I have 7 chickens and they are approx 15 months old (aside from toothless who is about 6 months). Im in Central MN and its getting a little cold now. This spring my egg production was 5-6 a day. Now its 1-2. Most chickens did molt over this past month or so. All except toothless and Bertha have...
Update! It took a couple months but I got the new chicken into the flock. It was weeks of putting her in, her getting attacked a LOT, she had her comb ripped a bit and bled many times. But..! One day it seemed she just decided to fight back, and from that point on she climbed the ranks and...
Is this normal molting? None of the other 6 in the flock are doing it.
Does the new feather grow from the quill base still there or will the quill fall out eventually too?
I did toss it! First time... I need to acclimate first to this experience before I'm spreading the fat on my toast haha! I will save next time and bring to the cabin where everyone seems more adventurous (beer helps). I did save the liver and heart for the pup (also not quite ready to try).
Thanks again all! It's been about 10 years as a dream for me that we could have chickens and learn the value of harvesting our own meat. Our city, brooklyn center MN, changed the laws last year and allowed backyard chickens. Within days I had then and today I got to harvest my first couple...
Oh! Goodness. Thank you again community. We will wait until tomorrow (or thurs) and do a crock pot. Didnt know about the first 24 hour issue.
Should I just have her on ice form a bit then in the fridge? Currently in an ice/water bath for about an hr
Well... I should have mentioned I had a buff orpington die yesterday out of nowhere. It was my first death in the year I have been doing this. I wish I would've done an autopsy.... but she was on her back and stiff. No blood. No feathers around. I have a hunch she may have been at the bottom of...
Hopefully posting in the right spot....
I have had chickens for approx a year and I just butchered my first one today due to some issues in the coop. An intimidating process.... but I believe things all went well for a first go at it. When I was butchering there was an INCREDIBLE amount of fat...
Wow, thank you a ton for such a helpful and detailed response.
Lots of info I can use. I have 4 feeder stations but only 1 water. I have a other 5 gal water so I will put that in as well.
I have something like 140sqft and 9 birds, but no they dont freerange outside that area. I have zero spots...
The chicks killed another chick?? Not a full grown or older one? That had to be some serious work... sorry to he even more gruesome... but what did the scene of the crime look like? Entirely eaten? Pecked at?
Side note - we want to keep her. Very friendly! Also we live ON a city park where a city vehicle drives by daily and can obv see out chickens... so the being over limit isn't a big factor, but it's also why getting a couple more cant happen. A dozen may start to be too much haha!
Although in...
Morning everyone - I have had a flock of 9 girls now for approx 1 year. I have a chicken fort Knox coop/run with each bird having approx 15-18 or so sq ft a bird.
A few days ago neighbors approached us with a lost chicken they found. It is a pretty black pullet looking to be 3-4 weeks old. Not...
Lights. Its about the lights as Wamtaz said. I have a single small light in my coop for about an hour in the morning and 3 hours at night and my 3 buffs currently laying are giving me 1-2 still a day.
Central Minnesota for me, so.. it gets cold!
I have 4 of those oasis type chicken watering cups I have used yet. After a little research I think I am going to build a simple 1x1x2 box with a side half cutout. Stick the heater in there with a 5 gal bucket and a couple of the oasis cups. That...
I currently have one of these base style water heaters that kicks on when its below 35. It is inside the coop and works well. I have a 5 and 6 gallon double walled water container like the one below. They were outside but are now freezing too fast. The heater states on it that it is for...