Poultry Lovers Club

[Eddie_Kaspbrak]

Anyone have chickens? Ive gotten great advice but more opinions are welcome. A close friend has a small flock and her two larger rhodeislands are being dicks and bullying her smaller hens. Ive been wanting chickens forever so offered to take them. I have a 40inch x 28 inch hen house (not including egg box) with a 2ft x 6ft run that feeds into a 5ft x 5ft area... about 40sqft space. Whats good chicken enrichment? What are some must haves? Any advice is good advice!

Hello my dude! :'D

I own 23 chickens, five of them being roosters. You really don't need a whole lot of space. Since I have a bigger than normal flock, my grandparents and I own a lot of property so my ladies can run around freely. Smaller flocks (usually 5-7 hens, including one rooster) don't need a lot of space, so hope that helps! OvO

Just a few quick tips-
Make sure they have calcium. Hens need a crap ton of calcium in order to lay eggs. Also, the better the "laying spot", the better eggs you'll probably get. With that said, make sure there's other spots besides the egg box. Usually, hens generally lay in the same spot but every chicken and chicken breed is different.
They're really social. You don't have to get toys and they can possibly entertain themselves, but make sure to spend some time with your ladies :> They love the color red and will play with your fingers.

[aeroz]

Anyone have chickens? Ive gotten great advice but more opinions are welcome. A close friend has a small flock and her two larger rhodeislands are being dicks and bullying her smaller hens. Ive been wanting chickens forever so offered to take them. I have a 40inch x 28 inch hen house (not including egg box) with a 2ft x 6ft run that feeds into a 5ft x 5ft area... about 40sqft space. Whats good chicken enrichment? What are some must haves? Any advice is good advice!

omg I love my birbs - I've been breeding/raising/showing chickens since jr year of high school haha! Some good enrichment ideas are lettuce tied to a sting, hanging from the top of the run for them to peck, I give my babies a litterbox full of dichotomous earth for them to dust bathe in, I give them oyster shells or crushed up egg shells as a calcium boost which they don't really need since calcium is found in the dirt and sentiment anyways. When I'm home, I free range them by letting them wander my backyard, dig for bugs and nibble grass. They'll go back into the coop at night by themselves but you can always teach them to come to you by buying a bag of their favorite treat (mine's are mealworms) and shaking it to get their attention, then throwing some treats into the run. Best of luck to you!!

[Strazi]

I guess I can join :'D
Username: Strazi
Why are you joining: because I LOVE chickens. they are my favorite animal and honestly i find them more entertaining than a dog or a cat :S (and when they scratch me I'm not allergic to them : D)
Favorite poultry bird: Buff Orpingtons by far, and other dual-purpose breeds. My mom likes red golden pheasants and is planning on adding them to our flock once we make a new enclosure : D She'll probably buy them from Meyer Hatchery
Other: My Buff Orpington rooster is the biggest sweetheart, he literally hops on my lap and sleeps there for an entire hour. I've had silkie roosters before, and they were not as cuddly as he is. Although they were very fluffy living marshmallows <3
None of my chickens are purebred with a lineage though, just lil chicks picked up from Tractor Supply and the local feed store.

[aeroz]

I guess I can join :'D
Username: Strazi
Why are you joining: because I LOVE chickens. they are my favorite animal and honestly i find them more entertaining than a dog or a cat :S (and when they scratch me I'm not allergic to them : D)
Favorite poultry bird: Buff Orpingtons by far, and other dual-purpose breeds. My mom likes red golden pheasants and is planning on adding them to our flock once we make a new enclosure : D She'll probably buy them from Meyer Hatchery
Other: My Buff Orpington rooster is the biggest sweetheart, he literally hops on my lap and sleeps there for an entire hour. I've had silkie roosters before, and they were not as cuddly as he is. Although they were very fluffy living marshmallows <3
None of my chickens are purebred with a lineage though, just lil chicks picked up from Tractor Supply and the local feed store.

I think chickens are better then dogs and cats too honestly LOL my birds are the best. I love orpingtons, they're sooo friendly and chubby! I had a silkie hen who was so cuddly but every one of my silkie roosters (3 to be exact) were nasty mean, surprisingly!

[xXLuciferXx]

I keep my coops 100% clean, never neglected. But alas; I have stumbled into a mite outbreak. {I'm aware it happens because of wild birds but still} I'm using DE on them and their coop but I feel like it just isn't working. SIGH. It's been about a week and still I don't see much of a difference. Wednesday I'm going to pick up a spray that is suppose to work and I hope it does cause I can't stand seeing my ladies so itchy and grumpy.

[claypigeon]

hey! when we got our chickens they had nasty feet mites we couldn't shake. One has overcome it, but one, our friendlyier and Chubber one named Betty is still pretty tender on her legs and her scales are still uprooting.

any simple remedies? We tried feet bathing in oils and things.

I hate seeing her in pain. But I was also wondering, I'm a vegan that raises chickens and I was wondering if anyone else here raises chickens ( for fun or if their parents farm the eggs\meat) that are also against meat and animal products ? Any poultry raising vegetarians or vegans?

[Luzien]

I keep my coops 100% clean, never neglected. But alas; I have stumbled into a mite outbreak. {I'm aware it happens because of wild birds but still} I'm using DE on them and their coop but I feel like it just isn't working. SIGH. It's been about a week and still I don't see much of a difference. Wednesday I'm going to pick up a spray that is suppose to work and I hope it does cause I can't stand seeing my ladies so itchy and grumpy.

maybe try Diatomaceous Earth (food grade...not sure if other are good for pets), on/in the chicken coop, on the bird, and some in the food... i did read that this powder is a natural product that works well for mites and such... i did read that you should do this every day till mites are fully gone, and then only once a week to the full cleaning or every other day...
but you Need to clear out the whole coop first, use small brush to get every part clean, clean everything with hot water and maybe vinegar, inside and outside when possible, maybe when real bad use an vet aviary cleaner and when all is dry , spray the powder out...when i understand it right atleast^^

Funsized
hey! when we got our chickens they had nasty feet mites we couldn't shake. One has overcome it, but one, our friendlyier and Chubber one named Betty is still pretty tender on her legs and her scales are still uprooting.

any simple remedies? We tried feet bathing in oils and things.

I hate seeing her in pain. But I was also wondering, I'm a vegan that raises chickens and I was wondering if anyone else here raises chickens ( for fun or if their parents farm the eggs\meat) that are also against meat and animal products ? Any poultry raising vegetarians or vegans?

Maybe try the same as above
may i ask if your birds have grass on a pasture or your backyard, and fruit to eat, do they sand to dust bath and maybe something with water in it to bath too...i did know chickens who did like both and it was good for them. also sun is good. and some herbs in there feed.
when it is a wound maybe some honey on it could work....just ask your bird vet what they do think how you can help your chicken more:)




--> for you both: the chicken owner here will know bether and help you more...., i only go from other pets like horse, bird and rabbit and so^^

[xXLuciferXx]

I keep my coops 100% clean, never neglected. But alas; I have stumbled into a mite outbreak. {I'm aware it happens because of wild birds but still} I'm using DE on them and their coop but I feel like it just isn't working. SIGH. It's been about a week and still I don't see much of a difference. Wednesday I'm going to pick up a spray that is suppose to work and I hope it does cause I can't stand seeing my ladies so itchy and grumpy.

maybe try Diatomaceous Earth (food grade...not sure if other are good for pets), on/in the chicken coop, on the bird, and some in the food... i did read that this powder is a natural product that works well for mites and such... i did read that you should do this every day till mites are fully gone, and then only once a week to the full cleaning or every other day...
but you Need to clear out the whole coop first, use small brush to get every part clean, clean everything with hot water and maybe vinegar, inside and outside when possible, maybe when real bad use an vet aviary cleaner and when all is dry , spray the powder out...when i understand it right atleast^^

--> for you both: the chicken owner here will know bether and help you more...., i only go from other pets like horse, bird and rabbit and so^^

That's what I'm doing ATM. DE = Diatomaceous Earth. I've done it all but it just doesn't seem to be working out.. Plus, some of my birds put up a mighty fight and the powder just flys everywhere.. I'm gonna switch to the spray and hopefully it'll cover better and kill them easier. I'm still gonna use DE for the coop, and for dust bathing areas cause the wild birds dust bathe with them anyway, so might as well help them too.

[claypigeon]

I keep my coops 100% clean, never neglected. But alas; I have stumbled into a mite outbreak. {I'm aware it happens because of wild birds but still} I'm using DE on them and their coop but I feel like it just isn't working. SIGH. It's been about a week and still I don't see much of a difference. Wednesday I'm going to pick up a spray that is suppose to work and I hope it does cause I can't stand seeing my ladies so itchy and grumpy.

maybe try Diatomaceous Earth (food grade...not sure if other are good for pets), on/in the chicken coop, on the bird, and some in the food... i did read that this powder is a natural product that works well for mites and such... i did read that you should do this every day till mites are fully gone, and then only once a week to the full cleaning or every other day...
but you Need to clear out the whole coop first, use small brush to get every part clean, clean everything with hot water and maybe vinegar, inside and outside when possible, maybe when real bad use an vet aviary cleaner and when all is dry , spray the powder out...when i understand it right atleast^^

Funsized
hey! when we got our chickens they had nasty feet mites we couldn't shake. One has overcome it, but one, our friendlyier and Chubber one named Betty is still pretty tender on her legs and her scales are still uprooting.

any simple remedies? We tried feet bathing in oils and things.

I hate seeing her in pain. But I was also wondering, I'm a vegan that raises chickens and I was wondering if anyone else here raises chickens ( for fun or if their parents farm the eggs\meat) that are also against meat and animal products ? Any poultry raising vegetarians or vegans?

Maybe try the same as above
may i ask if your birds have grass on a pasture or your backyard, and fruit to eat, do they sand to dust bath and maybe something with water in it to bath too...i did know chickens who did like both and it was good for them. also sun is good. and some herbs in there feed.
when it is a wound maybe some honey on it could work....just ask your bird vet what they do think how you can help your chicken more:)




--> for you both: the chicken owner here will know bether and help you more...., i only go from other pets like horse, bird and rabbit and so^^

they free range and dust bath. I'll try it, thanks!

[dante the peapod]

Hello!
I bought a buff orpington hen earlier today, it was crammed into a small bird cage and was going to be butchered if not bought.
The thing is, I know little to nothing about chickens.
I would prefer to keep her, and get her a friend or two since they're social animals, but the thing is, I don't know if my set up will be proper.
Right now she's in a 3 foot rabbit cage, of course that isn't going to be her home for long, it's just till I can sort things out.

What I'm thinking of doing, is basically keeping her in an empty room that I don't use, and put the rabbit cage on the floor and open for her to nest in.
But she'll have free rein of the room, and I'll chicken proof everything.
I can't keep her outside, nor can I let her roam around the house like normal due to my dogs, who would tear her apart given the chance.
Would that be suitable?
I don't know anyone who could take her and I'd prefer to keep her if possible, she's a sweetheart.

Also,
if I got her friends, do they have to be the same species, or would others work?
Thank you!! <3

Hiyo! What i did for my girls when they lacked calcium is crushed egg shells and mixed it with their food. Until you can get oyster shells i recommend doing the same. As for other chickens, its okay to have different breeds together as long as they are the same size. Breeds I've owned are Australorps, Barred Rocks, Buckeyes, and a Wyandotte. All are excellent layers and docile breeds. My dog (cocker spaniel poodle mix) roams outside with the girls, but it took him a little getting used to. He's a very calm boy though, I dont know about your dogs. Best of luck.