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How much vinegar in the water and for how long? What about feeding them yogurt? Is that a good idea even if I start them on meds tomorrow?

I picked up 10 new chicks at a poultry swap yesterday to start up a new flock.... 5 seven-week old partridge rocks and 5 slightly younger blue-laced red wyandottes (seller was not sure of birth date, but they look to be around 5 weeks old). The chicks appeared healthy and active yesterday and...

Three little chicks peeking out from under my broodie Australorp today. She's been sitting on 11 eggs, so hope to wake up to lots more tomorrow.

I got home around 6 today and spotted two little faces peeping out from under my broodie hen. So we may have been dancing around at the same time! Spotted three before it went dark. It was Day 19 for my hen, so two days early. I suspect it's the hot weather, but who knows. My Little Mama...

A few weeks back I wrote in to ask for advice about my broodie hen. She was having some trouble settling in and left her eggs for 4 hours the first morning and another hour or more in the afternoon. Then she appeared in the pen holding a broken egg in her beak. I wondered whether this batch...

I have 5 hens and a rooster and 14 seven-week old chicks. When the chicks were 2 weeks I put them in a brooder pen outside so that my 5 free-ranging hens and my rooster could get used to them. At 4 weeks I moved them into the main pen and coop and it worked out fine. The chicks stick together...

Can always count on folks in the forum to answer any questions. Thanks!

I was given a rooster in the spring. He was a year old and had been living with 40 other roosters til then. Poor thing did not have a single tail feather of any description but a big bare bum. And a little bald patch behind his comb that looks a lot like one of my hens has right now... My...

I've got some 7-week old Australorp chicks... looks like 8 little cockerals and 6 pullets. They free-range during the day, but run around separately from the older hens and rooster, doing their own thing. At night they all return to a single pen and coop. At what age will the rooster become...

I ordered a digital thermometer from Brinsea, as well as one of their standard spirit ones. I know I should also get a calibrating thermometer, but it will have to be a Christmas present since I've spent a small fortune on my "new hobby" already this year. The real irony is that I decided to...

I'm feeling quite positive about things at the moment. After that first day (Saturday), she went into full broody mode. I have only seen her leave the nest once since then, though that doesn't mean she hasn't left when I was away from home for an hour here or there. When I saw her leave...

When my chicks hatched I kept them inside for two weeks, then moved then outside into a brooder (with heat lamp of course) for two weeks so my 5 hens and rooster could get used to having them around. THey are free-ranging. At 4 weeks I moved the 14 chicks that I kept for myself into the main...

She has not left her eggs since the roaming behavior on the first day and so I'm going to let her continue and then try candling in a few days to see is I can spot any signs of life. In the meantime, I will collect another set of eggs "just in case." Thanks all for the benefit of your experience!

I think I may buy two new thermometers so that I have some indication when one is malfunctioning. Of course, I would have no way of knowing which one... so maybe I need a third as a back up!

Thanks for the advice. It will take me a couple of days to collect new eggs to put under her and in the meantime I will keep an eye on her to make sure she has now switched into full broody mode.

I had the same problem a few days ago. I created a new private space for the broody hen and moved her in. The other hens wanted to join her in there, too. The problem went away when I put golf ball in the regular nest boxes. Now the other hens are leaving the broody hen alone. Good luck with...

Not a great day. First I think I have to throw out the eggs under my broody hen because she left the unattended for 4 hours (different post) and start again. Then tonight I candled the 26 eggs in my incubator and realized that I was kidding myself that there was something alive in there. I...

I posted this message in the Chicken Behavior and Egglaying Section, but I think I am more likely to get a response here. One of my year-old Australorps started to show broody behavior a few days ago. It's the first time for her... and for me. I set up a little "maternity suite" inside the...

One of my year-old Australorps started to show broody behavior a few days ago. It's the first time for her... and for me. I set up a little "maternity suite" inside the coop and put 5 golf balls in there to lure her in. She moved in and I started collecting eggs from my other hens to put in...

Humidity is important but you can also drive yourself nuts worrying about it and making constant adjustments. I just hatched my first batch of eggs and am very pleased... got 29 chicks from 34 eggs. I don't have any way of checking humidity (no hygrometer) and so I played it by ear. Stuff I...