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Top 5 Questions Of The Week – #24

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Top 5 Chicken Questions Of The Week

In this weekly post we will answer the top 5 questions of the week received through our contact form. We don’t always have time to answer every single question submitted, but we try to get through them slowly but surely. We hope these questions and answers will help you in your backyard chicken endeavors. If you have a unique situation or question feel free to use our contact form here. Let’s get started!
Question:
Hello! I found your website through a friend who recommended it as a great place to start gathering info. Indeed there is so much to learn! Wow! As someone who is completely new to chickens, I would like to start by keep 4 or 5 chickens in our backyard. I am in the process of getting the coop constructed (through all the wonderful plans you have available!). We have 3 small children, so we are hoping to get some of the friendlier egg laying breeds. Not interested in meat production at this point. I am open to any recommendations you would have as far as breeds and if you have any pullets currently (or soon to be) available for purchase? – Rachel
Answer:
Thank you for the kind words. We try to make content and starting off raising chickens as easy as possible. I strongly recommend starting off with more than less chickens. Now I don’t mean this by exaggerated amounts, for example, 100 verses 10. But if I were to choose starting off between 4 and 5 I would stick with 5 chickens. Chickens are characteristically a flock bird. For friendly chicken recommendations, here are my top 3 picks.

As far as building or purchasing your chicken coop, always size up. Read our building guide here. Look at our coop plans here.
Question:
My 6 week old baby chick got attacked today. Not sure what got her thinking it was a chick hawk. She’s got open wounds on the back of her head her one eye really won’t open she’s just kind of laying there you can hold her and pick her up. She won’t walk I just hope she’ll make it through the night any advice I can have to help her heal would be great – Anonymous
Answer:
This is always a difficult situation, trust me I know. I have had every predator local to my area attach my flock. Several times. Your heart is in the right spot, but it may be best to cull her. Her suffering is greater than her livability rate by the way you describe it. If she does recover with permanent issues she will also be bullied in the pecking order. If you choose to keep her, apply ointments to the wounds, available water, and hope for the best. Wish you the best of luck. If this attack happened at night, consider getting an automatic chicken coop door that will guarantee they are tucked away safe at night.
Question:
Found your information on Speckled Sussex very interesting.  My Speckled Sussex chicks are almost two weeks old and doing great!  I chose the breed because I wanted a easy-going free range bird that would not pick fights with our 150 goats.
Answer:
We are very happy you find our content useful. Though not really a question we chose to post this to let our users know that we have information on all types of chicken breeds and chicken profiles. It has been very helpful to countless readers in picking their chickens. For those interested, here is our speckled sussex breed guide.
Question:
We were given 6 baby chicks and 5 out of the 6 are roosters!! Unfortunately we weren’t able to keep them. However we became so attached to one of the roosters who was so friendly. Yesterday we tracked him down and to our surprise found him and took him back home. Now we are faced with crowing in a suburban area which aint allowed. Can you please recommend an anti crow collar for our rooster?
Answer:
It is difficult for us to recommend one. Incorrect application of one can cause injury or death to your rooster. There is one on amazon that has some reviews but just like we mentioned, it is difficult for this to function properly and not hurt your rooster. Use at your own discretion.
Question:
I just bought your book on Amazon.  I don’t know how I didn’t find your amazing site earlier.  We live in Arizona.  I don’t like plastic but I worry that galvanized metal may get too hot?   Do you have any other suggestions?  I also wrote a comment under why chickens don’t lay eggs.  :(. We had one lay then stop and while on vacation my mom said she was acting off then she was found the next morning dead on her side :,(.  They are for eggs and pets.  So this was hard.  Also we have one 3mo old and our other just started to lay eggs so I wonder if our feed is okay.  It was the only organic feed the store had.
Answer:
Thanks for your support, we have had great feedback on our book. Galvanized DOES get hot, shade and air movement is your friend and answer to most of chicken keepings issues. For water, galvanized will be ok but try to keep your water pan in shade at all times regardless of material. We have lots of information on automatic waterers here and automatic feeders here. I like to always keep my feed and water in a shade location. It can mean in a covered run, or outside the coop next to a shade tree. I do both depending on the circumstances. My flock loves to stay under a few bushes themselves.
One mistake I see being made more frequently than not is chicken coops need proper airflow and shade especially. People are so concerned about the cold season they forget about the warm season and end up baking their chickens inside the coop. Always guarantee proper air flow. This is for proper temperature, but also proper health care of your flock.
As far as feed, there may be something else going on here. Be sure they are getting fresh water daily and proper nesting boxes. I would not blame the feed just yet.

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Top 5 Chicken Questions Of The Week

8 thoughts on “Top 5 Questions Of The Week – #24

  1. I had 8 chickens and they all got along well. I purchased 4 Speckled Sussex that were approximately 16 weeks old. I kept them separated for a week and then put them in an enclosure inside the pen. After a few days, I let them out with the other chickens. OMG … everyone appeared to get sick after that. They wouldn’t eat and had diarrhea. I took stool samples to the vet, but they couldn’t determine anything. They all seem to have recovered, but they won’t start laying again. It’s been about 3 weeks. I have treated the soil, put treatment in their water and I just don’t know what else to do. I really think they’re just not happy! Any advice?

    1. It’s very stressful to combine new chickens with established chickens.seperate them immediately.Make separate runs for each group where they can see each other but not be together.After about a month let them free range together and they should be fine.

  2. I am just starting out with 6 chickens. We purchased the non medicated layer feed, and I wonder do we need to get oyster shell as well? Our chickens are laying pullets, hybrids.
    Your site has been invaluable for information, and we built a lovely coop from your plans!

  3. iI have found your site VERY useful and appreciate the information you post in your blog. Having said that, I would like to mention about my family’s experience with wound care and chickens. My daughter gets chickens with the “pet” and not “egg” idea behind raising them so culling is not an option for her. Our small sexlink flock was killed off last year throughout the summer except for two of our hens by predators, including somebody loose pet. Later in the fall,despite our safety upgrades, our last two hens were attack viciously by two loose dogs from the neighborhood. One hen had deep bites around her neck and the other had her hindquarters nearly torn off. The first hen recovered very quickly with epsom salt soaks and peroxide and bluekote on the wounds ( about a week). The second hen was in dire straits. We really doubted she would survive. My daughter and I cleaned, debrided, soaked and treated her twice to three times a day for three weeks. During this time we kept them in a dog kennel in the house and also gave vitamins to them in their water. I am happy to say that they not only survived but are thriving and laying eggs again after a very long recovery period. They are some very hardy birds! Our biggest threat is loose dogs from the neighborhood, so please keep this in mind when you raise your chickens. Also, not all birds need to culled if injured, but it is a commitment and personal choice if it happens. Best of luck!

  4. I’ve wound up with 2 Black AUSTRALORP ROOSTERS thinking I was raising 6 Hens. The only age I can think of is, they’re in adolesence for maybe 2 more months. ..Should roos establish their own pecking order between themselves so the less dominant roo will not breed with the 4 girls? The roos have always hung out together but I know it may not stay that way. I had to give my beautiful Rhode Island Red roo I raised & spoiled away because he got mean.

  5. Hi there,
    Wondering if you could help. I have the sweetest Buff Orpington hen (Nellie) and Bard Rock hens of which one (Layla) can be nasty sometimes. Nellie enjoys a cuddle from time to time but whenever we put her down Layla will try to attack her. Any idea why this would be happening?
    Our rooster passed about two months ago and Layla fancies herself leader of the pack. Just got a 6mo old Silkie to replace him when he gets a little older but until then I’m worried about picking Nellie up when she wants attention. She is the only one of my hens that enjoys being held.
    Ddawn

  6. If I want my chickens to be able to go under the coop, how high off the ground do I need it to be.

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