Search results for query: *

We feed our chickens the following: layer crumbles, wheat sprouts, cracked corn (small amount), crushed oyster shells, and grit. They free range most of the year. I've been adding some crushed oyster shells to the layer feed to try to get them to eat more calcium. I'm still getting thin...

This is sort of a follow up to my post below. one sprout oats for their chickens? My wife found out that she is allergic to wheat, barley and rye which shows up in the eggs. The only other grain that may be available is oats. Are sprouted oats good to feed chickens?

I know this is a tough question. My wife recently found out that she is allergic to wheat, barley and rye. I have been sprouting grains for the chickens (wheat and barley). Does anyone know if feeding sprouted grain would result in any less impact to the wheat or barley content in the eggs?

I have some Australorps that are missing patches of feathers (mostly on neck and back) and what feathers they have aren't shinny. However, they have been laying well and don't seem to be sick. I have caught a few of them and sprayed them with lice spray, but didn't seem to help. They free...

I found one chick dead that a hen hatched around 8 weeks ago. There were three that hatched. The other two seem to be doing fine. Their mother is still with them. I hadn't observed any overly aggressive behavior toward any of the chicks by the other chickens (all hens). The dead chick did...

Mother hen hatched chicks today. There is one egg left that might hatch. Chicks are still in nest with hen. How long can I wait to feed and water chicks?

My grandmother always cut out a piece of sod the same size as the nest to line the bottom of the next when setting a hen on eggs to hatch. Hay was then added over the sod. The point of the sod was to maintain moisture. She would then sprinkle water on the nest occasionally during the hatching...

I've always bought barley to sprout for the chickens (especially in winter), but the last two bags of barley didn't sprout (probably too old). This time I bought a bag of locally grown wheat to sprout. Is there any advantage of using one over the other, nutrition, etc?

The daytime air temperature is around 72 degrees. Probably a little warmer than that in the chicken house. How long do you think is too long for the hen to be off of the eggs?

The hen is not eating and is flicking her beak. I turned her upside down and messaged her breast and got some liquid out. The reason I think it may not be sour crop is because her crop is "empty". I isolated her and gave her water with an electrolyte and sour cream with an antibiotic. I'm...

I have a broody hen that had been sitting on eggs laid by other chickens during the day. I didn't get home until 6:00 pm to collect the eggs. She could have been sitting on the eggs for 6 hours or so . Do you think the eggs are still good?

I am thinking about building a floating duck house using wooden pallets, covered with rabbit wire, plastic jugs for floatation, and perhaps a plastic tote turned upside down with holes in it for the house. If I put a nest box in the house, what are the odds of them laying in it?

I'm thinking of building a floating duck platform and house using a wooden pallet covered with rabbit wire, some plastic jugs for floatation, and an overturned plastic tote with holes cut in it for the house. If I add a nest box inside the house, what are the odds that they would lay in it?

We have 8 Australorps and 1 buff Orphington. We were given an Asian Blue hen 6 months ago. All the chickens are full grown and all hens. The Asian Blue is pretty wild and other chickens have always picked on her. The Asian Blue had some feathers on her back missing when we got her. At one...

Got this chicken from the in-laws. It's solid back, but looks a little different than our Australorps. They bought it at Tractor Supply. They said they thought it was labeled "Asian". It has more red around its eyes and its feet and legs are not as dark as the Australorps.

We grew some foxtail millet in the garden this year. We have started giving them small bunches of it each day. It gives them something to do in the run. It took them a while to figure out what it is, but once they did, they have gone wild over it. They go to it before they eat their regular...

We have some of our Australorps that just started laying about 3 weeks ago. The eggs of the one hen keep getting lighter and lighter in color. She laid one this week that was almost white. What causes the change in the brown color?

I have some buff orphington and australorp pullets that are approximately 18 weeks old. Some of them now have lost all of their longer tail feathers. Could some of the other chickens be pulling them out or could they be molting or is something else going on?

I have been advised not to do this. We have some young buff orphingtons and australorps. If we add a couple silkies to the flock are they going to try to kill them? Growing up we had bantams, white leghorns, and another larger breed all mixed together.

When I was a kid we used to give the chickens clabbered raw milk. Anyone given them store-bought buttermilk?