Recent content by Double Yolked

I raise for eggs not meat so a calm flock is a profitable flock. It's worth it to me to do what ever keeps the ladies happy. I get about 300 eggs a year per hen, give or take 50. Works out to about $100 a year profit per hen. Too expensive to toss a hen in the freezer unless she's really a bad...

Been there done this. It's not the chicken keeping to focus on. It's the dog being set on another animal. That, everywhere in the US, is animal cruelty. Had something similar happen about 10 years ago. Cop told me flat out, deliberately setting a dog on an animal or pet belonging to another...

Check out Mouse Trap Monday on YouTube, he's got a slew of safe traps that will get the mice but leave the pullets safe. He tests mouse traps by the score and even sells some that work well. (Avoid the Amazon knockoffs, they are cheap junk)

This is not a time to be timid about the neighborhood, this person will set her dog on more than your chickens in the future if left go without consequences. Contact the police. They have laws regarding this everywhere, town or country. Don't go it alone. Your trespasser was breaking the law...

When making my coops I've always calculated a little extra space per bird since there's always at least one or two birds that will fuss at each other. The one foot per bird rule on roosting bars is good for regular sized birds unless you have social issues then you'll want 16" and possibly two...

I've seen that kicking thing before. I'd look at building a good egg retaining wall. Don't stress over making the nest box look like other people's or making it "pretty." Just make it large enough that a grumpy hen can lay her egg not on top of another's or more likely... work to fix it so they...

OMG that poor hen that laid that egg! Was going to bet it's was double yolked or had an egg inside an egg. Your girls deserve extra treats and calcium after that.

My very first flock I added a pair of very tame sister hens like this. One, Fluff was an egg eater from shortly after she started laying. I used every trick listed above and in other guides and discussions and a few I made up on the fly. Nothing worked. Fluff taught the rest of my little newbie...

Are RiR aggressive? Heck yes, they're chickens first and foremost. They were bred to be on the strong and active side for survival reasons and noted both historically and by testing as on the aggressive side of the slider. It's more noticeable with smaller, gentle hens, like Astrolorps. RiR's...

For those struggling with juggling weed control with keeping your beloved chickens safe may I recommend 31% vinegar and a little dish soap? While you will often find recipes using vinegar, salt and soap I found I can use the extra strong vinegar and soap and forgo the salt and not potentially...

Chickens know what's good for them to eat? NOPE!! I caught my hens eating Styrofoam peanuts once.... I've also seen them eat plastic and cardboard. They haven't got braincell in their heads when it comes to knowing what is and is not good for them. Every time I change their grazing area I...

I have to agree I love Orps. Barred Rocks as well. My Lady Domino, a Barred Rock, was the queen of my pet flock, very fat and very dignified. All the hens backed off around her and was in every way Queen of the flock. Most of my EE's have been pretty skittish but this one particular bird was...

My Orps did seem to go broody more than some other breeds. Later, when I didn't have a rooster I liked around I sometimes got eggs from a friend with good bloodlines in her flock and let my ladies brood them. My best pet hen was a mix, Easter egger and ? she laid green eggs and was without a...

I've had 1 exceptional rooster, 1 reasonably good rooster (the one in my avatar photo) and a whole lot of bleh roosters and one psychopath roo. I didn't raise the exceptional one, he was gifted to me by a good friend who knew I was trying rather desperately to find a decent one because I had a...