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One of my RIR girls has been sitting on eggs for 4 days (3 nights now), and () is she one cranky lady!! I've been watching to see if she was going to change her mind, but after the third night with no change moved her into a confined nest box in the brooder/hatching room. But I'm a little...

I'm tossing around ideas of what to do with the poop and shavings that come out of the coops. What do you do that has proven be a good idea?

She did it!! 2 chicks hatched so far, and at least one other egg that I saw has a tiny crack, with the shell pushed out... I'm so excited!! This is the first successful hatch I've ever had. I'm so PROUD of her!! I'd give her a big hug, if she wouldn't bite my nose off!! Way to go little...

When you candle eggs, and they are completely black inside, how far along do you think the chicks might be?

DH was moving a wood pile yesterday and discoverd a broody hen sitting on 14 eggs. I've known she was out there broody somewhere for the past week, but didn't know exactly where, neither did he. But instead of leaving the wood pile for another couple of weeks, he moved the nest (!!!) - picked...

The coop and run I currently have comfortably fit my 24 hens. But it cost approx. $3000 to build. In the brooder are approx. 50 babies who are going to be needing a coop of their own pretty darn soon, and hubby is saying NO WAY to building another one that would need to be twice it's size. I...

At the hatchery they were clearing out space for new chicks, and asked if I'd be willing to take 10 turkens for free. The lady there assured me that their eggs tasted better than any other eggs out there. Thought I'd ask the opinion of the experts - what you think? Are turken eggs yummy? How...

My egg layers are now about 14 mo. old, and I'm making plans to clear them out to make room for new girls. But I worry that they will be too tough to eat. Any opinions on this? Is eating a chicken that's like 1.5 years old tough? If so, what would you do with 20 1.5 year old hens?

I have a darling cochin who sat on her eggs for 10 days (first time she has become broody, and I was so excited!!), but kept getting bullied off the nest by the other hens. So, one night I carefully moved her to an isolated nest. Come morning she got off those eggs and never sat back on them...

I've read here how some people put sand in their runs. Wondering why you do that? Is it something I should consider?

I have 4 (surprise) roosters that I've decided to turn into Sunday dinner mid July when they will be about 16 wks old. They are Leghorns and Polish (and a royal pain in the neck!). I was told I should probably fatten them up a bit before eating them, so I've moved them into separate quarters...

How old should the Roos be before you eat them? Right now my Leghorn Roos are about 5 mo. old, and they are starting to show a bit too much 'tude! It's got me wiping down the Dutch Oven and planning out recipies! Wondered though - should I wait till they are a bit older?

I've read that fresh laid eggs should sit for awhile (like 5 days or so) before cooking them to allow some air to build up in them (?)... (still a little unsure exactly why, but hey, the Forum has never been wrong before, so...) I have a couple of hens that have started laying and was...

My 4 and 5 wk old chicks are in a brooder with a dirt floor (a small greenhouse in my garden, actually). Ants, worms, spiders, etc., occasionally pass through and become treats. I put a bowl of oyster shell in there for the chicks to have as grit, but someone just told me they don't need it...

Any suggestions on reducing (or even eliminating ) the amount of poop that ends up in the chicks food? Here is a picture of the feeder in my brooder. Every day I'm in there, cleanin' up. I just can't stand to leave it in there, but the daily pickin' out of (can't believe how many!) all the...

We (surprise ) ended up with a double flock (brother backed out last minute, leaving us with his half of the purchased 24 - and how can you say no to those precious fuzzy babes?). The coop walls had already been framed. Coop is 8X8, but to accomidate roost space we raised the roof to 11 ft...

Two days ago I found one of my 10 day old chicks very pasted, and her vent was extrememly swollen, enlarged, and plugged with hard black poop. I read all I could about this on BYC and asked for any and all advice. Thank you one and all for your suggestions of warm water soaks, Vaseline...

Yesterday one little chick had some poop dried on her vent, so I rinsed her well, all looked good, and back she went into the brooder. But this morning her "pooper" is swelled and very enlarged, and when I rinsed off the poop that covered her vent, it was quickly obvious that there is a good...

When hens go broody (I have my Cochins in mind here), how long do they stay that way? If I remove the eggs daily will they eventually just give up, or is "breaking them" of that mood essential?

Ok, the story: Got my hatchery order of RIRs and Barred Rocks, and fell in love. Coop plans were enlarged to accomidate a few more, and I was there bright and early for the local feed store's mixed straight run delivery the following week. I peered into that bin of 300 fuzzy little heads...