Chickens

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farmerjan":pl9bs4hi said:
Can you not let them out to free range for a little bit during the day? Chickens will nearly always go back into their coop when it starts to get dark. I try to let them out late afternoon for a couple of hours. Yes we have predator problems, but not much before dark usually. Except the eagle but if you have any dogs that should help to deter any predators during the daylight hours. Just make sure you get them closed in by dark.

They are in dog kennels with a top we have a huge hawk problem here. Free range isn't possible. the coop where they sleep in and lay eggs is available when they want. 2nd reason for no free ranging is kids play in the back yard and wife doesn't want them playing and rolling in chicken s... and create more laundry for her :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
 
skyhightree1":28taeg2r said:
farmerjan":28taeg2r said:
Can you not let them out to free range for a little bit during the day? Chickens will nearly always go back into their coop when it starts to get dark. I try to let them out late afternoon for a couple of hours. Yes we have predator problems, but not much before dark usually. Except the eagle but if you have any dogs that should help to deter any predators during the daylight hours. Just make sure you get them closed in by dark.

They are in dog kennels with a top we have a huge hawk problem here. Free range isn't possible. the coop where they sleep in and lay eggs is available when they want. 2nd reason for no free ranging is kids play in the back yard and wife doesn't want them playing and rolling in chicken s... and create more laundry for her :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
It comes out of clothes pretty easy. A little harder to get it from between your toes. :lol2: :lol2:
 
Son of Butch":3vnxbthm said:
farmerjan":3vnxbthm said:
No offense but 10x30 is tight for 20 hens when they are confined.
A chicken should have in the neighborhood of 4-5 sq ft so 300 sq ft = less than 10 birds.
300 sq ft divided by 20 hens = 15 sq ft per bird

SORRY MY MATH skills were out to lunch :lol2: :hide: :hide:
 
U need a rooster with them. Back when I had hens mine started to do that and a old man that lives up the road from me told me to put a rooster in with them. I did me it helped. Has soon as one of the hens started to pick on another he would run over and run it away.
 
found this with a google search:
my experience has been that chickens eat feathers when they are low on protein. They also go through a molt at around 9 months and need more protein during this time. There are several things you can do when they are stressed like that. One of my favs is to get a bag of game bird starter, which is high in protein, and mix it into their regular feed, some folks start giving some small dry cat food, but you can also scramble up lots (depending on how many are in the flock) of eggs and feed it back to them, maybe even mixed with plain yogurt. Treatments like this should slow down the feather eating.
 
Son of Butch":17zc76vv said:
alisonb":17zc76vv said:
You will have to find the underlying reason for this behavior, a happy healthy chicken will not pick. Something is stressing them...could be parasites, nutritional deficiency, overcrowding, too much heat or light, boredom etc. They don't do well on kitchen scraps alone and will need a well balanced protein mash(not pellets).

If you wish to see almost immediate results and if it's possible, extend a fence around part of the coup and let the chickens out in this area to forage, eat greens, 'sun/dirt bathe' :p etc...allow them a little free range. If this is not possible, get a bag of decaying matter from you compost heap or an old bale and put it in the coup for them. If the behavior continues you will have to 'pick' out the culprits ;-) .

It would seem that the coup has become a 'hostile environment' for them or you have a cannibal, please don't go into the coop alone Sky :shock:
:lol:

Yea Sky, don't be a little chick......... ahhh, never mind that's just too easy.
 
pricefarm":3b6v4r64 said:
U need a rooster with them. Back when I had hens mine started to do that and a old man that lives up the road from me told me to put a rooster in with them. I did me it helped. Has soon as one of the hens started to pick on another he would run over and run it away.

I may pick one up and try it if all else fails really didn't want a rooster.

Chocolate Cow":3b6v4r64 said:
found this with a google search:
my experience has been that chickens eat feathers when they are low on protein. They also go through a molt at around 9 months and need more protein during this time. There are several things you can do when they are stressed like that. One of my favs is to get a bag of game bird starter, which is high in protein, and mix it into their regular feed, some folks start giving some small dry cat food, but you can also scramble up lots (depending on how many are in the flock) of eggs and feed it back to them, maybe even mixed with plain yogurt. Treatments like this should slow down the feather eating.

Thanks yea they got 20 eggs last night and TB advised on the game bird protein feed too. I will see how it goes.

Alan":3b6v4r64 said:
Son of Butch":3b6v4r64 said:
alisonb":3b6v4r64 said:
You will have to find the underlying reason for this behavior, a happy healthy chicken will not pick. Something is stressing them...could be parasites, nutritional deficiency, overcrowding, too much heat or light, boredom etc. They don't do well on kitchen scraps alone and will need a well balanced protein mash(not pellets).

If you wish to see almost immediate results and if it's possible, extend a fence around part of the coup and let the chickens out in this area to forage, eat greens, 'sun/dirt bathe' :p etc...allow them a little free range. If this is not possible, get a bag of decaying matter from you compost heap or an old bale and put it in the coup for them. If the behavior continues you will have to 'pick' out the culprits ;-) .

It would seem that the coup has become a 'hostile environment' for them or you have a cannibal, please don't go into the coop alone Sky :shock:
:lol:

Yea Sky, don't be a little chick......... ahhh, never mind that's just too easy.

Wise guys I tell ya :lol2:
 
farmerjan":19bmpgsd said:
So, any thing new with the chickens????

Na there still doing it just no major sores yet. I think there bored so may put a ball or something in there for them to mess with.
 
Did you ever wonder who decided men was to wear pants and women was to wear dresses? In the Biblical days men wore dresses , The Scott's wore skirts. Now it is ok for women to wear either, but if a man wears a dress he is a cross dresser. :hide:
 
images

cowboy43":bvcojne3 said:
Did you ever wonder who decided men was to wear pants and women was to wear dresses? In the Biblical days men wore dresses , The Scott's wore skirts. Now it is ok for women to wear either, but if a man wears a dress he is a cross dresser. :hide:
Don't know what that has to do with chickens Cowboy43 :lol: ...but anyway, same as pink and blue...a few decades ago it was 'pink for boys' and 'blue for girls'.
 
cowboy43":3e3e38tt said:
I got my comment about pants and skirts on the wrong forum , It is confusing when the topic is chickens :hide:

Do you like yours medium well? :lol:
 
Sky, several folks here have nailed it. There is something missing in their diet. Maybe it's protein - I don't know, but check with your local feed dealer and I'm sure he can provide you with the proper feed for them. Also, try free range a little as mentioned here.
 

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