I found two different incubators online, a 6-chicken egg size and a much larger one. Useful information is hard to come by online. Both said they came with a styrofoam cover to help maintain temperature but I did not see any photos. You are using that and a towel. I'm not sure what else you...
In Arkansas I had an 8' x 12' coop, a 12' x 32' main run, and an area over 2,000 square feet inside electric netting. We had fox, coyote, dogs, raccoons, skunks, bobcat, and possums roaming in the area. The electric netting stopped all of those.
I'd suggest you consider the 48" high 50'...
In New Orleans with the rain we just had that has to be fire ants. I hate those things but am not sure how big of a risk they are to your chickens. I would be concerned. They are not going to eat enough of them to exterminate that mound.
My first suggestion is to call the Parish extension...
I'll copy something I wrote a long time ago about medicated feed and Cocci. It may help you plan and explain why I'm going to recommend what I do. Amprolium (if your medicated feed contains Amprolium) does nothing to prevent Cocci until they are exposed to the organism that causes Cocci. It...
Really need some information about the incubator before I can even think about asking helpful questions. Is it a still air or forced air? Is it a commercial model you can give us a link to or is it homemade? Did you calibrate the thermometer or hygrometer? Where are the vents and are they...
Real life doesn't work in absolutes, "if" or "can" are very big words.
Even stored in perfect conditions eggs can lose viability the longer they are stored. How fast they lose viability (the ability to develop and hatch) depends on how they are stored and on the individual egg. Some eggs...
Since it is not exposed to the elements this becomes a personal choice to me. There are reasons you might want to paint or stain it.
One obvious one is aesthetics. Does the raw wood offend your sensibilities, especially as it ages grey? Some of us like that rustic look, some don't.
If you...
Did you count the days right? That is a pretty common mistake on here. It takes an egg 24 hours to have a day's worth of development so you say "one" 24 hours after you set them. An easy way to check is that the day of the week you set them is the day of the week the 21 days is up. If you...
I've had a hen leave the nest twice a day and stay off for over an hour each time. I've had a hen leave once every morning and stay off for only 15 minutes. I've had several I never saw off of the nest the entire incubation but I know they are leaving because they are not pooping in the nest...
I agree with Aart, breed does not matter. Size doesn't mean much either, maturity does.
Until my pullets reach a certain maturity (usually about the time they start laying eggs) they form a sub-flock, trying to keep a distance between themselves and the mature hens. Otherwise they are liable...
Welcome to the forum, glad you joined!
I agree with NorthwoodsChick, something is causing this behavior. It could be a lot of different things. It may be an easy fix or it may be really challenging.
How old are they, the boy, the girl, and the rest? Is she or the other girls laying eggs...
One trick people that show chickens sometimes use to get shiny feathers is to dribble a little oil on their food, usually some kind of vegetable oil. It doesn't take much oil to really shine up the feathers. Along with many other good nutrients sunflower seeds contain a lot of oil. You don't...
A few years back I had a two week old chick kill a hatch mate and start in on another, pecking at the head. They were with a broody hen who had over 2,000 square feet to roam in. I don't think they were crowded. But I do agree that overcrowding can cause them to peck each other. You want to...
Could you please explain where you heard this? This is how fake information is spread on the internet.
I've had small eggs and large eggs hatch as much as two full days early under a broody hen and in my incubator. I've had small eggs and large eggs hatch pretty much on time under a broody...
Could you please post photos of the feather damage? We might see it as rooster damage or possibly as something else. Since it is all 16 of them overbreeding is an interesting term. Usually overbreeding is either with a very small flock or he has a very few favorites. With it being all 16...
I like the question, it shows you are thinking.
Some of us don't put anything down. If you have enough room the grass can remain and the poop is really spread out. If it drains well runs can stay pretty dry even when it rains.
But many runs become a muddy mess when it rains. That can get...
I mainly raise chickens for meat but also really enjoy playing with genetics. Eggs are a nice side benefit but I give most of them away. I typically hatch my chicks but every three or four years I'll get some new chicks for their genetics.
To avoid running out of meat I have a fairly large...
I have not done that. My thoughts would be to try it and see for yourself how it works in your situation. People that raise chickens for show generally feed a higher protein feed so they will grow bigger.
What percent protein is the all-flock you have been feeding and the percent protein of...
From a health standpoint it should be fine. There is nothing poisonous there. It could affect the taste but I don't know how much. I think it comes down to the YUK! Factor, how much does the thought bother you.
I would not but you can candle the eggs in another 4 or 5 days to see if they are developing.
We do this differently. Soe people cage the broody hens so they cannot leave the nest area and other hens cannot get to her nest. There are variations on this. Sp0me let their hens out at times but...