Recent content by rcm1201

Do ants bite chickens? I’ve noticed a couple piles forming in the run (we’ve had a lot of rain lately and the run is a high spot in the yard). Chickens don’t seem to mind and like pecking at them. Should I let them be or try to get rid of the ants? The run is the chickens main home as they don’t...

After a couple weeks with the added coop perch she eventually started back on the perch on her own. Haven’t had issues since

what do you mean by clutter? What would you recommend? They in the the run most of the day. I let them out when I’m working in the backyard, maybe an hour or so a day. The run is 84 sq ft- I thought that was enough space for 6 hens.

Wow I was coming to post nearly this identical thread. My 6 hens have been together for almost a year. The #2 of the pecking order all of a sudden has been extremely bullied by 1 hen and it’s so bad that she spends all day either in the coop or perched above everyone in the run. Every time she...

This is my first winter with chickens. I have australorps, white rocks, and buff orps. We’ve had a mild winter thus far but next week we are going to get mid 20s. Do I need to do any prep or are my girls good to go? I have a heat lamp if I need it for the coop at night. Is that needed?

No shes an Australorp and possibly the smallest or close to the smallest of the bunch 2x2 edges aren't rounded but do not come to a point. Semi-smooth. When I shoo her out of the nesting box at night, she hops on the perches no problem and sleeps there all night no problem. She just seems to...

Here is the pic of the coop. The bar closest to me was just added to give them more space

-Not broody, rarely in the coop during the day -Not being bullied, there are two 3 yr olds (australorp) and five ~9 month olds (white rocks). She is one of the 3s and at the top of the order -I had 2 perch levels (before just adding this 3rd to try to provide more room for her). One low one...

Nesting boxes are even with or below all 3 of my perches

Out of nowhere 1 of my 7 hens started sleeping in the nesting box. I assumed it’s because sleeping quarters were getting tight so after a couple weeks I added another perch. Now I go out there nightly and put cardboard on the nesting box so the hen won’t jump in to go to sleep there. How long...

It’s been over 100 multiple weeks this summer In Louisiana. Chickens look miserable but my 7 are still pumping out 5 eggs a day. Not much I can do other than a box fan. 90+ nights in the coop with no fan is also brutal.

Chickens eat bugs so I don’t see a reason why I shouldn’t keep feeding my chickens these dried black soldier worms. Just checking to make sure these beetles aren’t something I should be leery of. There are a buttload of these things when I shake the bag.

Its NatureWise, new and fresh - the spillage is intentional. They are like crack addicts with the scratch snack and I think I had some scratch mixed into their pellets so now they just empty the entire 5 gallon food container looking for the few morsels of scratch. That is my assumption.

My 7 chickens (5 are ~6 months and 2 are 3 years) won't eat the feed I provide them. They take it out of the 5 gallon bucket and spread it all over the run floor. They devour scratch like they haven't ate in days but I only give them a little in the evening as a snack. They are inside of an...

Great thanks, I have oyster shell coming from the delivery guy today