Start with 4" of bedding, add as needed, and throw some dry treats in the area near the roost so the chickens turn it for you. It is a compost pile and ready for the garden if you do once a year cleanout. Don't use stall dry or de or you will mess up the process. Sometimes you get earth worms in...
2x4's are fine. Because you are from the north I suggest you look into the deep litter method. The last thing you want to do is have to clean out a coop when there is 6' of snow on the ground. Also, the deep litter method provides a little heat because it is a compost pile in the coop. Hanging...
I would look into ascites first. Do you see any sign of cocci in their poop? Ascites is a common problem in meat birds and easy to rule out. If it is cocci then you would want to treat with corid but then you have to wait to butcher. Also, meat birds give you much more meat then it looks like...
Another way to tick off a rooster... I bought one of those dog harnesses and a leash for when we travel together. He likes the harness but pecks the leash. He can still fly great in it though. Never thought I would be walking a chicken!
Update on the rooster: I have put some blu kote on there to prevent infection (Got my fingers and toes too), vet wrapped it, and put him in the chick run. He managed to get one of the two band aids off last night but the remaining one held enough for the wound to stick together. He is not...
Looking for advise. Raccoon attack in the middle of the day. Rooster fought it and now has a giant slash in his foot from the top of the toes all the way to the ankle. I soaked the foot in honey water for about 15 min and put band aids on it to keep the skin flap in place. It is still bleeding a...
Glad you joined us! Truth be told we have no topic on this thread just throw everything out there, we talk about it all. You don't want to miss a day or you will spend forever catching up on everything. (We are the second most active state thread on here, right behind Wisconsin.) Only one of us...