Yup… And one of the reasons I only keep heritage breed chickens. No GMO, sex-link, meat chickens or Frankenchickens for me. I keep everything as organic as possible…
Thanks,
+Blessings
I also want to add, get yourself (or make) a feeder that prevents the chickens from scratching through the feed, to get to their favorite bits… They can pick through, and waste, half their feed just to get to the best parts first (which is often corn, which is unhealthy for them… corn is like...
Hi… Feed isn’t a problem for me. It’s FREE..! Here’s my secret… Only us “Backyard Chicken Folks” buy our feed at TSC, or other retail stores. Instead, think like the big farms think. They buy feed by the ton. Make some calls and get to know your neighboring farmers. Here, I found a farmer who...
So sorry for your loss… A healthy chicken will not die from being broody. The hormone “rollercoaster” does raise their metabolism, and raise their core temp, to incubate those eggs, and this could cause a heart attack (I’ve seen this in some cases when a hen is sitting on too many eggs-the more...
A while back, when money was really tight (and may be again real soon), I had a setup that worked so well, I used it for a few years (btw, I live a few miles from the Canadian border)… I took a cinder block, and cut a 2”x8” about two larger all around. Then I mounted a ceramic light fixture to...
Agreed… I’m sure the hatchery has nothing to do with a chick’s mutation. Just like farmers don’t genetically modify their tomato, corn, wheat or soy crops… it could be a mutated gene from many generations ago, passed on as a dormant gene that expressed itself with this chick. I’m not sure what...
Sort for the long time to reply… Yes, I’ve heard those arguments, but chickens are originally from the jungles and arid environments along the equator where the daylight hours don’t fluctuate as much, and they also last year round in the wild… I think we have disrupted their natural bio-rhythm...
They are pretty much unavoidable, but here’s what I do…. I buy my feed from a local farmer who grows, mixes and bags feed for other farms (Farmers would go broke if they paid what we do per pound)… His feed doesn’t sit in warehouses like retail stores But here’s what I do… Go online and get...
I have seen this before… It is possible… This is why I hatch my own eggs (if no one goes broody). If needed, I get eggs from a trusted, local, organic chicken keeper… I don’t EVER get sex-link, hybrid, genetically modified, etc, etc…. What you have is a hen who has a genetic mutation, which...
Hi Stephanie,
With over 49 years of raising chickens, there’s not much I haven’t seen or done… And, in all those years I’ve learned, never say anything with absolute certainty, because that will be the time when the chickens prove you wrong… Some roosters will look like a hen (and vis-à-vis)...
Hi… I have over 50 years experience with chickens, so there’s not much I haven’t seen and/or dealt with… From what I’ve read and seen in your posts, they were exposed to an infection that will cause them to not develop fully (legs color, feathers, comb, eyes and beak). I can’t recall the name...
$600.00..? WOW..! I could build a Chicken Palace for that… You seem to have the knowledge and skill-set to build your own coop… and in the end, you’ll be a lot happier with the result. Do the research, make a list, plan out what you’re going to do, BEFORE you cut the first board… and, check...
Maybe I’m just getting old, but when I was young, we all knew our neighbors and got along, like extended family, without invading anyone’s privacy… Maybe you can get to know your neighbors better. Knock on some doors and say, “Hello”. Then they’ll know who’s chickens are who’s, and then...
Blood spots are perfectly normal. The spot forms when the egg begins to develop (even if not futile).., Make sure you collect the eggs every day and refrigerate them if you don’t want any spots. But remember, blood spots are normal and has nothing to do with the roo..,
Since you ask, “What would you do?”… What I would do is, first make sure she is comfortable, in a brooder, with fresh food and water… Then I would let her and nature run its course… Not very likely that “All” the chicks will present with all the conditions you mentioned…. Letting a hen brood is...
12 eggs..? There’s the problem. That’s too many eggs (I’ve been doing this for over 45 years). I’ll only set 8 eggs, Max, and that’s for a large breed bird… Momma has to generate a lot of heat to keep all those eggs at almost 100 degrees… Next time, try only six. You’ll have better results and...
I knew there were opposing views on DE, but didn’t realize how passionate folks are about “their” view… So, I’ll address this as both, my personal view, and as a scientist… I’ve been using DE for well over 40 years and have never had any issues, and—It has always done what I expected it to do...