Thanks. I'll have to look for the one I mix up myself. I got a spray bottle and did the entire coop and run with it. Got the ladies a little too. Was my quickest option to start tackling the issue right away since I have work and all.
The bottle I got says to re-apply every 28 days. I'm...
On day 1 I left them alone. After that I handled them daily. Let them out and run around with me sitting with them. I'd make a warm spot on a towel and sit with my legs crossed and let them chill there.
The real benefit is that those ones are very easy to handle. I can walk over and just pick...
I know the local co-op has a spray that is supposed to be for chickens. Last year I used DE in the coop and didn't have too many problems. They just recently sprang up now that it's staying warm.
I'd rather not cut open my girl. I know she's gone and couldn't feel it. But I have my ladies for eggs, not meat. So it's pretty offputting to do something like that.
I was concerned about buying from Lowe's as I have no clue where they source their straw from. But I imagine the scale at which they sell it, probably larger commercial farming operations. Which makes me think more use of sprays.
I got all my stuff from the local Co-Op. Same problem though...
I am trying to use as few plastics and chemicals in my garden as possible. I'll make wooden raised beds over time. But for now we are trying the straw garden. See what works.
This morning I found my black hen, CoCo, dead, on her side in the nesting box. I was reading previous threads and people suggested if their comb was a dark purple, it might be a heart attack. In my girl's case, her comb and wattle were very pale. She has a pretty red set usually.
***Edit***
She...
It's worth a shot to pick up a few bails of straw and see if it works. Only concern would be that most commercial operations use Roundup in production. I'd really like to avoid that if possible.
Perhaps I can source some localy grown. Before I moved on this propety my grandparents would let a...
Potatoes do well here. My great grandfather had a potatoe field that my dad owns now. There's been decades of potatoes. So I'm hoping I can get them going up on my place too.
I tried beans in my raised bed and had no luck previously. But maybe I'll try them this year in the clay. See how they do.
TLDR Version: Hard clay and rock ground. Gets super wet when it rains a lot. Does drain eventually though. Gets full sun in most of the area. What can I Grow here? If I can't get veggies going I might just make a fruit tree orchard next year.
Full Story:
I have this space I want to try to grow...
I'll admit it. I was a bit lazy at collecting my eggs when it was cold. One of the girls would lay on them every morning. At one point, maybe 3 weeks ago, I brought a batch of eggs in. They were probably about a week old at that point.
Today, I opened one for my dog and about died from the...
Thanks. I've read conflicting opinions on it. I haven't seen anything scientific. But it does seem to me it's better to keep them on a natural cycle. One big point I took away is that it's good to have that break during the winter.
No, I did not. At appears to be just molting. I don't see evidence of mites in their coop or on her. It's kind of cold for them right now.
After her feathers dropped she quickly had the little pin feathers come in. She's back to fully feathered. I'm kind of curious about when she will get back...
My Rhode Island Red, Lemon, started molting in November. She dropped feathers on her chest, belly, back, and saddle areas.
I'm hoping someone can point me to a good read on the molting process. How long can it go on, how long before she starts laying again? Will all her feathers be replaced or...
I assume she has silkie in her. I like the little poofs. I debated on adding light in the coop in the evening. Currently gets dark at 4:30-5. However, I read that laying like it's summer all year round causes them to live shorter (possibly). Having the break in winter, they live longer and will...
Picked up 3 barnyard breed chickens from a local farm.
2 pullets and one laying hen.
I can't remember how old she estimated the pullets to be. I believe the second pullet, Sage, is laying now. I saw her in the nesting box and there was an egg there later that wasn't before.
I already have two...
My Barred Rock, Fennel, is surely a girl, right?
She is 15 weeks old in this photo. She is now 18 weeks old. No eggs yet. The Buff Orpington, Ginger, is the same age. No eggs either. But Ginger is doing the little squat thing when they let the rooster get on them. Fennel isn't.
Judging by her...
I have about an acre of area I free range my ladies in. Lots of grass and bordered by woods with a variety of trees. My dad tells me I need to spray the yard for fleas and ticks. Just the other day I pulled more than 10 ticks off of me from doing yard work.
I'm concerned about my flock being...