Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[La Casa de Pollo]

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Doing it in the morning. Thanks!

 

[Beekissed]

Any OTs keep chickens in a run instead of free range? If so, have you ever had trouble with feather picking? If not, why do you feel this is so? If you have, what did you do to stop it?

 

[bobbi-j]

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Huh. After reading somewhere that they were great layers and great broodies, I bought one last year. I thought mine was defective. It seems mine isn't the only one. She is on the list to go this year.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Owned a nice flock of 25 chickens for about 10 yrs.................then had a 20 yr. long break with no chickens...........recently got my small coop and a nice, large run built for my 3 or 4 chickens that my daughter plans on giving me in a few more weeks after her chicks get all feathered out and a little bigger.

I am having to re-learn everything about taking care of chickens.

I read this board almost every night.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

That was why I got BO's they were nice & chunky, and were said to be great layers. I have 6 who were born the first week of May, as were my 3 BR. I know my 3 BR are laying every day, I can tell them apart by size & beak color. So with 9 hens all the same age, and my 3 EE, 2 weeks younger, only 2 are laying almost every day & the other every other day. I should be getting at least 10 eggs, but am getting 5 - 7 eggs. So I know some of my BO are not laying.

OT, would using some of that Halloween wash off hair dye on them (just a spritz) cause the others to pick at them. I would like to spray a spot on the BO as they leave the nesting box after they lay, just to find out who is not laying yet. I know 4 of the 6 are laying, but if I could find out who are not the consistent layers, sell them & get some in the spring who are good layers.

I enjoy a mixed flock, it is easy to head count while they are free ranging or at bed time.

Am no where near to being an OT, but I do run & free range. They are in the run about 1/2 the day, until my youngest gets out of school, and if I am going to be home, they get let out in the yard. The only time there is a fuss, is when our roo, Owl gets frisky, first thing in the morning, or just before bed time. But knock wood, no feather picking, they have been in their run for almost 6 months. In the spring I am going to expand their run an additional 10 x 10 off the main run, it will encompass the oak tree, and provide more shade for them this next summer.

 

[loanwizard]

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Wait..... I have to add that to my recipe book...... add 1 or so glugs of apple cider vinegar to taste.....

I almost spit pepsi on my screen when I read that!

 

[Clay Mudd]

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Is that a metric glug or Imperial?

I already know that it has to be organic, dolphin-safe, cruelty-free, free-trade ACV.

 

[galanie]

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Is that a metric glug or Imperial?

I already know that it has to be organic, dolphin-safe, cruelty-free, free-trade ACV.

The most important part, it must be dolphin-safe!

 

[Clay Mudd]

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I'd hate for my chickies to feel guilty about the dolphins!

 

[Terri O]

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You know RH--I think I have the same kind of chickens! There are a few that "went wild" and live in the top of my barn. I know there are a couple of game Roos up there, all the hens have a little top hat on them and this year they hatched one that has a beard and muffs AND a top hat! They dont go into the coop, can avoid the dogs and predators (for the most part) and seem to exist on stuff they find around! One hen broods 4 clutches a summer and I think raises every baby! Tough birds!
Terri O