Oh yes, I have seen my girls dust bath daily. What I haven't seen is the the rooster's participation in this behavior. I have seen a hen teaching her baby to dust bathe, I have just never seen a rooster join in.
I believe my chickens are exhibiting some strange behavior. They are not with the general population, and if the gate is opened between the occupied areas for too long, my brown hen will attack with a fury until the "yard chickens" are back in their own area. It's the kind of behavior the a...
Trying to hatch free range organic eggs from a store would be futile. They would be jostled about during the washing and packaging stage. Washing alone would remove the "bloom" and allow the egg to spoil. If you're planning on hatching your own eggs, do not refrigerate them they will last up...
Sorry for your loss! If anyone has ever had a gentleman rooster they just don't understand what a loss thst is! My gentleman was hand raised and takes good care of his ladies. When it's time for the girls to go to bed, he puts himself to bed in his "private" kennel, a large dog crate. Still...
Sorry for your loss! She was truly a part of your family. My oldest is now 10. I would have loved to hatch out some of her line but I have to keep her in a cage with recovery chickens away from the Rooster. Her feet are gnarled from arthritis and she couldn't stand the Roosters weight without a...
Sorry, I can't help, 😔....I do know that you got a lot of boys, (if the sexting indicates true,) the ones with spots on their heads will become beautiful roos. This was probably a 'straight run' you bought. A little bit cheaper but they (the breeders) try and get rid of as many boys as they can...
I have figured out, after the fact, what to name all the lookalike sisters! I just call them "Girlie". In the end it doesn't really matter. If I am outside, it means Treats are ready. They see me and come running! I am immediately overrun and covered with my beautiful black hens. Nothing is better.
You could add a misting system to your backyard run or area where your ladies forage, or add it to the area you have shaded for them. Freeze several bottles of water to add to their water bowls and alternate them several times a day. Add a fan to the shade and misting system. I hope you, and...
If your neighbors or friends have chickens and none of their girls go broody, offer to let your broody hen incubate the eggs for them, especially when your broody girl won't break her concentration and get off the nest. It's an opportunity to inject new blood into your flock by keeping one or...
Sometimes hens just go broody, rooster or not. You just have to shoot them out of the nesting area till they get the idea! If they go broody, they won't lay any eggs! Sometimes they won't even be sitting on anything at all!!! It's a mystery to me too. Good luck. It's sort of a war of wills at...
I have heard you can buy sterile flies to turn loose that are supposed to breed with the wild flies. Does anyone have any experience with this method, or does it just put more flies in the air? Just asking.
She does lay white eggs..they look relatively large for her diminutive size. Usually five to six a week. She goes where she wants, I have two areas where I keep my chickens and she chooses which area she "hangs" out in. She's a trip! Thank you for identifying her breed. Read a little bit about...
Thank you for your input Chicken-Maniac. You are probably right, she is a mix of some kind. I don't think Marans are in the mix but maybe Barred Rock and some kind of Bantam. She is smaller than all of my flock, weights about three pounds at the most. But like I said she is meaner than any...
A couple of years ago I inherited three hens from a neighbor who didn't want chickens any more. Two mostly white older ladies who passed on a couple of years ago. The third one, (pictured) is a brazen little lady, meaner than snake scat! From the moment she entered my flock, she rose to second...
Just because it (silkie) stood up to a bigger hen does not make it a rooster. The smallest hen in my flock is half bantam and something else...but she is also the meanest little lady in the flock. She bossed EVERYONE around, including the new rooster I got, until he realized HE was the boss. She...