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  1. Mrs. K

    Planning a Semi-Free range flock

    I am up in South Dakota. My main predators are coons (at night) coyotes, hawks and eagles. A good rooster can really help with daytime predators - kind of sort of, but not all roosters are good roosters. I have had chickens for decades, fed an insane number of predators, and the last time I was...
  2. Mrs. K

    Other tips to keep chickens cool in 85°+ heat

    Check the shade throughout the day. It tends to change dramatically through the day. Shade and water is what they need.
  3. Mrs. K

    Hen is too aggressive with young chicks

    Put her where you had the chicks. Order pin less peepers for her.
  4. Mrs. K

    Anything to help my Wyandottes start laying?

    Time
  5. Mrs. K

    South Dakota Thread!

    I live in SW part of SD. I use black rubber bowls in the winter. I use two. Fill one, it freezes solid, next day, turn it upside down in the sun, and the black will absorb enough heat that the block will fall out. Fill the second bowl, and repeat. Their water needs are much less that in the...
  6. Mrs. K

    Separate flocks coexisting

    You just have a sub flock of immature birds. Very normal, about the time the pullets start laying, the sub flock will be gone.
  7. Mrs. K

    Insecure Hen

    Can you post some pictures of your birds? By 20 weeks there should be clear indication who is rooster and who is not. They are your chickens and you can do what you want. I am glad you are going to try something else, and see how it goes. If that does not work, do get rid of the rooster. Ten...
  8. Mrs. K

    I've got my first egg, and a lot of questions!

    Often times people new to home grown eggs worry because they have always had store bought eggs, which are perfect. It is not because every egg is perfect, it is because they are sorted. The less than perfect are used in food production. A good rule of thumb is, if bright eyed, eating and...
  9. Mrs. K

    New chickens introduced into my flock are pecking at each other and now pecking at themselves

    How much space do you have the littles in? Post pictures, space causes a lot of problems-..,but I see you have been doing this for a while..,hmmm?
  10. Mrs. K

    Insecure Hen

    You are right, she doesn’t have a great life. It can be caused by a couple of things: The 20 week cockerel, not all roosters are great birds Over crowding in the set up. Some birds can tolerate a little overcrowding and others can not. Post some pictures of your set up. What was more than...
  11. Mrs. K

    Combining two groups of 9 week old chicks?

    The above is good advice, but often times it is hard to quarantine in a truly backyard set up. Do these people go to bird auctions or show birds? If not, at 9 weeks I think you would be pretty safe. Not 100% safe, but pretty safe. I would put them all outside together in a strange place all at...
  12. Mrs. K

    New Babies in Flock

    No, this is how I start. Mostly you have to give the chicks a safe place that the bigs can't follow the chicks into it. The chicks need to access safe places from multiple entrances. I often time life the fence up a couple of inches off the floor. I put them in between 3-4 weeks. I put them in...
  13. Mrs. K

    Apple cider vinegar for 10 week old pullets

    I agree. Clean plain water is really what is best for chickens. I do used vinegar to clean their water containers, but rinse that and give just plain water to them. I would not give it to the chicks, but then I don’t give it to the hens either.
  14. Mrs. K

    Cannot find eggs! Tips?

    You need more attractive nests for them. If the coop is small, it might be too hot in there. You might need to temporarily fence off the sunflowers. Take something like a small dog crate or 5 gallon buckets on their side, held so the don’t roll, or a card board box, with the top flap hanging...
  15. Mrs. K

    Too many roosters

    Do this in stages, because removing birds will change the remaining birds. Count cockerels, half that number gets to stay. Catch the others and separate them from the flock, move them out. Wait a week-10 days. Repeat, remove half and see. Usually by the end of this, it is pretty evident who...
  16. Mrs. K

    New Babies in Flock

    This is a little monkeying around. A lot depends on your set up, but it deals with the three main problems of integration: territory, feed protection, and intruders. Get a piece of plywood or a pallet, place it flat on bricks or cement blocks in the middle of the run. Create multiple feed area...
  17. Mrs. K

    How to Recall Free Range Chickens

    Those are good ideas above. You can also gather a flock with a long stick. This is a case where slow is fast. Put a very scant treat at the door, and bigger pile much farther in. Take your stick that you can tap the ground. Walk out past the main bunch of chickens. Spread both arms, tap the...
  18. Mrs. K

    Is two roos one too many for 13 hens??

    I think your real problem is that you are in the darling stage with the cockerels. I love the darling stage. They are bright, curious, unafraid, interested in the world... just darling. This stage is loads of fun, but it does not last. Many people write on here wanting to know how to go back to...
  19. Mrs. K

    Is two roos one too many for 13 hens??

    Well it will until it doesn’t. Roosters have no concept of these are mine those are yours. Each will want all. What you really need is a plan B, for if it goes south. One cannot make reasonable predictions for cockerels. However, one can say the more cockerel s that you have, the greater the...
  20. Mrs. K

    Is it okay to allow my chicks to free range?

    Just like you, a little at a time. If you get in the habit of shaking a scant amount of scratch and tossing it in, they quickly come. Thing is it is a risk, I try not to do it at the same time, or every day, just to keep the predators guessing. If you do get hit, go into lock down for several...
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