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Use very sharp scissors. And keep cutting them when they grow back. The breeders who shape these ridiculous breeds don't care about the welfare of the animals. It's all about the looks. Poor chickens end up functionally blind because all those feathers are in their faces (Polish too, not just...

Keep her in the cage until she breaks, and don't take her out for any reason. You said you tried the cage for a few days, but if she didn't break, then why did you stop? Wire cage raised off the floor, with no flooring in the cage (you can put chicken wire on top of the wire floor so it's easier...

I give my chickens the mowed grass every summer, every time I mow. I mow often so it doesn't get very tall (long strands of grass are an impaction hazard). I get about 1 barrel of grass per cutting, and I have 6 chickens. I dump it in a tall pile and they enjoy climbing the "mountain" and...

I wouldn't.

You don't have to use layer feed, like, ever. It's basically the same thing as other feeds, plus extra calcium, which you can provide separately - crushed eggshells or oyster shells. A lot of layer feeds are actually not overall optimal for the birds, because they skimp on the protein to get the...

Don't wet your brush so much that it drips, and it won't ooze through the cracks. It doesn't need to be laid on so thick that it drips. Stain can also be applied by rubbing it into the wood with a cloth, so try that instead of a brush. Brushes can hold more liquid between the bristles than a...

I tried a metal bin with a secure lid outside, and while it was great at keeping the feed safe from animals, it would sweat profusely in the summer and everything inside was WET! I had the feed in its original bag, closed with a clip, so at least the feed didn't get wet, but I didn't like the...

And this is exactly why the “whole grain” feeds are not a good idea. There’s a lot of hype around them because people associate the phrase “whole grain” with something good/healthy, but this isn’t bread. The wholeness of the grains doesn’t offer any advantage at all (unlike with bread). Milled...

I feed Purina flock raiser, my hens have never free ranged in their lives, I don't feed them any table scraps, and they lay just fine. If they are getting the nutrients they need (and the right amount of protein), then it doesn't matter where it's coming from, what the brand is, or whether they...

You should revise the poll to say "run" instead of "coop". I doubt anybody keeps their chickens locked up in the actual coop during the day. I think broodiness is individual (with some breeds more likely to do it than others), not dependent on management. I manage all my chickens the same way...

Chickens prefer crumble because it's easier to swallow. I have a zero waste feeder, so being that waste is not an issue for me, I have no strong preference, so I go with the chickens' preference and only use crumble. I feed the whole flock Purina Flock Raiser, which is 20% protein and thus...

The red streaks on the legs (as well as the red on chickens' combs and wattles in both sexes) is driven by hormones. But there's a lot more than hormones that's necessary to make babies, so I wouldn't count on that half-truth to judge the actual virility of a rooster. He might have the brightest...

I don't let mine in the garden during the active season. Chickens are destructive and even the things they don't eat, they'll rip up anyway, just to try them, or they'll scratch and dig them up, or stomp them, or crap on them. So I only let my chickens in the garden in the off season, up until I...

Probably a ruptured air sac that leaked air under the skin. Chickens have 9 air sacs, in addition to lungs, that make up their respiratory system. The air sacs have very thin walls and, especially on very young chicks, can be ruptured if the chick is dropped or bumped. I once had a chick hatched...

I don’t change it any more often than usual (when it gets low) just to keep it cool. I dump ice in it instead, to cool it down.

Watching their combs and wattles is the most reliable way to tell when they're ready. The comb and wattles will turn bright red. So yours aren't ready yet. Don't rely on squatting though - some hens will never squat for a human, even when they've actively been laying for years. A lot of mine...

Crumble is just the texture (smaller particles), not a type of feed. Some brands offer their standard feeds like layer or all flock in both crumble and pellet format. It's your choice which one you use. I use Purina Flock Raiser, which is good for all ages and genders of chickens, and I use the...

I agree that design is more important than height. It needs a very tall lip on the front so they can't rake towards themselves and out on the ground. Those pvc pipe / portal hole type feeders have been a total disappointment for me, I've tried a couple. I went through a lot of feeders until I...

She's at an age where she might start developing reproductive issues, and if something's going on with her ovary (chickens only have one, so no backup), it can affect the hormonal balance and cause her to develop masculine features. But also at this age they slow down or stop laying for winter...

Owners have a responsibility to keep their animals on their own property, especially dogs, because they can be dangerous or do property damage (and it doesn't matter that the dog is "nice", nobody can guarantee what it will or it won't do). While you do have a responsibility to protect your...