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There's nothing to worry about those conditions -- they're fine well below freezing as well. Your main concern with cold weather is to reduce drafts and making sure there is water available in liquid form! And please try to refrain from adding a heat lamp. They do just fine huddling up with...

My second flock of three are approaching 25 weeks on Friday with no eggs yet. By this time, I had two layers in a flock of three from my first flock. The big difference between the two is that one has timed lighting and the other does not. Plus this second flock was purchased later so I knew...

Quote: That's the look I get sometimes when I don't go to meet them well stocked.

Mine was either 27 or 28 weeks. My other two in the flock were 22 (RIR) and 24 (BO).

Looks like a fart egg.

It's supposed to be high enough so they can reach up to it. You can either place it at full grown height, and place steps right up to it for short hens, or have the unit adjustable. Mine are adjustable in the coop/run. I have one vertical PVC nipple that is secured with a bracket that I can...

Here is what I did last year with my first batch of chickens. Freshness is going to depend on ambient temp too, so to get a gauge on how long my eggs stayed fresh on the counter, I numbered and dated each one with a pencil (date on paper, number on egg). Do this and consume eggs FIFO or lowest...

Maybe it's time to isolate her in a broody pen with no nest box. It can't be good for her to be broody for that long, especially with no eggs.

I didn't bother since it seemed too difficult to make it work. The problem with PVC lines is that the PVC and tubing are so thin, it's the first thing to freeze over. Insulation is possible but becomes somewhat impractical the longer it is. I chose to keep it up until freezing weather...

About 1/2 tsp per 5 gal, but prevention by blocking out light is best, and chlorinating should be used as last resort IMO.

You want to use a reservoir that is dark, to avoid light transmission, because that's what algae needs to propagate. Preferably placed in shade, or maybe make an enclosure to keep light out.

You're doing fine. For my first coop I had a camera in there so I got to watch their antics all day. I have some serious dysfunction... I won't deny it. Trying out nestboxes is the red alert of readiness I think. Mine have layed about 2-4 weeks after showing some kind of interest. One...

I'm still trying to find the perfect light. I bought this for the first coop. Perfect set up, with a solar panel, hi low settings, pull to turn on. But the darned thing is far too dim for human use. It's probably just fine if you're trying to extend laying though. With that said, I don't...

As is, it's not that bad. It no longer rinses/drains as fast as it used to due to all the undigested solids incorporated into the sand. If the ground is moist and the temp is warm enough, there is a detectable smell, but it's not anything like straight chicken droppings. Just smells a...

I'm 15 months into my sand run, 8x12, and I'm in the process of amending it. Up until now, I've added new sand/gravel/DE and rinsed off just fine. This summer it's clear that doing this alone will not be enough as droppings dissolve, but the solids contained do not. The composition of...

It really can be anything with sides. If you have a 2-3 gal detergent/feed container that's thoroughly washed, you just cut one side out to be the exposed top side and you're set. You could even use printer paper cartons too, although it's a bit flimsy and very disposable.

FWIW, I didn't block my ext nest boxes at all. They had no interest in them until about 2-3 weeks before laying, but that was just mostly peering in to take some notes on which one was better.

This, on a small scale, sounds like something that I need to explore as well. I have sand in my run. Going into the second summer, the sand is somewhat polluted, and rinsing is starting to be less effective in keeping it clean. My plan would be to do something like this: dump poopy sand...

It just sounds like typical pecking order antics. As long a no one gets hurt. The too will figure things out I'm sure, especially when he gets older.

I would say this is all normal... I don't have a roo, so I don't have that experience, but I do have a #2 hen that will not permit #3 to get any affection from me, in public. So much so that #3 is terrified if I hold her, which she has every right to do so because the moment I put her down she...