Backyard Fowl Keepers

Some chicks hatch with lighter feet that darken as they age. If they seem healthy otherwise, you might just need to wait a few weeks to see if their foot color changes naturally.

I'd avoid feeding duckweed from a septic lagoon. Even if the water looks clean, it can contain harmful bacteria or contaminants that could affect your animals.

Electric fences work best when animals are trained to avoid them. Wild predators might test weak spots, so a solid barrier plus electric is safest.

I've experimented with several crosses, and a Dark Cornish rooster over a Delaware hen gave me a solid meat bird. Good growth rate, decent carcass size, and very flavorful meat!

Japanese quail are usually docile, but occasionally, a hen will take on a protector role. If your friend's male is passive, she may have stepped up to fill that role. You could try rearranging the enclosure or adding more hiding spots to see if it shifts her behavior.

For over two years, my flock has reliably put themselves to bed in their coop each night, guided by an automatic door. The coop is attached to their run, and theyve never had any issuesuntil recently.

A couple of weeks ago, I started noticing them already in the run when I came out in the morning ...

Ive been introducing a variety of treats to my chicks, but Im wondering about sunflower seeds specifically. I still have a bunch left to give them, but Im unsure if theyre old enough yet. I dont want to introduce something too early that might be hard for them to digest.

So, at what age is it safe ...

If you don't want to hatch chicks with potential foot issues, you could track which hens these eggs came from and avoid incubating their eggs in the future. But honestly, it's not always genetic.

It depends a lot on the breed. My smaller breeds, like Australorps, reached full size by 5 months, but the larger ones, like Brahmas, were still growing at 8 months! You'll start to see their full adult shape around 5-6 months, but don't be surprised if they continue to mature a bit longer.

If you have any diatomaceous earth in the coop, that could also be making things worse. It's great for pests but can be very dusty and harsh on their lungs when combined with wood shavings.