So we have had chickens for a few years now and this batch is the first time I have noticed a smell. They are 5 weeks old and they stink! Not the brooder ( I change that up pretty regularly). but if you get a whiff of the chicks they smell so stinky! Is this normal?? They are outside during...
Our favorite chick (now 5 weeks old) hurt her foot. I believe one of the children tried to close the brooder and her foot was there. She isn't walking much..hobbling mostly but she is eating and drinking. Just looks a bit swollen and painful to put pressure on. Any suggestions for helping...
My chicks are 4 weeks old and it was a great day so they spent a few hours outside. I noticed just now one of them now won't open one eye. If I look at the eye it looks fine but she doesn't like me trying to open it. How can I help her. She's not happy about it and won't just up to roost...
I have read and searched about dirt and chicks and have a question. We aren't doing medicated and I read to help with them build up cocci immunity let them have some dirt from your yard in the brooder. My question is we have 2 chickens right now that cruise around the yard...can I still toss...
My beautiful broody hen is now done with her 2 5 week old chicks (she was broody and we bought 2 chicks and she took to them right away). So, now the two are on their own and if they get close to the other hens they get pecked at so they stay in the back of the chicken area by themselves. Is...
I have been searching and searching and I just can't figure out what I need. We have our coop and it has a door but I need to get an automatic system to open and close. The ones I find online don't give me enough details to know if it comes with the door or not and all that stuff. Currently...
We have 6 hens and they are about 6 months old. Today I noticed one of our RIR had a dip in her feathers so I looked more and noticed that she was missing a fair amount of feathers and it was down to skin and was red (not bleeding but seems close). I observed for a while and noticed only 1...
I guess I need to start a bug collection them! I can rustle up tons of snails and worms (I see a worm farm in my future) but is there a notion that too much isn't good or a guideline for how many/day/chicken? Also, those little cuties won't even try the apple. I have enticed them and still...
Put an apple on the string and out of 6 chickens not one touched it. Odd, right?? I will toss in grass clippings but just to clarify, you mean after you cut your grass put the green stuff that is chopped off in there? I'll pick up some hay tomorrow and see how that goes. I have a few large...
LOVE THE CABBAGE! Brilliant! They are about 9 or 10 weeks, is that too young for them to have cabbage that isn't cut up into small pieces? I will toss some worms in there, they gobble them up like crazy. The sand was put there so it wasn't just dirt and mud. No fun for anyone. They have a...
Our chickens are finally outside and their run and coop is ready. It is a sand run, pretty large area and I was wondering if they need things to entertain them. The sand was just put in so no bugs or anything in that area now and I want them to be cozy. It just looks pretty boring back there...
Our run and coop is finally done (large area that we filled with sand). It borders our house on one side and a fence on the other, what material can I use to cover them and keep them safe from predators like cats and other critters? I read fishing wire but I have no idea how that would work...
I have been reading a lot of posts here regarding sand and I am going to try it in the chicken run. As for their hen house, do you use sand there as well? Right now we have shavings down but I am not a huge as I think I will be cleaning it very often with all the poo they have. Can we use...
My little chicks seem to have grown and feathered out (but who knows as this is my first flock). They haven't had the heat lamp inside for a few weeks as it has been about 75 here. The evenings are colder and they are now in their coop all together (6 of them) in one little nesting box. Do...
Our chicks are 5 weeks old and I was wondering when they go outside? We have had great weather but nights are still chilly. If we put them in their coop will they still need the light? I am letting them out right now during the day in a confined area so they don't get lost in the yard. They...
What to do? I read about this here and from what I saw it can be they are bored or crowded. They have a huge brooder with tons of space and I put up a branch for them to play on. What are the options? I haven't seen this before and they are inside with us so it may be an isolated incident...
I am going to have DH do this ASAP!! For your hen house, it looks like you have a little yard for them attached to it. Can they get into their house from their little pen? If so, can you post a pic? I think my hen house is similar to yours and would love to see how it works since this is my...