I'm still pretty new to chickens. I started with Buff Orpingtons and Americuana that are turning 2.
I have my first rooster; a Rhode Island Red just turning 1. Surprise! BAD job on Tractor Supply: 3 chicks turned out to be White Leghorn NOT Barred Rocks (1 of which died within days) and 1 of 3...
I was surprised to see nuts on the 'no' list. My girls adore raw peanuts as well as raisins. My standby treats are black sunflower seeds, raw peanuts, & raisins. I would prefer to go with table scraps, they aren't always available. My standbys are cheap, shelf-stable, & at the store year-round...
Agreed! Compost piles are a HUGE hit. When my chickens began free-ranging this year, they decimated my compost heap. Completely! From 3-4' across and 2-3' high, that area is now just 'slightly raised' and completely 'heap' free. I've given up on having compost. :-(
My chickens have also dug...
Mine ladies eat Dumor Layer Pellets daily. They eat table scraps and will indeed devour any hint of butter (learned from left-over potato)! They DO NOT eat lettuce or broccoli. They adore tomatoes, berries, empty carbs (Stale crackers, Honey Nut Cheerios, bread, etc.), any berry they can get...
I completely relate to the struggle to keep the ladies cool! I'm on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Zone 9a, so it's hot and it's humid. My pool was 97 Fahrenheit at 5:45 pm yesterday! I researched heat tolerant chicken breeds before getting my first hens. Frost is rare where I live, but we...
We have 3 Rhode Island Reds, approximately 5 1/2 weeks. This one is a bit more aggressive and spends a lot more time observing the environment than the others. I know it's early and I don't see a waddle, however, I've only had a chickens for a year. Our 3 Reds and 2 Barred Rocks, all about 5 1/2...
Thank you for the article and sharing your coop design. Everything I have been reading is prompting me to move what I have which is unfortunately a pre-made (terrible choice is retrospect) coop and metal framed run (1/3 is covered for shade). I just got my ladies this past spring and there is NO...
Did I miss the final coop? I don't see the completed coop. I'm super excited to see how this goes as my 16 year-old is begging to get quails and they will need a hope. Which is part of my big argument for "you don't need quails...admire my chickens instead."
I'm really excited about starting my flock. Next step is the run! They have a coop ready for when they are a bit bigger. Although I would love to let them free range with a safe area to return to, I have an energetic dog who already wants to the play with them. I also have to worry about hawks...
We started baking bread when COVID closed the world. Even the dog gained weight. I was doing really well with sourdough (I bought a starter through Amazon) and my oldest does an fabulous focaccia. We had to stop with the homemade bread. We enjoyed making...and eating it...a bit too much
Welcome!
That's an interesting assortment on your little farm. My next door neighbor has turkeys as well as chickens and 1 goat (he got in trade for 2 tom turkeys). We hear his turkeys a lot more than his chickens. My dog loves to play with his goat along our fence line.
I'm so new to...
We are new to chickens and have 4 Buff Orpingons. They are 2 weeks old and growing super fast! I did a lot of research before I chose a breed. Orpingtons and Sussex were my top 2 picks for a docile, friendly, heat tolerant, high egg production bird. We handle the chicks several times a day to...