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We've been raising broilers for 3 years now, and as we've increased the size of our flock, I have a new problem I'm not sure how to address. We use Salatin style tractors and organic feed. We do not overcrowd the cages, but our Cornish X birds are growing at very different rates. At six...

After killing 2 of my meat chickens last night, this Great Horned Owl tried to squeeze through the electric poultry fence and became seriously tangled. I had to call a wildlife rehab person to come and cut him out of my fence, argh!. He has gone to live in another county and hopefully we'll...

After killing 2 of my meat chickens last night, this Great Horned Owl tried to squeeze through the electric poultry fence and became seriously tangled. I had to call a wildlife rehab person to come and cut him out of my fence, argh!. He has gone to live in another county and hopefully we'll...

We left our birds to free range on Saturday--they usually put themselves to bed every night, but this time we found some of them walking around our property the next morning. We found a set of wings laying on the ground that looked as if they had almost been surgically removed. No other...

We've been raising meat chickens for a while now, and would like to add turkeys next year. We're accustomed to grocery store turkey, and like that traditional taste in a bird we raise ourselves. Any suggestions? Which breed do you prefer?

We allow our laying hens to free range outside their run in the late afternoon/evening. Some of them have gone missing with no evidence as to what's happened to them--until this week when our neighbor told us he saw a Great Horned Owl carrying one of my hens away! Two days later we found this...

I ordered $114.00 worth of egg cartons from eggboxes.com on March 28th. Even after 4 phone calls to them I have not received my cartons. They keep promising to send replacements but I've not seen them yet. The same man answers the customer service line when I call, and he claims to not know...

Out of my mixed flock of 35 hens, I have one BA that continues to pull out her own tail feathers. She doesn't seem to be eating them. Just pulling them out and leaving them on the ground. I have seen some white specks on her back but they don't seem to be bugs, just feather "stuff" or dander...

This is probably the worst time of year to add to my flock but in the last few weeks I've increased my flock from 5 the 35 hens. I've enlarged and insulated my coop so they're warm. I've added light with a timer so they're getting 14 hrs of light. I'm still only getting 2-3 eggs per day. MY...

At the risk of hearing "I told you so" I purchased some new pullets from a couple of backyard growers 2 weeks ago and bought a problem. I wasn't dilligent enough, and one of them snuck a sick hen into my cage when I wasn't looking. I bought 20 laying hens from two different sellers, so I'm not...

We've been free-ranging our hens in the afternoons. At dusk the girls put themselves to bed and my dh goes out and locks them in. (Thinking it would keep them safe from predators.) This evening, he strolled outside just in time to see a hawk come sweeping into the yard. My chickens scattered...

I have five hens who live very happily in the 3 X 5 hen house on wheels (Chez Shelly) that my husband built for me. My question is about the size of the run we attached. Since it's built on a wagon base, we move it every day to the pasture, the garden and in the yard. The girls get fresh...

My Cornish X chicks are 12 days old and I haven't restrict their food yet, but they are becoming less active. Today I have a chick that is crawling around the brooder--not walking. He takes a few steps occasionally. He seems to be able to get water OK, will restricting food be enough to...

My Cornish X chicks are 12 days old and I haven't restrict their food yet, but they are becoming less active. Today I have a chick that is crawling around the brooder--not walking. He takes a few steps occasionally. He seems to be able to get water OK, will restricting food be enough to...

My first flock of meat chickens are five weeks old now and weigh between 14 oz. and 2 lbs. I got red broilers and Turkens from Ideal and they threw in a bunch of packing peanuts that I think are Cornish Rocks. My processor wants me to give him 2-weeks notice to schedule a date for butchering...

Ok, so I've been weighing and photographing a few members of my meaties flock to document how long it takes to grow them out, how much feed I'm using vs. the amount of weight they are putting on, etc. And this morning I was documenting their 3-week old numbers. I have 25 birds and record only...

I noticed someone mention that they give their chicks toys. What sort toys do you give them? I have notice that at three weeks old my flock likes to play, (running, flying, pecking at imaginary things) and I thought toys might keep them occupied. Any suggestions? I have added a couple...

My chicks arrived this morning in the mail, all are healthy except this one. It is very unsteady on it's feet and keeps tipping over, falling down, and holding his head sideways. He keeps tipping over and laying on his back with his feet in the air. When I think he is dead, he perks back up...

My chicks arrived this morning (post office called me at 6:35 am!) I ordered 7 red broilers and 6 naked necks from Ideal-and ended up with 26 chicks !?! All alive and doing well so far. Guess DH will be building a bigger brooder this weekend. My Plastic tote brooder will not work for long...

My first batch of meat chickens will be arriving next week (from ideal) and I need to order feed from my local organic farm. I'm trying to figure out how much starter and how much grower I will need. How long do you keep you meat birds on chick starter? I have ordered a few naked necks and a...