Recent content by NatJ

  1. NatJ

    Leaving chickens while out of town

    I would not expect any big problems. Of course you will probably come home to a pile of eggs in the nestboxes. If the eggs look normal at that point, you can probably collect them all and eat them. Things that might make the eggs unfit to eat: --frozen eggs can split open, letting bacteria in...
  2. NatJ

    Longterm Crossbreeding Project of Brahma, Polish, Silkie, Ayam Cemani, Araucana and Malay

    I have no personal experience of this, but I did find some older threads on this site: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-it-ok-to-use-permethrin-on-young-chicks-should-i-use-some.429035/ https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-permethrin-safe-for-chicks.1314381/...
  3. NatJ

    Are They Eating Too Much Calcium?

    Or you can just add water to some of their feed, and not let it sit long enough to ferment. That is quicker and easier, and the chickens seem to love it that way too. I agree, a "treat" that is the usual feed plus water is a great way to have the fun of giving something special, but without...
  4. NatJ

    SOS egg bound! worried and confused rookie owner

    Very good point. I had completely forgotten about that detail!
  5. NatJ

    HELP I'VE ISOLATED A BULLY

    Here is the article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/
  6. NatJ

    SOS egg bound! worried and confused rookie owner

    That should be fine :) If she had lived indoors long enough to get acclimated to the temperature there (weeks or months), she would probably need some time to acclimate back to the outdoor temperatures (live in a mid-temperature place for a while, or go out for a few hours, come in to warm up...
  7. NatJ

    SOS egg bound! worried and confused rookie owner

    How long was she inside? Just a day or so? Just put her back out and she should be fine. Look at her as often as you like, and notice if she looks huddled up or shivery, but if she acts normal then she will be fine. Chickens are not nearly as fussy as fish about temperature changes. A chicken...
  8. NatJ

    Chickens don't want the heater - seems weird

    You could start by asking your dad to tell you as much as he can about the way they raised chicks. Maybe the answer will become obvious as you learn more, or he may remember important details that he had forgotten. Were the chicks inside a human house? In a shed or barn? Outdoors? What season...
  9. NatJ

    0 to 10 in 72 hrs. A chicken math story, continued.

    Sounds like the best choice at the moment-- a treat for the chickens, and a use for the beans! I've never actually tried fermented feed, just feed with added water and served to the chickens right away. It gives some of the same benefits (hydration, and prevents them throwing dusty little bits...
  10. NatJ

    0 to 10 in 72 hrs. A chicken math story, continued.

    You can put some of their normal feed in a dish, then pour warm or hot water over it. Chickens usually like a warm mash like that, and it's really quick & easy to make. I've done it with feed that is pellets or crumbles, which soak up the water in just a minute or so. If you use a whole grain...
  11. NatJ

    Good Chick Breeds?

    Ask the store, because it varies. Different stores in the same area may get chicks at different times, and the same store chain will get them at different times in different areas. (Example: the best month to raise chicks will be very different in Texas than in Maine.) Some hatcheries are...
  12. NatJ

    Run collapsed

    Chickens can happily roost on sawhorses or chairs or many other kinds of things. Of course these things will get poopy, so be prepared to throw them away afterward, or consider them permanent chicken furniture. There are plenty of ways to create enough roosting space buy just propping a long...
  13. NatJ

    Good Chick Breeds?

    If you are stuck buying breeds from whatever is in the store, without time to research the breeds they list, and you want females that will be reasonable layers, you could try this: --avoid tiny chicks (bantams are less likely to be good layers) --avoid chicks that are white or yellow all over...
  14. NatJ

    Baked bricks for sub zero days! just a friendly tip from up North!

    A similar idea that I saw as a child in Alaska: Fill a 5-gallon bucket with hot water (the temperature that comes out of the faucet). Put the lid on tightly. Put it in the chicken coop. The chickens can sit on top of the bucket or next to it, and it makes part of the coop a little warmer than...
  15. NatJ

    Things you wish you could say

    It usually means one of two things. It could mean the rubber plug or stopper in the tank is not down, so the water flows constantly into the toilet bowl, and the tank is constantly trying to fill up again. Or it means that rubber plug or stopper leaks a little bit, just a trickle, maybe so...
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