Texas

[tjo804]

Have you ever checked for mites? Look through his feathers if you see tiny moving dots or lil white clusters at the base of the feathers then you got mites.

No signs of either of those not even on the perches tonite even looked underneath.

I do have either large mice or small rats in there I am having the darnedest time trying to get rid of.

 

[jockeyeba]

Magnolia here,

First time to raise 8 Aussie ladies. They are 8 weeks old and growing quickly and boy can they put away the feed. I have enjoyed watching them mature and explore and play in their run. I have 4 nesting boxes and worry that while they use the bottom two even now that they may not use the other two positioned just above them and possibly become to crowded to lay eggs. Any words of advice?

Only need 1 nesting box per 4 hens, doesn't matter how many you have they all want to lay in the same one anyway

 

[txnative]

I have 2 boxes for 5 hens and one of the boxes is rarely used!

 

[hungnguyen]

Quote:
Mice and rats are my number 1 cause of missing eggs. Racoons getting worse in Cedar Creek/Bastrop area, and they also cause missing eggs. Both are hard to get rid off as.. they keep having more.

 

[hungnguyen]

Help please...
My banny rooster Bean Has so really red skin around his vent should I put bag balm on it or is this a sign of something else?


it looks kind of chapped like a bad diaper rash.

This mostly caused by mite and he is biting himself. It will get worse as this will lead to infection in this wet sensitive area. The first priority is getting rid of the mite, and the best medicine for this is mixing Malathion with water (ratio is 20% Malathion/80% water) and spray. Once mite is gone, then treat the infection with other antibiotic and infection cream, there are lots of remedy for this. Let the bird loose, or rotate coop a lot, he will dust bath himself and help preventing mite problem.

 

[TexasLisa]

I talked to my mom and she thinks Janet's idea is a really good one. I think I will pick up the silkie chicks this weekend. I have everything I need for them right now. I just need to borrow Brynn's heat light. I cancelled my heat plate order. Now I may never need it. I am saving money!

Car is fixed and back home. I don't go out much, but I really like having the car here in case I want to. I feel so trapped when the car is gone.

YIPPEE!! I am so glad you have your car back and the price went down! Good luck on getting your chicks and coop!

Do they have polls tall enough for 7 ft fencing? Hubby said it would make a good pen. I may put the shorter version around my garden to keep the chickens out. Our chicken yard is still open with 4ft fencing around it. I still worry about hawks as I hear them daily.

Magpiesing and Miss Jellybean: If you are worried about hawks, use fishing line as a deterrent over the chicken run. I have had mine up for 2 years now. I just crisscrossed it like a spider web. No more air attacks! I have had to place one or two lines in a 2 year period. I even had a large branch fall on it and it held it up off the ground. I don't remember the forum I was reading it on or I would give credit, but one lady had streamers and flags around the chicken run.

Magnolia here,

First time to raise 8 Aussie ladies. They are 8 weeks old and growing quickly and boy can they put away the feed. I have enjoyed watching them mature and explore and play in their run. I have 4 nesting boxes and worry that while they use the bottom two even now that they may not use the other two positioned just above them and possibly become to crowded to lay eggs. Any words of advice?

Congratulations on your Aussie ladies! Aren't they adorable? I have 4 of them this time around and I just love them. I called them my Black Beauties. Wait till the sun shines on their feathers--beautiful! They are sweet and boy do they love to talk to you! Don't worry about your nest boxes. You have plenty. They just like to use the same one!

Mice and rats are my number 1 cause of missing eggs. Racoons getting worse in Cedar Creek/Bastrop area, and they also cause missing eggs. Both are hard to get rid off as.. they keep having more.

Hung, they are NOT coming from my area!

Lisa

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Does anyone have silkie chicks for sale?

Where are you located? The DFW area Craig's list has lots of silkies listed.

YIPPEE!! I am so glad you have your car back and the price went down! Good luck on getting your chicks and coop!

Magpiesing and Miss Jellybean: If you are worried about hawks, use fishing line as a deterrent over the chicken run. I have had mine up for 2 years now. I just crisscrossed it like a spider web. No more air attacks! I have had to place one or two lines in a 2 year period. I even had a large branch fall on it and it held it up off the ground. I don't remember the forum I was reading it on or I would give credit, but one lady had streamers and flags around the chicken run.


Lisa

Thank you I am getting some netting to put over my run. It is the kind that keeps birds off fruit trees.

 

[lovingmyhens]

My neighbour has most of the stuff I need to build the bigger coop. It is the fencing that was going to be too much, plus all the chicks from all over that I was planning on.  Being able to use plastic netting and stakes along with the little dog house makes this much more affordable. The silkies are local too.  Waiting to hear back if they have any right now. 

Yeah!! So excited for you!!

 

[lovingmyhens]

Hello from Red Rock.  I don't have any advice on the nests, just wanted to say hi

Hi from katy!

Melanie

 

[AmPonderosa]

My mystery chicks from Tractor Supply... any ideas?