying around 20 weeks old, so you probably have some time.
  6. chickensforever

    Chicken entertainment?

    Thanks for the ideas.
  7. chickensforever

    Chicken entertainment?

    I'm looking for ways to "enrich" my chickens' lives with things I can do to help entertain them in their pen. So far I thought of hanging treats (apples, lettuce, etc) from a guinea pig / rabbit "kabob" treat holder, and leaving a hose trickling into the pen b/c they love running water. Does...
  8. chickensforever

    Rolled Oats?

    That seems pretty young to give treats. I was told to start with hard boiled egg yolks and gradually move on from there. Chickens love rolled oats, but I'd wait a little just to be safe - but I always worry about stuff so they might be just fine.
  9. chickensforever

    Moulting???

    Yep, they molt twice a year. I'm pretty sure it's the fall molt that is bigger, but it could be the other way around.
  10. chickensforever

    DE Poll - Do you use it? For how long have you used it?

    I wouldn't put any in the coop or yard. If chickens breathe it in, they get worse affects then people do, including permanently scratched throats and asthma. DE is basically a bunch of tiny, sharp skeletons and no respiratory system should have to deal with that! A friend of mine lines the...
  11. chickensforever

    Leaving for two days?

    If you normally close them in their coop at night, you probably should have somebody come over to continue that. If you don't, then it'd probably be a good idea anyway for someone to come, just to make sure nothing looks wrong.
  12. chickensforever

    4wk BR "brooding" 2-3 day old chicks

    Oh they're so cute!! About the possible rooster, I think it's too soon to tell. I had the same problem a few years ago when I got my first chicks and one just turned out to have a bigger comb.
  13. chickensforever

    Using peepers

    This might seem like a stupid question, but what's peepers? About Easter though, I'd probably not bring the chicks. They'll get stressed in transport and could get hurt. If you really want to try, make sure you are always watching the chicks when the kids are around because even if the kids...
  14. chickensforever

    Bread for layers?

    Mine go crazy for bread, but it should only be fed as a treat because it's not really that good for them.
  15. chickensforever

    What ingredient(s) raises the protein % in Chicken Feed?

    Soy products often have lots of protein, some are over 40% protein. There have been some recent concerns with too much soy though, so you might want to be a little careful (but I don't really know how to avoid soybeans - they're in everything!)
  16. chickensforever

    Pecking!!!

    There's a couple things you could try: -provide some stimulation like throwing some treats out midday or letting the hose trickle into their pen (mine go crazy for gentle running water), but I guess that's assuming it won't freeze of course -let the hen have a chance to run away by creating...
  17. chickensforever

    girls have stopped laying

    Do you think they could be going into molt? They stop laying for up to three weeks while they lose and regrow their feathers. It's weird that they all stopped at the same time though, normally they're staggered a little more.
  18. chickensforever

    Is too much protein bad for adult Chickens ?

    I don't think it's a good idea to feed more protein just because you can. I can't remember the details, but my animal feeding professor told us that protein-calorie ratios are very, very important. If you up the protein, you would therefore have to up the calorie intake (which wouldn't work...
  19. chickensforever

    Not eating

    Yeah, goats and chickens have different nutritional requirements. Maybe if your chickens like cracked/crushed corn over whole corn, they'd prefer layer crumble instead of layer pellets?
  20. chickensforever

    What happens if...

    A little layer crumble won't kill them or anything, but they will get a bunch of nutrition deficiencies including phosphorous, lysine, copper, iodine, niacin, B12, etc so make sure they get grower feed!
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