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Recently all of my birds were killed by a raccoon with the exception of the rooster. I used to have 5 hens. Today I am going to pick up 4 four-week old birds (sex unknown) same variety as the rooster (but these are a cross). Can anyone give me tips on when and how to introduce these new birds...

until two weeks ago I had 5 wonderful laying hens that had been laying for two months and a rooster. Today I only have a rooster. Over the course of 10 days a raccoon got my hens. A few days ago I got the raccoon. I am building a more secure run as I write this message. So here is the...

I read on a different post from about a year back that while plastic poultry netting may not be effective in keep predators out it will at least keep the chickens in. I bought rolls of plastic poultry netting from Lowes last week and finished installing it 3 days ago, creating a 100 ft. run...

I am a beginner and while I have read about unusual laying behaviors my experience strikes me as very weird. I have a small coop about 5 X7. The inside is about 6' tall. Near the door and next to roosting bars I placed a homemade feeder that is about 4' high and about 12" square. The sides...

We have 5 hens + 2 roos (should have only been one) On Saturday we found our first egg but none since. The birds have been in the coop 24/7 because of the foot of snow on the ground so I know I have not missed seeing an egg. Is it normal when a hen first starts to lay to have that many days...

Thanks for your replies. I will mix layer in with the starter when they start to lay - that is a simple and obvious solution I should have realized. I am unsure about Oyster shell even though I have read a little about it. Do I keep it separate from feed or add it in with the feed. I guess...

For my waterer in my small coop a few weeks back I constructed a simple water heater using a ceramic base with a standard light bulb. This was placed in a tin about 12 inches high and I used the lid as the base. I drilled a small hole for the cord which runs to a theromostatically controlled...

I will likely run out of my most recent bag of starter feed when my flock of 7 (with at least 1 rooster and possibly 2) when they will be about 16-17 weeks old. If I buy another bag of starter I'll be using it after they would likely should start to lay eggs. If I buy the laying feed I would...

I just finished building a small coop and run for my seven 5 1/2 week old chicks on Sunday. It has been unusually warm the past couple of days (60+) but it is going to start to cool down after tomorrow. The past few days has been their first time outdoors ever. At what daytime temps should I...

There is no practical way I can raise the nest boxes because of how the coop was built. I'd have to build an additon and I can't really do that now. It looks like I need to raise the roost bar and the poop tray to give space underneath unless someone has a bright idea i have not thought of.

My nest boxes are essentially the same height - just a 2x4 higher than the floor base - so no space underneath. I also have a roost bar across the coop and beneath that I am building a a screened tray I saw photos of for easy removal of the the waste/litter. Because of the roost bar above does...

I have read about the 4 sq ft per chicken information a few times. Are the nesting boxes included in the calculation for a coop size? I have 6 growing hens and one rooster. I am hurrying to finish buidling their coop at this moment. They are just over 4 weeks old. I am a few sq. ft (about...

My first chicks (7) arrived yesterday and we are excited to have them. I have read that 24 hour lighting stresses chickens. However, right now I have to keep the red heat lamp on 24 hours a day in their brooder in my garage/workshop and it looks like I am going to have to do this for the long...

Shelly and Quail QT, Thanks for your replies. I too live in PA - north central in the little town of Mansfield. The bag is shavings - not chips as was written. They are light for the most part with no cedar smell but I agree that the source of the shavings should be made clear.

For the first two weeks I am going to use paper towels for litter when my first chicks arrive next week. Planning ahead I bought a bale of wood chips from Tractor Supply to use down the road. I noticed later that there was no specific indication on the bag what kind of wood was used and it...