Recent content by holisticliving

Hi there, I can't speak to purchasing young hens, as we have always raised ours from chicks, but we've tried several different breeds (all either eggers or multi-purpose breeds), and by far our favorites so far have been Isa Browns and Speckled Sussex! Our Isa Browns are SO calm and friendly...

My 2 cents, keeping in mind I've only had one rooster so far... I LOVED my roo!!! 😍😍 He was so beautiful, funny, entertaining, and very sweet and friendly (to me), and also took wonderful care of his hens. He was always finding them food and calling them, and constantly on the alert and looking...

Wait until they start laying before you decide - their personalities can change a lot at that time. My first batch were several different breeds (no RIR's), and most were quite skittish and wild as chicks (despite being handled ALL the time as you mention), but as soon as they started laying...

LOVE my Speckled Sussex - the friendliest chicken ever! I swear she would follow me into the house if I let her! 😆 Next time I get new ones, I'm definitely getting more of those!

Ha ha! I've heard the same about RIR's, so never got any. :) I have added a few new ones recently - six 2-month-olds. 5 Isa Browns, which are all sweet and docile and friendly and calm - LOVE THEM!! And 1 Barred Rock - my first of this breed. Looks like he's turning out to be a rooster, and so...

I know this is a bit of an older thread, but I stumbled across it and wanted to comment as I have Lakeshore Eggers and I know it's not a very common breed and figured others might also be interested... I have attached a couple of pictures - the 2 "blondes" are my Lakeshores when they were...

We've only raised one batch so far, but out of the 4 breeds we have, I would definitely say Speckled Sussex!! Our little Helga is not only beautiful and has the softest feathers in the world, but she is so sweet and calm at all times! She never runs from us, gets along great with the rest of...

Thank you! I am hoping she continues to recover... I have not had good luck getting our chickens to take meds. No matter how I hold them, they wiggle and squirm and turn their heads away and fuss and struggle the entire time, and it's just an ordeal getting them to take anything, especially...

Just curious if your hen made it?? I just saw this while searching, as we are dealing with the same thing right now with our Buckeye hen... Our little Penny had started sleeping in the nest box at night, which at first I didn't think much of as she discovered that it's nice and warm in there...

Glad to hear your hen is doing better! I just have to say, the "egger" breeds seem prone to issues like this from my experience and also what I have read. We have 2 Lakeshore Eggers, and although they lay beautiful green eggs, I would never get this breed again. They have had so many problems...

Our beauties - from when we still had 7 hens...

We use organic hay in our coop, and after cleaning, I usually add a small sheaf of hay and break it all up and spread it around. Then I break up and add another small sheaf on top about a week later or when it starts to get packed down and smelly with poop (we don't use poop boards). This works...

Thanks for your tips Lizzie! They get both - a bit of fermented mixed grains, but mainly organic layer pellets. I have never used feed with added calcium as I have always read from numerous sources that you should never do this as some chickens may need more or less depending on age and laying...

Thanks so much for the ideas! I will try the step-down method you mentioned and see if that works... I had the same thoughts about keeping her in the dark - she wouldn't eat or drink in that case! My other egger (same age and breed - Lakeshore) is perfectly fine so far (thank goodness, since...

Thanks for the tip on the private breakfast! That works well - we use a dog crate as our chicken "infirmary," so I just put her in there every morning for a few minutes with a couple of teaspoons of fermented feed (I started with a tablespoon but she wouldn't finish it), mixed with a scoop...