Backyard Fowl Keepers

I once caught a turtle trying to sneak into the coop. It was surprisingly determined.

I feed mine rice all the time, both cooked and raw. They love it, and it's a great way to use up leftovers.

Are your incubator temps steady? If it's slightly low, it can cause chicks to take longer to hatch.

Every night, my coop is absolutely swarmed with mosquitoes, and my poor hens are miserable. Ive noticed them getting really irritated, and Im worried about the risk of diseases like avian pox.

Ive tried keeping the area as dry as possible, but the mosquitoes still seem relentless. Does anyone ...

Sounds like an accidental treat! Chickens will generally be fine after a bit of extra food, but try not to let them get too used to it. Just keep an eye on them for a couple of days. If they're not showing any issues like diarrhea or lethargy, I wouldn't worry.

We originally thought we had two broody hens, so we split a clutch of 10 eggs between themfive each. However, later that day, one hen abandoned her eggs, clearly not fully committed. I moved all ten eggs under our dedicated broody, a Barred Rock, who seemed determined to sit.

Fast forward three ...