revmichael - sorry for the late response. I keep an organic egg wash mixture in a spray bottle. I can then spray one egg - or a dozen eggs and wash under warm running water. Quick spray - rinse - dry. I keep the spray bottle right next to the sink. It's the easiest way to wash eggs that...
I had a strange thing happen this week. I had seven new chicks (hatched Sunday) in a separate pen with a broody. When I checked on them Wednesday, I noticed that one chick had something on one of its eyes. I picked it up to look closely and saw that eye had been pecked out! The socket was...
I would never buy from GFF again. I made a large (for me) purchase - over $1000 for some chicks from 3 different breeds. I paid extra for same day air shipment so that the chicks had the best chance of doing well. The female Rhodebar chicks that I paid $99 each for turned out not to be pure...
I got some chicks at Poultry Hollow a year and a half ago. I was very pleased with the chicks - and the place looked clean and well cared for while I was there. So no complaints from me. I must've been there on a good day, though, because I've heard many stories of bad experiences since then...
As far as an inexpensive ready-made small coop, I would recommend the guy in Monteagle who advertises on Craigslist. For $175, you can get a great little coop on wheels that will hold a few chickens. The small one is perfect also to separate a broody hen or to keep a breeding pair. He...
I have had almost the same luck with cream legbars - out of four eggs - 3 were boys, 1 girl. That has happened twice. And the larger hatches have had similar ratios. ALWAYS lots more boys than girls. Right now I have two broody hens - and they each have 5 cream legbar eggs under them. I'll...
I finally found a roo guy! He eats most of them - but I figure at least the roos had a few weeks or months here on the farm - which is a lot better life than commercial birds have. It sure makes hatching easier if you have someone that'll take the extra roos.
Although (for about the...
I've had two chickens try to attack me - both roosters. They were both given away via Craigslist within a couple days. I won't keep an aggressive chicken. I don't know what Billie's behavior indicates except that she's challenging you. There are articles here on BYC about ways to treat...
The coop looks great. I agree about lowering the roosting pole a bit. Adding the poop shelf will give them a lower place to jump, too. I think your coop should easily handle 6 large chickens (4 sq. ft each). Perhaps even a couple more since they have so much room outside for them during the day.
I have eggs in the bator due to hatch Wednesday. I have two hens that went broody this week. Should I put the eggs under the broodies? Will their instinct be screwed up if chicks hatch less than 3 days after they start brooding eggs?
Don't know if anyone if still following this thread, but I had a question. I've spent the past hour on internet and BYC searches trying to find the answer. I read this entire thread - but if the answer is there, I've missed it.
I am considering vaccinating my entire flock. I've had a couple...
DaddyBird - where are you located? I wouldn't mind having another cat around here - but only if they're outdoor cats and can help with keeping mice away.
I'm excited that today is hatch day for the CLB eggs under my CLB hen. She's been such a good and faithful broody for the past three...
When eggs are under a broody hen, they're touching. It doesn't matter. If it bothers you, you can put them in egg trays to hatch. I've done that lots of times.
I know you wrote "no predators" but the "heads off" part sounds like predators to me. Is it possible for mice, rats or other predators to dig under the brooder since it's outside? Even broilers would still be fairly small at only a week old. So it wouldn't take a large predator to get them...