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  1. valerie in CB

    Severe Calcium deficiency?

    Hi, I have a serious soft egg problem, 5 hens at least 3 are laying soft eggs. How do I administer the calcium you recommend? I have to admit that I had a rough summer and there were times when they didn't have any broken baked shells to eat, which they don't love either. I crush them and try...
  2. valerie in CB

    Broken Feathers, Mites? Pictures.

    just ordered some pinless peepers.
  3. valerie in CB

    Broken Feathers, Mites? Pictures.

    then it has to be one of 2 hens, and this one of them. That was easy to figure out. We had 6 hens last spring. Over the summer we lost all but 2, this black hen a red hen. Is it common for a hen to peck at just on bird for a long time then start on another? None of the other hens had this...
  4. valerie in CB

    Broken Feathers, Mites? Pictures.

    I feel badly that I have waited this long to figure out what is going on with my hen :( I have looked around trying to find information on and off, about what might be wrong with here. About 3 years ago one I noticed that a few of the feathers starting breaking off on the spot on her back were...
  5. valerie in CB

    swollen bottom w/ pic

    Excellent! I think this thread describe my situation exactly. I have one hen with a naked red booty! She seems healthy, alert, active, hungry. None of the other chickens have this (but I will go check closely) - I do see one hen occassionally sneaking a peck at this hens behind - and I do think...
  6. valerie in CB

    Hens has a bright red booty!

    Under the vent, on her butt, the skin is very red. It is feels rather hard, or tough, to the touch. The feathers sparse and the onese there look bad, ratty, short, broken off. I will get a photo and post later. I have noticed this on her for awhile, but have not looked too closely. I have been...
  7. valerie in CB

    Using pipe heating tape in winter coop? Your thoughts?

    My 5 hens are all cuddle together on the top shelf of the coop. I was curious about attaching heat tape to the underside of this roosting shelf. What are your thoughts about using the heat tape with a thermostat that turns on at 38 degrees and off at 43. I would need to attach some metal...
  8. valerie in CB

    MYTH BUSTER! Tiny hawk kills full grown chicken inside the coop in middle of the day!!

    DOW representative informed me I have to deal with year round predation from the air, it might ebb and flow but its always there. You nailed it.
  9. valerie in CB

    MYTH BUSTER! Tiny hawk kills full grown chicken inside the coop in middle of the day!!

    Wow!! Lucky birds, Im going to have to reduce our chickens yard to a small area that I can easily enclose. Darn I love the idea of free ranging chickens but with the threat from bears, foxes, irmine (weasel critters), and coyotes (no skunks or racoons though!!) Im skeptical. Did I mention deep...
  10. valerie in CB

    MYTH BUSTER! Tiny hawk kills full grown chicken inside the coop in middle of the day!!

    Indeed you have nailed it! too bad we are not allowed to own a rooster here in town limits :( No more free ranging hens? The two australops tried to attack it when we chased it out of the coop. He got caught up in the netting we have up to discourage the hens from getting flighty, and he fell...
  11. valerie in CB

    MYTH BUSTER! Tiny hawk kills full grown chicken inside the coop in middle of the day!!

    Great information. Thank you. I am going to check with the DOW here and find out more about our hawk threats here. So far today I have reduced the size of the run and have begun stringing bird netting. It is rainy and the hens don't want to come out. they are hiding on the floor under the...
  12. valerie in CB

    MYTH BUSTER! Tiny hawk kills full grown chicken inside the coop in middle of the day!!

    So much for the blabber that once your hens are full grown predation from hawks is not an issue any longer. How sad to have been misled by inaccurate information. I am not prepared for day time predation from the sky since my girls are fully grown adult laying hens. The hawk is about 2/3 or even...
  13. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    The tiny hawk is sitting in front of the coop this morning, in the rain. He looks pathetic and so small. he has been loitering around ever since he made the kill.
  14. valerie in CB

    Comment by 'valerie in CB' in article 'Orpingtons Chicken Breed Page'

    I am not 100% sure, but I think I have 1 buff orpington in my flock. I have 5 hens, all adult laying hens. I adopted them recently and am trying to figure out what breeds they are. This is challenging. What else looks like a BO but has a dominant personality, cause this one is clearly top of the...
  15. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    The hawk was 2/3 the size of the chicken. ***?? All these hens are all full grown - even the youngest is full sized now. I thought they would be fine also, as that is what I had read too! I was prepared for night time predation, but not day time from the air. Im bummed. She had a small...
  16. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    make that 5 chickens, we lost our first to predation today - a hawk :( - my favorite one too :( :( Thanks for the suggestion about the light. Looks like our girls will no longer be free ranging.
  17. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    Oh, one more thing. I would like to get back to egg production after molting. Do I just watch to make sure they are all fully feathered before I add back light to equal 14 hours each day?
  18. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    Thanks for the suggestion, I think I had better let them molt and buy eggs while I can still get nice ones at the farmers market. I didn't realize the new feathers would be warmer, that sure makes a lot of sense!
  19. valerie in CB

    molting - to add light or not to add light in the fall

    I am a newbie who inherited 6 birds about 2 months ago. They are from a large flock of free ranging hens that was being adopted out. They are varying ages, from 6 months to 3 yrs (??unknon) various breeds, all laying eggs except for the youngest one. I was told if I add light to ensure egg...
  20. valerie in CB

    Comment by 'valerie in CB' in article 'Permanent Hoop Coop Guide'

    sick
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