Recent content by Mad Maggie

Hi can anyone tell me why my silkies who were born this year are yellow as opposed to white? The lady I bought them off says they were off pure white parents and she cannot understand why they are yellow. Also there top knot feathers are sort of spikey although some of them have little...

Just wondering whether anyone could tell me why my silkies are yellow rather than white? I bought them about 3 weeks ago and they were born in June - when I got them they had been free range but are now in a coop. I feed them on layers with a bit of corn in the afternoon so am at a loss to...

I am in the process of having a new house and run made - one where the run extends under the coop. The inside of the coop, the floor is tongue and groove and I was wondering about putting some lino on the floor before the woodchips to make it easier to clean. Do you think this would encourage...

I am considering stopping using woodchip type material in the base of my run and was wondering about rubber chips. They look like bark chippings but are rubber and as such could be hosed down every other day or when needed. I have had a sample from one company and have to say it looks...

Hi Can anyone give me any clues why my white silkie is a funny shade of yellow? She seems well and is eating okay but looks a bit strange as she is more yellow than white. Is she deficient in something?

I have in the past been buying something called Poultry Ark in shaker containers which is redish/pink in colour and when it stops working it goes grey. I am led to believe there is something the same as this but a lot cheaper (excuse the pun!!) and can be bought in bigger quantities. I put...

As some of you know I lost one of my silkies last week and am now left with two. I also have two young warrens and was wondering how difficult it is to keep the two together - does anyone do it successfully? If so do you put them in at night as with introducing a new hen to the coop and see...

I have three little silkie bantams which I purchased earlier this year. They have a hen house with nest box and a good sized run. I noticed the other day that my little black girl was sneezing a little but she seemed okay and was eating. The other two are fine. Today she has been very...

This morning whenI got up, I let the hens (3) out into their runs from the coop. About half an hour later I went out to clean out the coop and my black one was sitting on the nest laying so I left them. I came home about 4/5 hrs later and went out to see what eggs there were. My little black...

Hi I am reasonably new to keeping chucks (about 2yrs) and have recently added 2 new hens to my other 1. They are getting on okay and have been together for a week. However, every night they go to sleep in their outside run rather than the hen house which means that I have to root them out...

Hi I am fairly new to keeping chickens and wondered if there is anyone who knows how to keep the flies away. I clean my girls out every day and replace some of the bedding daily but still have a lot of flies. I have ordered something called Ark Fresh from a poultry place to try but has anyone...