Welcome! I'm from Sebastopol, just up the road
I have 4 hens in my backyard which I originally inherited, but I'm now a confirmed chickenphile. I would really like to get to know local chicken people for when I have local questions.
Again, I'm happy to see you here on BYC - a really...
It's a classic April in Northern CA. Alternating sun,rain,clouds.
I have 4 hens in my standard city back yard. Thanks to the hens, I hav no greenery left except the mature established shrubs.
This month, I have done some planting (roses & vines) & have to protect them from my hens (I use...
I haven't clipped any wings, because they free-range in my back yard all day, & there are cats & occasional hawks around. They are able to fly over the 6' fence, but only one of them does that (the other 3 stay put, hoping for snacks which I provide regularly.
I think I will plan to plant &...
Yes, all is not lost. I find that 1 or 2 of my hens will eat an egg if I don't let them out of their pen early enough in the morning - but they still have only eaten a total of 3 or 4 eggs in 2 years.
When I was brand new to chickens, I paid too much attention to something I read that said...
I have put my tomatoes in large pots, but the chickens fly up & eat the leaves. They also fly up to eat rose leaves. I have come up with some creative ideas, but I need more, esp in preparation for next spring & summer.
Thanks for all ideas - good, bad & too complicated ;) cos I'm not very...
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It has been really cold & gray here the past month or so. But, it was immediately after the raccoon attack that they went from daily to 0, so I think it's mainly that. The attack was on Christmas Eve, when I wasn't here at my normal time. (I came home around 10 pm to the mayhem -...
But today, I found a green egg again - finally. I am so happy.
She must have enjoyed the beautiful summery day today, after a long spell of cold gray, wet weather.
But, my other EE still hasn't laid since the Christmas Eve mayhem.
I have a phobia about rats, & had never seen one in my yard for the 25 years I've lived here.
2 days ago, I saw something white in the yard that didn't belong there, & it was a dead rat. It's paws were red with blood, but was otherwise intact. Yay for my hens!!
Sunny is a bit perkier this morning. I can't get her to drink, but she at least walked around & clucked a tiny bit. She tried to peck the flecks in my Berber rug, so I put down a little scratch, & she ate 1 or 2 kernels.
She had a tiny poop and I saw no worms.
No symptoms that I notice...
Sunny: Leghorn born March 9, 2010. Has 5 flock members.
Weather: cold & rainy
Habits: free-range all day in back yard; sleep in smallish coop at night. It does seem big enough, though. They are not crowded when they roost. Also, there is room for them to all fit on the floor, and move (but...
I am so sorry, also. I am going thru the same thing, & I am hoping
My Leghorn pullet, Sunny, has been looking scrawny & today she was just standing under a chair as if to keep the rain off.
First, I set her up in a kennel outside with fresh straw, on her own.
Then, I & brought her inside...
I have the same as question, but my girl, Sunny, sometimes has dried blood in the area. She looks quite bedraggled, which I initially put down to the constant rain lately, but I think I saw on this site that if blood is being drawn, something should be done.
Sunny is mostly white Leghorn, & the...