Recent content by FrostRanger

When I was sick back in April I couldn't keep down water that weekend so maybe about 2 days. I did drink fluids, but most of it came right back up

All flock with oyster shells is fine and there is no harm in feeding everyone starter. Some people do that anyways 'cause of the higher protein although I would feed unmediated just 'cause the adults don't need the medicine - the chicks don't really either, but I'd rather not open the medicated...

Can you post a picture of him crowing? A tiny chick crowing sounds adorable :3

What type of feed do you feed them, how much protein does it have and do they get any treats? It's possible they aren't getting enough protein or more likely calcium. Do you provide oyster shells? If not, put some out for them and see if that helps

I would also gently let your friend know of the problem as she might be unaware of the problem and will need to treat her flock as lice are not good for chickens of any age

A complete feed is a feed that will provide at least the bare minimum amount of nutrition to keep an animal alive and in fairly good health when fed as the only thing the animal eats. They're making optimizations when they talk about making it more complete

The amount of speculation one can do on the causes of their condition is exactly the point. There are too many variables at play to say anything scientifically

That is entirely besides the point. The amount of research in question of layer feed vs broiler feed does not change the fact that commercial layers are kept in a very different environment than backyard layers and the the fact that the differences in their care and environment are not...

Generally once they leave the nest mother hens won't accept new chicks. To have any chance of her adopting chicks you have to slip them under her after she's been broody for a while and even then she still might not accept them

An experiment where other factors aren't accounted for and controlled won't produce scientifically useful results. The living situation of backyard and commercial chickens are so wildly different that you can't just say x caused y. That would be comparing apples to oranges. To say it's the feed...

I also feed pellets 'cause they produce less waste. I am feeding kalmbach flock raiser rn but once everyone is laying they'll get nutrena naturewise 21% layer feed

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, you just wound up with chicks that were frailer than usual and they got too stressed. You just got plain unlucky this year. Just keep on doing what you've been doing and hope the sickly ones make it. Ik it's not easy, but don't give up!

The reason battery hens are culled at a year and a half to 2 years old is they're past their peak production. Pretty much all hens will lay less after that point. Production breeds in particular tend to drop off quite a bit 'cause they're bred to lay a lot of eggs. That's not to say they can't...

Generally flocks like to roost together, it certainly *can* work in some flocks but for most flocks it won't work particularly well 'cause they'll want to be in the same coop

I'm generally more willing to give mean hens a chance to shape up, but if there are kids, especially toddlers involved, she needs to removed like yesterday. In general though, when integrating chicks, what's acceptable is a chick gets in an adult's space, adult pecks, chick runs off and that's...