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Is there a good hen to rooster ratio or does it depend on how aggressive the roosters are?

I've been checking the nests about three times a day - maybe more because they are just starting to lay. I left this egg on purpose to encourage them to use the nest - some had been using the floor. I had just cleaned the coop and checked a couple of hours later. The egg was just gone - no...

If a chicken eats an egg, won't their be evidence left - like shell, yolk, or something? My hens are just starting to lay, and I left an egg in the nest. When I went back, it was entirely gone but no shell or yolk anywhere. Did a chicken do it?

No, I have no idea. I've heard they are the original chickens brought over with the pilgrims. It could all be a bunch of stories, though. But, if they are closer to the original "toughness" of chickens that survived, then maybe they are more instinctual about food, etc.,? I think it's probably...

Thanks everyone. I have 32 chickens (4 roosters) - the majority of which are heritage: Dominque, English Standard, Wyandotte, La Fleche, Lakenvelders, Long Crowers, Norwegian Jaerhon, Red Caps, and Thai. It's my understanding that these are better at foraging than more domesticated varieties...

Do I need to supply free ranging chickens with oyster shells and grit or do they naturally find it on their own?

I have a Norwegian Jaerhon rooster and hen. They are both almost five months old. I'd like to post a picture of him that I just took. How do I do it?

I just added chicken wire around the bottom of my no climb fence. My five week old chicks were able to squeeze through. I used zip ties to connect it to the other wires and those u-type nails connected it to the posts. It seems to work well so far.

Anyone who wants to read a little more on Ravens attacking chickens, go to the thread under Predators and Pests title Ravens. A lot of people there have weighed in on the subject and there are a few links for further research. Nasty birds as you will see.

My chicks are all covered and protected as best I can. We'll have to wait and see now. Thanks to all for your information. I really love this website!

Wow. You guys are all so nice. Thanks to all of you who responded and gave me more information. I still have 31 chicks left, but I plan to get a few more. The ones I bought are un-sexed Heritage, so I'm expecting some roosters, which I will need to get rid of. I'll keep one. They will be...

I looked at the thread for ravens. In it were some photos comparing crows and ravens. This was definitely a raven I saw. I also read about others' experiences with ravens. I am convinced that the raven did this. If they are aggressive enough to attack sheep, then why would one hesitate to...

Quote: I totally agree. But I have big dogs who are always patrolling our property for smaller predators, and it seems they would have prevented a ground predator from getting in the pen, especially during daylight hours. I did see the raven/crow come back and rip apart the remains. I...

Quote: I'm still unsure. I was told that it was probably a raven. I can't tell the difference - but it was a huge black bird perched on the shed. Would a weasel do it in the middle of the day? I don't even know if we have weasels here, but whatever it was, I want to get it. It was weird...

Quote: I was shocked, and it was awful. I'm still having a hard time believing it.

Quote: Thank you for responding. It's totally opened my eyes, and now I will put a netting over their yard.

I think a crow beheaded five of my six week old chicks. The chicks were in their fenced yard for the first time today, and when I came out to check on them after a couple of hours, five of them were dead and the rest were in hiding. The only evidence of any animal around was a crow, which flew...

I put out my six-week old chicks in their yard for the first time today. I left for a couple of hours, and when I came back five of them had been killed - beheaded. A crow was sitting on top of the shed and flew off when I got in the yard. I can only suspect it was done by the crow. I'm in...