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@Triciakins You didn't mention how young your chicks are. I have noticed that chicks do better with the vertical nipples (the kind you wished you got) until they are a week or two old. Then switch to the horizontal nipples. You could also just use your regular waterer until then, too.

I'm assuming you've tried a vitamin supplement like Nutri-drench or Sav-a-chik? If so, perhaps also a probiotic. Some plain yogurt or Sav-a-chik also makes one. As for making the call for euthanasia, you're going to probably be the best bet to know. You see this chick daily and know better than...

If they have full feathering, proper nutrition and a ventilated but draft free coop, they won't need a heat lamp. It may be 38F outside, but it will be much warmer than that inside an non-insulated coop. Their feathers will keep them warm to temps much cooler than that.

There are lots of integrating threads here, but the general consensus is to create a separate pen, even a large dog crate would work since it's temporary. The idea is for your new hens and the established flock to be able to see and smell each other, but not to be able to physically reach each...

Re homing roosters is not easy. No body wants an aggressive roo. If you are in luck, there might be an animal rescue someplace that would be willing to take him in. Perhaps near you or one you could ship him to. But that is both expensive and a matter of luck finding such a place. I have to...

Exciting, looks like a nice and well-built coop. Glad you found all this good info! I had no idea either.

IIRC, this can be a nutritional deficiency. Try giving a poultry specific vitamin supplement in their water, such as Sav-a-Chik or Liquid Poultry Nutri-drench. Probiotics are not a bad idea either. I assume they were shipped? Shipping is extremely stressful on them, I'll never do it again as...

Depends upon your predators in your area. I've heard stories of hawks and owls flying into the coop and attacking chickens, but I think those are rather rare. We free range ours and have not had predator problems except when they were chicks. Lots of hawks/eagles around here. We have two...

Also, did she have signs of worms? If not, then deworming can also be stressful. It's stressful whether they have worm overload or not, but if they do have an overload, at least it's worth it. Any sign of worms in her poo after worming treatment?

Chickens are social creatures. They are not typically solitary beings; it's not natural for them to be alone. The stress of being alone for until you got her some mates could have caused her to stop laying for a while. Also, if she witnessed the hawk attacks of the two that died, that could...

We had one Americauna that regularly laid thin shelled eggs. She ate the oyster shell, but something else was wrong. I thought some probiotics would help. After several days of feeding her some yogurt, her shells hardened some. Perhaps the calcium in the yogurt was more digestible to her as...

In our experience, Raptors have been our worst predators during daytime. They have picked off chicks up to 12-14 weeks old. After that age, there seems to not be any problems. Either the hens are smarter or too big for our Raptors (including bald eagles) or a combination of both.

It could be stress related. Assuming they're getting enough calcium, I wouldn't worry about it unless it keeps happening.

Yes, you definitely need more vents! Check this out for good info: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-coop-ventilation-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

She would've been sick if it was the cocci catching up with her. There would been symptoms, she wouldn't have appeared well nor have been laying eggs. I second the home necropsy, checking her gizzard, like Mrs B said. A loose piece of hardware mesh, a lost screw from a building project. Rat or...

Ours sit right in front of the south facing window during winter. They love it. Even in the warmer spring. Winter gets down to -15F here, but averages around 10-20F.

Yes, feed everyone Grower feed. Put a dish of crushed oyster shells on the side so the layers can get their calcium needs met. The younger ones won't bother with the oyster shell much, because they instinctively know they don't need it.

Try looking on Craigslist or Freecycle or some other local bulletin board system. When we were in the city, I regularly saw people giving away entire coops and sometimes chickens for FREE. Silkies are small, so you don't need a huge coop. Most of the pre-built (one you buy and put together)...

Can you post a photo/drawing of your design? We have a non-opening window facing south (it gets up to 100-108F in summer) and have no problem with it. We have decent vents along the bottom and top of the coop. In fact, there are vents completely around the top of the roof, about 2 inches wide...

Sorry to hear for your loss. The only way to know for sure is to send the bird in for a necropsy. Often state universities have vet programs that will do so for a nominal fee. The cost is usually more involved in packing it well with freezer packs for shipping. Was she laying up to the day...