I posted this earlier in Behaviors & Egg laying forum and didn't get any help. This forum is probably where I should have started. Hope someone has an idea of what's going on. Please read:
I have a 1/12 yr old RIR hen that is going through a heavy molt. A few days ago I noticed she was...
I have a 1/12 yr old RIR hen that is going through a heavy molt. A few days ago I noticed she was walking in a crouched position. She doesn't do it all the time. She CAN run and walk upright, however she seems to be in this crouched position most of the time. Sometimes I SEE HER STAGGER AS...
Our 12 hens (1 1/2 yrs old) used to roost on........well, their roost! They've been molting for a while and aren't laying hardly at all. Now, we have several hens who go nighty-night in the nest boxes. Is this normal when they're going through the molt? Anyone else have this problem? What...
My 12 hens are giving us about 1 egg per day. This has been going on for nearly 3 months. They are molting.....the evidence is there. My question: If we lengthen the light hours per day to 15, will this get them laying again or will it be Spring before we start getting more eggs? I guess if...
Our 12 hens are going through the 1 1/2 year molt. They've been going through it for what seems like FOREVER now!! (Actually, about 2 1/2 to 3 months). We are getting 1 egg a day. If we're lucky, we get 2. Sometimes none. The girls look ok, except for 2 hens who are looking pretty shaggy...
I'm not worried about our hens being too cold this winter, but I AM worried about freezing combs/waddles when the coop temp gets below freezing. I have 14 fully feathered hens (BA, RIR, BO & BR) and an 8x8 non-insulated coop with a ventilated ridge. I use a heated waterer so freezing water...
I have a flock of 14 six month old laying hens. I've noticed two hens which are always getting picked on. I've seen a couple hens who constantly are running them off, pecking at them....even keeping them from going/staying in a nesting box. I have one and sometimes two eggs on the floor and I...
I've been using pine shavings as bedding in our coop. Just bought a new bag and after getting it home I see the owner gave me wood shavings instead of pine. To be exact it's called Brightside Blue Ribbon Bedding - 100% Prime Quality Wood Shavings. The company's website gives absolutely no...
We live on 20 heavily wooded acres with a fairly clear area of about 5 acres where the house, shed, pond and coop are. All is surrounded by woods. This is in Central Illinois and we have many different kinds of predators. So far we've had the most trouble with racoons. We started with 16...
A racoon got in our run three days ago. Killed one chicken and injured another. Luckily I was just going out to put the "girls" to bed and scared him away before he did any more damage. The injured chick is a Black Australorp. She was stunned....probably in shock when I found her. She...
Hi All - I've read posts many times at BYC to help me as I learn about raising chickens. Finally decided to quit lurking and join! DH and I live on 20 heavily wooded acres in the Midwest. We have 14 two month old hens. 6 Black Australorps, 4 Rhode Island Reds, 3 Barred Rocks and one Buff...