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Over the past few years I've struggled to keep my flock cool on the really sweltering summer days. Neither meat birds nor laying hens like to get sprayed with water. This summer I tried turning the hose nozzle on "MIST" and hooked it on the fence. Voila! Most every broiler waddled in and...

I've got 10 Gold Star layer chicks in a 4' X 8' well insulated, draft-free coop in Zone 3 (northern Wisconsin). I started the chicks late in the season. They are now 9 weeks old. I've obviously been heating the coop up to this point. Outdoor temps have been down to 20 degrees F. at night...

I finally took the plunge and bought a tub-style chicken plucker. I decided on the EZ Plucker Model 131 from CCOnly.com because it had the same 1 HP motor and 119 rubber fingers as the Featherman Pro which cost about twice as much. I ordered the EZ Plucker over the phone on a Monday, since...

I was frustrated with the cost of wood shavings and how quickly they get damp and matted down with all the poo from Cornish X. I decided to try pine needles and was pleasantly surprised. I put a layer about 8" thick in their coop, tossed some D.E. in the mix, and used a pitchfork to turn and...

Due to weather conditions I will be processing my 24 broilers this weekend and will probably have at least 25 lbs. of organic chick grower (16% protein) left over. Can I feed this (in small amounts) to my layer flock over time to get rid of it? Even a cup or two a day for the 10 hens would...

After reading through many posts about whether or not meat birds and egg layers could be raised together, I decided to give it a try. Here's how I did it, and what I learned: I ordered 11 day-old, heavy brown egg layers (4 different kinds), 2 bantam Cochin roo's, and 13 jumbo cornish cross...

I have 18 Cornish X that are 6 weeks old. My roo's weigh in at 8 pounds now. Both hens and roo's are looking healthy and moving around fine, but they are "plopping down" harder and more often than they used to. I'm trying to decide whether it's wise to try to keep them alive another week for...

Anyone know how to properly can the chicken stock in Frugal's post? Wondering about processing time in the pressure canner. (I'm assuming you can't use a water bath process due to the lack of acid)

Is there some sort of time-table for when a Cornish X bird goes from fryer to broiler to roaster (week by week)? Is there much difference in meat quality and tenderness between these stages, or is it more an issue of the size of the finished bird?

One of my 5-week old cornish cross hens has a STRANGE sudden problem - her head extends out from her body at a weird angle, to one side. (If 12 o'clock is where her head should be pointing, it's at about 2 o'clock now!) She is still walking around. No outward signs of injury. I plan to cull...

I've got 18 straight run meaties in a 4X8 coop under a red heat lamp, temp carefully controlled with thermometer at floor level. Now feeding 12 on, 12 off. They are doing beautifully(remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!) Just wondering about a behavior that started yesterday . . ...

Yesterday I picked up 18 Cornish Cross chicks and a bag of broiler starter from the local feed store (a small-time outfit!) and when I got home and opened the bag, it was damp and REEKED. After getting the chicks settled, I ran back to the feed store and exchanged it for another bag, which was...

Sequel to: The PROPER way to chip away at frozen chicken poo 1. It is quintessentially important to choose the proper TIME to medicate the chicken. Avoid long leisurely periods of the day. Choose a time that will ensure maximum stress, such as 5 minutes before leaving for work...

Spring melt-down got your coop run looking like a mine field? Delay no longer. Follow these handy hints and get that run looking ship-shape in no time: 1. First, you must dress properly. Wear glasses or ski goggles. Avoid anything with cuffs. Avoid anything which is wooly or pilled, which...

I've kept Blu-Kote on my hen's bare patches for around 3 months now. (Culprit rooster was rehomed!) Is there any danger of consuming eggs when a hen needs long-term use of an anti-pick medication?

I've kept Blue-Kote on my hen's bare patches on my hen's back and head for around 3 months now. (Rooster rehomed long ago). As soon as the Blu-Kote wears off, the other hens peck at her bald head. I'm thinking the feathers won't return til moult. Is there any danger of consuming eggs when...

I was just browsing online at www.solutions.com and saw a clear plastic egg keeper that looks like it would be airtight. (Stackable, too) It got me to wondering, why do we generally keep eggs in non-airtight containers if the whites slowly evaporate through the shell and cause staleness...

I have one hen that got beat up pretty badly by my rooster (she was his favorite). I re-homed the roo, but it's been a good 6 or 8 weeks, and the feathers on her back have not regrown. She also has a bald spot on her head which has not regrown. I have had to keep Neosporin and Blu-Kote on her...

My pop door is hinged at the bottom, and the door forms a ramp when opened. Well, the chickens are pooping all over their ramp, and it's freezing to the wood so that even a shovel won't scrape it off (it's been in the single digits for weeks). Now the door won't close and seal properly...

I have 7 hens of various breeds, all laying nicely. Most of the eggs are very smooth similar to store-bought eggs, but a few have very rough shells that feel like sandpaper. Does this indicate a dietary deficiency or is it normal? They are on layer feed, plus finely crushed eggshells and they...