Joined today after losing two chickens :-(

Pics
Date sort Score sort
About the only thing I know of that will kill a chicken and leave it without having dinner are some breeds of dogs. They Play with the chicken until it becomes lifeless and then drop it. A fox or coon could be responsible, but far less likely as they would have taken at least one with them, even if escaping. Fox and Coyotes are notorious for leaving little to no evidence that they were there. They grab the bird and keep on running.
 
cuilleree said:
Thanks. I see yours are inside--is that a regular thing? YES How do you avoid messes? LOTS OF PAPER TOWELING We'd like to have ours inside more, but the pooping is a problem...
Click to expand...
Inside only as visitors; most kept in the coop,bbbbuuuuutttttt...there is a serama hen brooding eggs in the bathtub and two youngsters in a tub in the kitchen.
 
byc1-chicken-feed1.gif

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. I lost one of my girls last year to an unknown predator and it's heartbreaking. But I think it's wonderful to look forward to new chicks! I just added 3 babies this last spring and the integration went perfect. I used the information I found in some articles here and I truly believe those methods are much easier than integrating mature/adolescent birds together, without the added hassle of quarantine and risk of introducing disease. Hatchery chicks come straight from a sterilized environment so risk is very minimal.

Here's those super helpful articles:
Kick The Heat Lamp: Better, Safer And Healthier Options To Heat Your Brooder
Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors
You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
Integrating at 4 weeks old

and also:
Mama Heating Pad
Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’

I like a mixed flock, so you could get any breeds that appeal to you too. When they grow up together they don't know any different (Buff Orps are pretty docile so they do have a tendency to get picked on if put in with other adult chickens). With chicks you still have to use the See But Don’t Touch method, but I still introduced them during the first week and had them free range together (supervised) in the front and back yards. The big girls actually ran away from the little tiny ones! Then eventually, my older girls would "cluck" them over to the best dust bath areas and hang out spots... so cute!
IMG_0497.JPG 20180626_085614.jpg brooder-integration6-18 2 2.jpg

I'm sure your girl would love to take on a leadership role, but if you do decide to keep her in the house, there are a few threads about that too:
Chickens as House Pets? Opinions and Views
House Chickens thread for people that have them
People with house chickens

Best wishes!
 
Welcome to Backyard Chickens! We are glad you joined the flock!:welcome BYC is a helpful site providing all of the information you need to know about poultry. There is always space for members on the BYC roost!:highfive: I have complete sympathy for your loss. :hugs There is nothing more devastating than going in your coop to find a dead chicken in there. Of course, its a common incident with all chicken owners. Do you by any chance know if they were nocturnal predators? Hope you enjoy it here as much as we all do!
 
Welcome to BYC.
:yesss: We are glad you joined this flock!
Jump right in and make yourself at home.

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops

BYC has an APP!
 
So sorry for your loss. My friend has house chickens for some 30 years - I think she must have been the pioneer house chicken lady. She has had as many as 3-4 in the house but usually more like 2. She just kept cleaning supplies handy and wiped up as soon as she saw a mess. Her house DID NOT SMELL, I had visits there now and then.

She is currently chicken less, her last three got ill within a day or so of each other. They had the same symptoms, could not stand but, would eat well if hand fed. I suspect it was Mareks disease. She lost 2 serama and 1 silkie - all hens. Only the silkie was allowed outside because she didn't fly.

She has been seeking a frizzle hen for some time.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom