Thanks so much for replying! We don't have any hawks around here, so apart from maybe a red kite (and they're endangered here) there are no other birds that could've taken them. I would've suspected a fox, but there was no blood or feathers and my mum saw a bird of prey circling the coop. There...
Hello fellow poultry fanatics:)
I'm having some trouble with the local buzzards in my area. A few days ago they took three of our girls, which was very upsetting for me and the rest of the family.
As we live in Northern Ireland and buzzards are endangered here, guns are not an option. What do...
Hi guys,
My first batch of chicks are thriving-they're so cute! But I'm concerned about the second batch. Two of the three day old Marans are fine, but the third continuously sticks his head in the air and makes a swallowing motion, even when lying down! I have tried massaging his throat and...
Update: the chick is still bedraggled and has what looks like blood coming out of its vent. The other two chicks are pecking it so I moved it back into the incubator. What's wrong?
Hi, this morning I discovered that three baby chicks had hatched out of my incubator! Two looks fluffy, so I moved them to the brooder, but I'm worried about the third one. It doesn't seem to be able to walk and it keeps lurching around and pressing its head against the side of the incubator. I...
Thanks guys, I didn't expect this much response!! I think most of you are saying to get flock raiser with 20% protein and I already leave out oyster shell as if I don't some of my girls eat their own eggs. Chick crumb is fine for pullets and growers at the start right? Thanks so much...
Hi guys, I am wondering do you need to keep chickens and pulleys separate to feed them? I have laying chickens but I want to incubate some dual purpose birds. I have found a growers/pulled ration for the young 'uns, but do I mix it with the layers pellets my 2year olds are used to, or do I keep...
I am getting a bit bewildered about this!
We have some RIRs and are planning to incubate more eggs as we have a cockerel, and I would like to have them as layers, but also for meat. I have looked around but nowhere seems to mention how to feed dual purpose birds. Do you feed them a mix of grower...
I think I have a problem with one of my chickens. . .
We have about 20 chickens, but one is suffering and I think it is because she is not eating the layers pellets, only the corn we put out. She looks lethargic, doesn't run about like the others and draws her neck into herself. We feed her...
Yes, I know it's June but I live in Northern Ireland, so it is hailing at the moment! I will try to get some mixed feed or something. . . I looked up a day feed and made a temporary one out of oats, raisins, lentils and sesame & fennel seeds. Thanks:)
Hey guys, I could really use help on this one.
We have an elderly RIR who doesn't lay. We recently had to give her some antibiotics and discovered. That she only at corn-not layers pellets! Is there anything I can give her instead? All my hens are free-ranging and we cut up apples and stuff for...
Hey, can you guys give me some advice? We are going to build/ buy a new coop this summer, but our old one was wood and it
A. Rotted
B. Was hard to clean and
C. Attracted red mite
So we want a coop for about 20 birds that is easy to clean and has nest boxes outside. We have heard about metal...
No, my parents won't let me increase the flock (yet!!) but she sits on about 5 eggs other chickens have laid so I can't collect them, and when I'm away, she gets off and my small WL eats the eggs. . . But I suppose if she does stay on them it will protect them! What should I do?
Hey, I don't have much experience with Broody hens so I need some advice. I have a Barred Rock who is, I think, quite low down in the pecking order. She has started to sit in the nesting boxes all day, every day, 'adopting' eggs from other chooks and making squeaky noises when I try to move her...
Thanks, I didn't expect this much info:):) I will try to lime the inside of it and water it to soften it. I think my chickens are almost immune to any hygiene-related illnesses as they have lived in that coop all their life:(my dad says he'll make a new one in the summer, but I will try my best...
Hi guys, I inherited a chicken coop from the previous owner of our house. This was great, but when I looked inside, he hadn't cleaned it for 2 years! There was solid poop on the floor, about 30+ cm deep. I tried cleaning it out but it is like trying to shovel rock. I've found bowls under there...