is backyard chickens dying out or am I just SOL?

[Silkie Princess]

Usually the educators get tagged in every thread in the Emergency Forum and are busy helping people.

That too

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Lately BYC has filled up with a good number of members who are here only to chat with friends and fool around in the off topic sections.
Wishing you luck with replies!

 

[Iluveggers]

If you post an important question & can’t wait too long for a response (like need emergency medical help), wait 30 minutes and then post another comment to move it back up to the top. Sometimes there are so many new random ramblings or welcome threads that others get dropped to the bottom due to over activity.

 

[Silkie Princess]

Lately BYC has filled up with a good number of members who are here only to chat with friends and fool around in the off topic sections.
Wishing you luck with replies!

That's true.. A lot of new trolls and people who don't even have chickens and only stir up trouble, joined

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I think with covid and so many younger people at home, we are seeing people using the site as a chat room. This too will pass, just be patient and hang in there.

 

[Zoohtasim]

Taking into consideration of what all of you guys said, I'd say another reason would be BYC not dying out, instead it becoming more popular.

Let me explain. BYC has been gaining a ton of new members since I joined and most are here to take help from others (including myself, I joined for help) and the problem is, when these people start giving advices when they dont know the subject material. Experienced members will see the replies and see that a thread has let's say 6 replies and they'll think "Oh this person got help, okay next one" but in reality the replies that thread got is probably something like "Oooooh I'd love to help but I can't haha" and THAT hampers how much actual help you're gonna get A LOT

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is this website dying out? Last year I had to come on here several times for issues with my chickens(I was a new coop mom, so every little thing scared me) but I ALWAYS got responses super fast. Like at least three in just minutes. Now I have to wait hours for even one response, and sometimes it’s not even advice… should I be using different tags? Is there a way to get my posts to be seen by more people or is this website just not as popular as it was a year ago? Really not trying to complain, I just need more help! Google can’t help like chicken people can.

I live in the northeastern US. I post at different times of day though. I’ve posted in the middle of the night, morning, afternoon, right when I get home from work, and I’ve still had pretty crummy luck.

do you know a good time of day to post if I’m in the New England area of the US?

BYC is not dying out, it's extremely popular. What exactly are you looking for?
You are getting responses to your threads. Apparently, when you get a response and it's not good enough, you start another thread hoping for more replies? Maybe this is why you aren't getting that many responses.
It's understandable that you want help with whatever questions you may have, but sometimes when you get a suggestion, then consider this as your starting point for researching a condition, treatment, etc. and continue to search for answers/solutions on your own while waiting for another response.

Basically, when you do this, your telling the folks who do take the time to respond to you that their answer/suggestion/post is not good enough and you want a second, third, fourth....opinion.

Most Recent Thread - You have 4 Replies
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-think-my-barred-rock-is-dying-please-help.1511804/

Same hen - 3 Replies. Granted, you didn't get but one reply initially, so started another thread because you wanted more replies, but the 2 got merged... https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/egg-mites-egg-bound-hen.1511650/page-2

Another Hen - 2 threads. 1st one, you got 4 replies. Looks like you started the second thread about the same issue the next day - you were referenced back to your initial thread - you got 2 educators that gave good suggestions.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what’s-wrong-with-my-leghorn-warning-graphic-images.1509593/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...shell-eggs-and-has-very-swollen-vent.1509631/

Same issue. 2 threads the same day. You got replies on both.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/laying-while-molting.1503356/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/egg-with-no-shell-at-all.1503385/


Why would it not be perfectly acceptable? There's NO avian vets here. We are not experts, we are chicken keepers just like you. We volunteer our time to try to help other folks, we have our own animals, family, jobs, etc. etc. to take care of as well.

The problem is that there aren't a lot of chicken experts or avian vets on here. And the ones that are aren't online 24/7. And that's perfectly acceptable... But I know how annoying it is when you post something urgent and don’t get replies. Hang in there

 

[AGeese]

You can place me in the novice rank, so take any of my advice with that in mind. I'll only comment if it's something I've dealt with or have had success with. I would hope people could reach out to a local Vet, but there's books on care out there as well if you don't have access to a Vet. When I'm done reading them I'll considering reviewing them for others. No promises as to when!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I try to do the same. If I am not familiar with the issue, I usually just don't comment. I have to be honest, it really bothers me when people who do not know what they are talking about, give information to some poor person who is just trying to get help for their chicken. And if you give differing information (even if you are right) it starts a back and forth like school kids. I have just not responded when challenged. And felt really sorry for the poor person who started the thread and their bird.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is this website dying out? Last year I had to come on here several times for issues with my chickens(I was a new coop mom, so every little thing scared me) but I ALWAYS got responses super fast. Like at least three in just minutes. Now I have to wait hours for even one response, and sometimes it’s not even advice… should I be using different tags? Is there a way to get my posts to be seen by more people or is this website just not as popular as it was a year ago? Really not trying to complain, I just need more help! Google can’t help like chicken people can.

Depends on the time of year usually. People have more interest in poultry, and poultry related topics during the spring and summer in my experiences here. Winter is generally the slow time in the hobby.

Also it depends on what you are asking. The more technical a question the longer it takes for the right person to read your post.