Chicken Tips - Take a Tip, Leave a Tip

[KirstenJL]

@fowlsessed, RE: Aquamiser. Nice! I'll have to give it a try.

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

When you get your coop remember that feed and water takes up space. Add 2-3 extra square feet if you need to for them.

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

It's perfectly all right to eat fertile eggs, or non-fertile eggs. They taste the same. Sometimes people wonder about that.

 

[ALRwild]

If you have too many chickens, don't kill them. Just come to me! I have a lot of extra space!

 

[Cass]

My father taught me a trick about getting chickens down from high rafters.
Use a garden rake and gently come under and behind them with it when they are quiet and roosting and gently tap (lift up) on the undersides of them. They will usually just step back onto the rake and you can slowly lower them down. It has never not worked for me and I don't know how I would have gotten them down if I didn't know this trick. Hope this helps.

WOW...thanks for that hint. I keep a rake in the coop (I use sand and it's easier to rake the poop into a pile and then pick up the pile than sift all that sand every day)

Up until I JUST read this, I have been poking their butt with a stick until they fall forward and then I either catch them or scoop them up when they hit the floor. (They hate this treatment and I try to limit it to just when there is an emergency, like I am giving one or two away or one is dripping blood from a torn nail all over the birds below her)

 

[fowlsessed]

Nic&Chickies :


It can be as simple as "Chick, chick, chick" in that High-pitched voice we--many of us-- seem to use when talking to our pets.

Just remember, if you must use the call, the chickens will expect treats!

My goat has learned to come to this call too!!!! Chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccccckkkkkkkkennnnnnnn!​

 

[fowlsessed]

I find a good farm dog very useful. I have two English Shepherds that keep my birds safe from predators when ranging, both from the ground and the air. Also, the dogs keep the chickens out of the front garden and off the porch. They can herd the hens back into their run if I need them put up in the middle of the day. The dogs keep unexpected visitors safe from the rooster. If the rooster tries to attack anyone, the dogs run interference and we have a short tussle where the little guy looses a few feathers and his dignity. They've never injured him. While the dogs sleep in the house, they do patrol the yard and surrounding area last thing before bedtime. Then they listen out for strange noises during the night. If they hear unexpected sounds, I let them out to deal with it. They have killed two possums and numerous snakes, mice, moles & voles. They keep the deer out of the vegetable garden. I have been the only one in my neighborhood that hasn't lost any chickens in the last 3 years (as long as I've had chickens)!

 

[tinalibnania]

You WILL find yourself looking at cute chicken butts MORE than you will looking at cute guy butts!

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

You can't just "get a couple". You will get about 3 times as many as you plan. I actually wanted 1, currently I have 5. And gonna get more this spring!