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  1. Dakar2009

    Comment by 'Dakar2009' in article 'Reasons for Tossing Out Your Indoor Brooder and Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors'

    Great and timely article! We have new additions to the flock in a broader right now and am going to modify my coop and run this weekend to get them out there!
  2. Dakar2009

    Checking-In On Peeps - Post Here To Say Hello!

    @Nifty-Chicken Great idea for a thread! And thanks for the bump. Got bogged down with life, a new puppy last year, a car project, house projects, etc. No excuse for not checking in! Still have 3 of my initial 5 girls going strong. We had a rough molting season. Between that and the constantly...
  3. Dakar2009

    Do you play music for your chickens?

    Hey, I chill hard to Skyrim soundtrack myself! It's my favorite music to paint or woodwork to for some reason, which means it was on a lot when I built the coop. My girls seem to like anything I put on when I'm out there, but may indeed like the more chill stuff like movie soundtracks and chill...
  4. Dakar2009

    Dog attack

    100% agree on suffering, for any animal. The hardest part is for us to let the animal go. Been through this with too many dogs throughout my life. And I know "it's only a chicken", but as you know, raising something from birth in a small flock forms an attachment you can't explain to "normie"...
  5. Dakar2009

    Dog attack

    I had to cull my first hen yesterday 😢 I thought Yolko was improving but she lost the use of her legs yesterday, one wing was splayed out, and she was barely able to get to her water, which she just stared at. No poops, no eating, just laying there and staring at me as I spoke to her. I...
  6. Dakar2009

    Dog attack

    One of my girls was attacked today by random dog that broke into an extra run I give them to stretch out a bit. Huge husky looking thing, never saw it in the neighborhood before, no collar on it either. He seemed to grab her by the back just above her butt and caused a huge gash down to the...
  7. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    I'm going to leave it for now. She seems to be okay, and I'd hate to go through the effort to transition over the food and maybe them not eating it. And with some of these companies screwing with our feed, I'm hesitant to move away from something that works! I appreciate you all calming me...
  8. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    Interesting. But she's the only one laying that way, and infrequently now. The other 4 are laying beautifully perfect brown gold nuggets, lol. They all get the same feed and treats.
  9. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    Black Australorp
  10. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    All the others are just fine and lay beautiful (and some IMMENSE) eggs, so I'd hate to modify anything that is working for the others. The oyster shell lasts for a while in the cup, meaning they take what they need (in my mind). She probably just processes calcium differently. I'm going to...
  11. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    Thank you! I figured it was calcium. Those eggs have tough shells, too, but are otherwise fine inside. Aside from their layer feed, they get some cracked corn snacks during the day and some BSF larvae to get them back into their run at the end of the day. They also have access to oyster shell...
  12. Dakar2009

    Strange Eggo

    Hi All, One of my hens occasionally lays these types of eggs. Just looks like extra material on the shell, and it rubs off with my fingernails. Internally the eggs are fine. Any idea why this is happening? I believe she was the last of group to start laying (all the same age). She's...
  13. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    I agree on their resiliency! It's actually quite amazing...but they do need our help sometimes. I did the cracked corn thing, too. They seemed surprised I gave them their corn snack crumbles so late in the day and even left them with a corn-snack cake in their coop. It was definitely pecked at...
  14. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    How did everyone do this weekend? Knock on wood, all 5 girls survived and were fairly active during the coldest day. The plastic wind block was a HUGE help for them. My water plate couldn't keep up but having to unfreeze it and put fresh water out once each day was a small price to pay for...
  15. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    We make due with what we have, that's for sure. I bought the radiant heater in advance of the last time the temps dropped here and had time to figure out the wiring. I sure wouldn't want to do it outside right now!
  16. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    If they are going to stay there overnight, I'd give them something to "roost" on so they can sleep okay. Are you letting them out of the dog crate at all? They could get very stressed out in such a small space, even over a short period of time. The extension cord through the 1/4" hardware cloth...
  17. Dakar2009

    14 chickens are 14 weeks old...someone's poo is brown and runny...do I need to take action?

    And it STINKS! If I'm working out near them when one of them does this, I know immediately. No cause for alarm...unless you step in it, lol
  18. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    I'm not going to ask where in MA you are, but our State is idiotic about chickens (at least many of the towns are closer to Boston). I don't have a permit for mine, and they can kiss my clucker if they think I am getting one. I bribe my neighbors with eggs and none of them care that I have the...
  19. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    Here is my attempt... Put 6 mil plastic sheeting up as a wind-break all around the run and a little higher in the corner where they sometimes roost outside. I closed "vent flap" I put on to deflect too much wind from going directly into the coop, but air can still flow past it. My radiant...
  20. Dakar2009

    Arctic Blast Coming - Any Suggestions?

    We are getting the same sudden but short-lived drop below freezing for about 36 hours. It's really only going to be bad overnight, so I'm hoping the radiant heat plate next to their roosting bar and their toasty body heat will get them through the evenings. This isn't wind-chill, this is "direct...
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