Backyard Fowl Keepers

In my experience, feeding rice is totally fine, but variety is key. They need a mix of grains, greens, and protein to stay healthy.

If you don't want to use them yourself, consider donating them to a local arts center or nature club. Someone might love them for a project!

Maryland summers can be brutal! If a cupola isn't an option, I'd look into adding additional windows with hardware cloth or a solar-powered vent fan to improve circulation.

Hey everyone, I just ran into a small issue and wanted to check if its a big deal. The light in my chicken coop just burned out, and my replacement wont arrive until next week. My birds are used to having some light in the evenings, but now theyll be in total darkness once the sun sets.

Will this ...

I have four 22-week-old pullets (two Sapphire Sky and two Light Brahmas) and one 10-month-old Black Australorp. She survived a bear attack that killed my original flock, and her last remaining flockmate recently passed, leaving her as the only older hen.

This past week, one of my Sapphire Skies ...

I think the way you're handling this is good so far. Slowly reintegrating the Leghorn while giving her time to adjust is key. Chickens sometimes need time to rebuild their confidence in the flock after bullying. You could also try adding a few distractions in the coop, like new perches or toys, to ...

Keep an eye on them, but don't stress too much. If they seem happy and active, they'll likely adapt just fine!

Hello, fellow chicken keepers!

I love keeping chickens and dont expect to make a profit, but Id like to find ways to lower my costs per dozen eggsideally below grocery store prices. Im not factoring in the coop and run since that was a personal project.

Right now, I have seven pullets (various ...

Some types of fir contain strong resins that can irritate chicks' lungs. If they start sneezing or acting lethargic, switch bedding immediately.

Given your setup, I would say you're good with the 4 chickens, but you could probably add one or two more. Since they have a spacious run and will be able to free-range, you could give them a little more room if needed.