Well, I did my first big coop clean-out last month. It was about 10 months after first putting the chickens in there. I use pine shavings litter which I will stir and add shavings as needed (not often). But it's not as bad as it sounds because I installed a poop board under the roosts which I...
I don't have a lot of experience, but I have to wonder if having the satellite roos is making him hyper vigilant? I think he would still be a gentleman, but maybe he would eat more if he weren't so busy keeping his hens rounded up and the other roos at bay. Just a thought.
I had trouble at first too. What worked for me was to take them after they began to settle down, and lift them up to the roost. Every day or 2 more got the hint. Some held out for a while, but within a week or 2 all of them automatically went up to the roost on their own. Then one got too...
As PP said, you did the right thing, but you already knew that. I'm glad you did the right thing, even though it was a difficult decision to make. It is hard to dispatch an animal, but it's especially hard the first few times. You don't know what techniques will work best, or what kind of...
I have lost 1 chicken one time and 2 chickens another time when I did not shut the coop door before dark. Needless to say, I'm much more careful now! That said, I leave the pop door open to the run because something would have to rip open the wire or dig under to get in, and it hasn't been a...
I might have to try that catch the egg as it comes out thing. Right now I'm afraid I'd disturb them too much.
I am really pleased with Brunhilde. She is cross-beaked and was the last of 4 pullets to start laying. I was about to cull her, but she must known something was up, and now she's...
My son was playing in the chicken yard this morning, and I went in to check on him. I only counted 6 chickens and there should have been 7. (He leaves the gate open.) I only have 2 chickens laying right now, and one of my layers was hovering around the coop. So, I checked and the other layer...
I have 2 hens around 30 wks old that have been laying on and off for a few weeks now. I also have 3 pullets that are around 16 weeks, and I haven't had any eggs from them yet. Well, today when I checked the nest box, I noticed something strange on the floor of the coop. Turns out it was a...
To make sure they are fertile, I would crack a few and make an omelette. But before you break up the yolks, look at them. You should be able to tell if they're fertile or not. If you're getting fertile ones pretty consistently, then save them up for a hatch.
Here's a link with some very...
I have no idea, but I think they're beautiful!! Wish mine laid eggs that dark. As of now, they barely qualify as brown. Have your chickens always laid dark eggs, or is this a new phenomena?
Sounds to me like you could expect eggs anytime now! If you let them out in a yard, I would be checking under stuff to see if one might be laying already.
Some of the wing feathers are iridescent green, which would make me think roo. Females tend to be more drab. But I'm no expert and we don't know the breed, so who knows. Sorry I couldn't be more help.