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Very clever and space saving! Thanks for sharing this technique. I've played around with all sorts of trays, etc but they are messy and take up lots of space. Your method is streamlined!

Hi, I built a beautiful fenced yard for my girls only to discover that it is easily accessed by a bobcat. I'm trying to remedy the situation. I could make a smaller wire house that stands off the henhouse and is totally enclosed in wire. Or, I could put an angled extension on the top of my...

What a creative approach to providing light in an inexpensive and low tech way! thank you for sharing it. I think that it is hard for folks who are used to flipping a light switch and having an instant and steady response to understand the wonder of this invention for folks who live without such...

Thanks Judy. I'm off to research sour crop at this moment though she seems to be doing fine this morning.

Hi, my aurecana has a very swollen crop and when I picked her up tonight she threw up liquid! I've never seen a chicken do that. Do you think this is something serious and if so, what could be the issue? Thanks, Glenda

Chickens love sprouts and they are bursting with nutrition. You can either plant the seeds in dirt or sprout them in jars as you would to create sprouts for your own salad. The only sprouts I know of that shouldn't be fed to chickens are from potatoes which may be toxic and onion and garlic...

My barred rock hen is waddling around and her tail is downturned. She lays the largest eggs in my flock and it looks like she has a huge one to pass. She's been behaving this way for over a week. She still has a good appetite and is very fat... Is this something to worry about?

Hello, my year old buff orpington died unexpectedly this morning. She'd been spry and eating well. Her body was heavy and well feathered and there was no obvious discoloration or external signs of illness. Our amateur autopsy revealed lots of clotted blood in her body cavity along with a lot of...

This is exactly the problem I am having with one of my Barred Rocks! Do you really think it is nothing to worry about? One of the girls in my coop has been laying huge eggs... as large as a duck egg... I was worried that Delia (the Barred Rock in question) might be the one and that she is egg...

One of my chickens laid a huge duck-sized egg yesterday. I'm not sure who is responsible but today one of my Barred Rocks has a hard, bare protuberance underneath her vent. It is bright red and there are no feathers. I washed her to remove the poop that had crusted over the area and was shocked...

Thanks for the reassuring comments. I am heartened. It's amazing how much you grow to love the ones you have to tend the most.

Hello, I have a 7 month old Aurecana/Americana with a featherless head (but no wound or broken skin) and a dirty bum. I have several questions: Should I treat the bare skin on her head in any way? She's never molted but I think the loss of feathers is due to being lowest in the hierarchy of my...

Thank you for the feedback! I instinctively felt that things were okay but didn't want to overlook signs of a problem brewing!

My girls love dried mealworms. They also enjoy scratching through a bucket of earth from the compost pile to find living worms and pill bugs. I save all my garden weeds, bolting vegetables and lettuces for them and sometimes I sprout broccoli and alfalfa seeds. I know it sounds goofy but I...

Hello, Is it normal to see a few feathers scattered around the coop floor? All my girls seem fine, no obvious bald spots. They are only 8 weeks old so I doubt they are molting. Do you think one of them is bullying the other? Need I be concerned?

Thanks for the thoughtful letter. I am working to make chickens legal in our small town and appreciate all the background information you provided.

I painted my coop to match my home but added a fun trim color to make it unique. My coop is a tranquil cream and the door and windows are painted purple! It blends perfectly with my neighborhood but has a little touch of spice!

I have Barred Rocks, Black Australorps, Aurecanas and Buff Orpingtons. So far, the Barred Rocks and Australorps are the most amenable to being held. The aurecanas seem to be the smartest. I chose all my girls based on a lot of research on breeds that were friendly and gentle and also laid well...

My chicks are 4 weeks old and have been in their outdoor coop for almost a week. It is chilly here at night (into the 50's) so I provide an area of the coop that is protected from drafts and has a heat lamp. They seem to be faring well and are eager to be released into the larger part of the...

Cover your run... Nothing else will keep it from getting mucky when it rains.