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Hi, I've kept chickens for about 8 years and the best investment I ever made was getting an automatic door opener and closer. I use a ChickenGuard on both my main coops. You can either get them where they are set to open and close on a timer, or where it gives you the option of a timer with a...

Hi, I think you are probably right. I've popped in & out all day & no other obvious injuries & haven't spotted any further fighting. The injuries were all on the head on one side but alot of blood. I'm probably just overly protective as I had a bad situation about 4 years ago 5 new hens pinned...

Hi All I've had chickens for about 7 years. I've got a quite mixed age flock of different types of hybrid layers in my garden, and have over the years integrated new chickens into the existing flock. Last September it was 4 Warrens and they successfully integrated within a few months. Each...

I did think of ducks for some time but then we got more chickens & hubby put alot of effort into fencing off a large part of the top of the garden for my chicken paradise so left it. As he said to me accusingly, "What you really want is to buy a farm! Not happening!" He knows me well!

Do your ducks need a pond??

Well it's mixed ages, the oldest two, the flock matriarchs- Madame Cluck Cluck (Bluebelle) & Gertrude Peckins (Black/Pied Sussex) do not lay anymore. They are 5-6 years old & have outlasted all the others!! But we get between 6-9 eggs a day from the others. I have regular customers, although I...

I expect you will be better at this than I, but at our house wing clipping 2 person job. I get my son to catch & hold while I wield the scissors!

Quite mixed aged range flock of hybrids. 2 x Bluebelles, 4 x Warrens, 1 Light Sussex, 1 Lilac Slash Sussex, 2 x Black/Pied Sussex, 1 Speckledy, 1 Nera & 4 (new to me) white leghorns. Just allowing 1st supervised visit of Ginger Rogers & Madame Cluck Cluck to the Leghorns atm! How about you...

Thanks that's really kind of you GGBEAR & DancingWithDucks!

I would be worried if I only had a 4 foot fence. That sort of thing is fine if you've got a really large heavy breed of bird like a Jersey Giant etc, but most hybrids or pure breeds are alot smaller and lighter. Nb chickens are jungle fowl which roost in trees in the wild!! They may not be very...

Could you isolate her from the others for a day or two?? Then when she goes backing she may well be lower in the pecking order.

Also if you are doing concrete it would be kinder if not all concrete. Hens need to dig, but areas that won't get muddy or get covered with debris for waterers & feeders would be a big bonus. We use hardwood chip to help with mud issues.

I've not made my coop. I'm in UK & we got a Granary from Flyte so Fancy. One of the good things about the Granary is that you get a tarpaulin for the floor. We added catches to keep Tarp in position. Then when cleaning you unhook and pull out & unload straight into compost bin. Hose and brush...

Yes as previous poster mentioned - greens. It could be some sort of deficiency or boredom. Maybe cabbages or treats that are hung up that they need to work for.

Hi, I'm in a village outside St Ives in Cambridgeshire.

Can't you rig up a rat proof feeder?? We use Grandpa feeders for our hens which are vermin proof. Also you need to put in a bait box somewhere the rat goes regularly. Ducks won't be able to get at it in a bait box.

Well any places on the submissive hen that are red, bloody or bare (or places they target), I would spray with anti pecking spray or prefably use Stockholm Tar. They particularly won't like the taste of the tar (plus it acts as anticepitic on any injuries. She might be going through moult and...

We don't have a killing cone. I wrap the hen (no roosters) tightly up in a towel. We have a device on the wall (can't nb name), sort of like scissors but isn't. It has a gap for head and neck and you just bring it down. It doesn't cut off head, it breaks neck. Quick & humane although obviously...

When did you start introducing them? It can take quite a while. I definitely would not just put them in together at night. There will be massive fights next morning and new Girls might get injured badly. I've done this a number of times over the years and tried different ways. I've got mixed...

If I hear anything will let you know! Regards Madame Cluck Cluck (My feathery namesake and the rest of the Cluckers are pretty fed up atm - lots of out of season snow, cold and wet! Are we ever going to get Spring?!?!?! )