Mine eat very gently from my hand - I hardly feel it. Not like my other chicken breeds which want to drill a hole in my hand. They are truly the leaders of my flock. The other breeds are Easter Eggers, Golden Lace Wyandotte, and Brahmas. They have done great this winter with laying and being...
Mine have been standoffish from the start. But I don't interact with my chickens as much as some chicken owners seem to. They do eat from my hand gently and if I catch one, they quiet down and seem to enjoy being petted. I have two so I have at least one or two eggs every day, even this winter...
I was reading in other posts how water in the coop can increase the humidity. I understand this, but does it always increase it? An open waterer, dripping, leaking or large surface area might.
I have 7 chickens in a 10 x 8 ventilated coop with a backup waterer (5 gallon water bucket with two...
Everyone talks about how water in the coop will increase the humidity. But does it always increase it? An open waterer, dripping, leaking or large surface area might.
I have 7 chickens in a 10 x 8 ventilated coop with a backup waterer (5 gallon water bucket with two water cups). They don't...
Here in southwest Indiana we have sleet mixed with snow and a thin layer of ice on everything. I went outside to let the chickens out. After opening the pop door, the chickens stood in the doorway and contemplated the dramatic change in weather. After the first in line ice skated and slipped...
I was thinking of rigging a 5 gallon water jug to sit inverted in a heated dog water bowl for the chickens. This would be their outside waterer. Does anyone have experience with something like this? Would just having heat at the bottom keep the water in the jug from freezing? I live in southern...
I made this feeder too and it greatly reduced the spillage but it is not foul proof. Just use crumbles or pellets. If scratch or corn is mixed in with regular feed, the chickens can bill it onto the ground to pick out their favorite scratch/corn. I throw out scratch in the morning and corn at...
I could attach a small square of plexiglass to the mesh wire that is over the windows. There is a couple of inches between the window and the mesh wire. Air would come in around the edges of the plexiglass but block direct wind from blowing on the chickens.
I live in southwestern Indiana, which can experience all types of winter weather. I need to know if my coop set up needs improving.
My shed is 8' x 10' with half for chickens. It is insulated in the walls only.I can run electric out to the coop, so I am as worried about heating or keeping the...
Removed fence from around raised garden bed to allow chickens to eat the leftovers. Also added composted soil so they could "till" into the garden for me.
I was sold Araucanas by Rural King but they were actually Easter Eggers.
Araucanas are rumpless and they so not have tail feathers that upsweep like other breeds.
Ameraucanas are either a lighter/darker shade of the same color or a few are two different colors .
Ameraucanas do not have...
I think two of my hens are Ameraucanas. Do they need private, really dark places to lay compared to other breeds?
Both of them laid in the nest boxes along with my brown egg layers and then both suddenly stopped. I have looked everywhere for eggs where they free range in a fenced in yard. A...
I have two pullets I purchased from Rural King this spring they sold as "Araucana". But after maturing, they definitely have a tail. Does anyone else have this breed? Is it an Ameraucana?
Does anyone have close up pictures of chicken runs made from reclaimed/recycled lumber? A really old house next to me was torn down and I was given some 2" x 8" sixteen foot long lumber. My run will be about 13' x 10' for 7 chickens, although they will generally free range.
I will have mesh...
Word of caution about aquarium heaters. They can fail even if designed to be completely submersible. Some may even state they are submergible but have a maximum water line (the temperature control dial stays above the waterline). I had one rated to be fully submerged in my fish tank and it...
I saw a similar one made by a bloke in Australia on YouTube . I was impressed that the chicken could not scatter food on the ground because it ate with her head all the way in the pipe.
That is a good point. However, it would need to be light weight enough to move if I needed to. I could make the sides and door with mesh wire and just leave it open during the day so the chickens could eat and drink.
Check out what this chicken owner did for his coop during a Kansas winter. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/wichita-cabin-coop
His coop run is much smaller, but the same theory could be applied to a larger run with a roof. Use plastic sheeting as a wind break on the bottom of the run with a...