Recent content by sudolph

Thanks Trilyn and MuranoFarms. I'll give both ideas a try.

This pullet chick has had pasty butt her whole 3 week life. Her poop is very thick and does not drop off her bottom. In fact, it seems that her vent never closes. Will acv help? What about acidophilis? Should I just....send her to her maker? Thanks. I'm really sick of cleaning a chicken butt.

If the chicks are vigorous and eating well, don't worry about the poop. Actually their poop is a mixture of that and pee. You'll notice chickens don't pee; they just have watery poop. It should be a mixture of part that somewhat holds its shape and part that is plain old watery, but never clear...

Out of 17 hens, 2 have substantial bare patches on their backs. Yes, I'm slow thinking of this, but the night lows are in the upper twenties, and they free range during the days. Chicken house has a heat lamp over the roost, but should I coat their backs with something? I was thinking of pine...

Personally, I leave well enough alone, with a few precautionary steps. First, look at their combs. In a 6 month old chicken, the deepness of the color of the comb is a general health indicator. Second, pick them up and examine for crawly bugs, gray crusty stuff at base of feathers, or inflamed...

The key is a broody mama. My broody mama flogged a few aggressive hen-mates, and that was the end of picking on the babies. They are three weeks old. Even with a mama, they still need the protected adjustment described above.

That's so aggravating when the poor girls are getting bare backs from roos "affections" as you tastefully put it. A bachelor pad sounds good to me, at least for a few weeks until the hens can recoup a little. Once your other hens are mature, the bare back situation should alleviate itself...

I think you can do it. The deal is, the setting hen will stay on the nest a day or so after she first starts hearing peeps, which is the way nature allows for the fact that a hatch may take 24 hours. Then she moves the babies out for food and water. Chicks can live up to three days on the yolk...

Amy, I'm sorry about your sweet hen, too, but don't you love a roo who tries to take care of his girls? That loyalty is so admirable. Sue

I've used Ideal many times, and I think you find the shipping on the page when you order. They are in line with everyone else on shipping. I've always had good results from them.

My only hen who has gone broody this year is a Golden Phoenix, not a heavy bird. I set her with 6 heavy bird eggs, and she hatched 4 in a brooder. After 2 weeks I let her out. They did fine for the day, but she went to bed on the roost in the hen house and left the babies to follow her the best...

First of all, I'm happy your injured pullet is doing well. Second, I'm amazed she has adopted the chick. Third, I love the Heinlein quote and will be using it as a verb review in high school English next week. Sudolph

Can you do it, and will it curtail cannibalism? Is it detrimental to the chicken at all? Can they still catch bugs?

My 15 hens are a very nice flock as long as there is no raw meat around. My roo got an injured toe in April, and they nearly ate it off until I wrapped it with mesh bandage for two months. Four weeks ago he barely survived a dog attack losing all his tail feathers and sustaining some bites to...

She's true to her nature, very sweet but standoffish and flighty if I reach into the nest, but she is brooding where other hens are apt to lay with her. Do you suppose I can successfully move her after roosting time tonight to a prepared brooder box? I was planning on trapping her in a very...