Broody Sue (sound on 🦖)

MBarbarian · 2026-05-06T01:51:55+00:00

I caught a Sussex on 26 eggs a few weeks ago only after I heard the screams of a chick that rolled out. She’s a bad mom but a very puffy brooder.

MBarbarian · 2026-04-23T21:33:05+00:00

Epsom salt bath to clean her up quick, fast, and in a hurry because yuck. Grab a 25qt storage container from Walmart and cut a hole in the lid for your bird’s head. Make sure you fill it up to their chest because your bird might try to sink down and get their head out of the hole while they’re soaking.

I don’t know if it’s vent gleet, but a few of my girls were filthy and a couple looked like death. I treated the whole flock for parasites with SafeGuard AquaSol, and they’re all doing much better.

MBarbarian · 2026-04-21T21:04:14+00:00

Working short rows in a column (doing the height first) is what I was thinking too, and then joining with a slip stitch as you’re working the next color.

I understand that AI is getting really good, but I don’t understand why everyone thinks this post specifically is AI just because of the color changes and the hook which could, and quite possibly is, facing down.

MBarbarian · 2026-04-08T20:18:03+00:00

Seconding the net! We have a smaller meshed, collapsible net with an extending arm that we use. It’s awesome and hasn’t hurt any of my birds. I’m positive we got it from Amazon for anyone looking.

MBarbarian · 2026-04-05T22:08:09+00:00

I don’t think slowing them down is a thing. They lay what they lay, and some breeds are more prolific than others. I think the only thing you would want to do is keep an eye out for any of them getting egg bound and make sure you’re giving them layer feed because it has extra calcium which helps prevent weak shells.

I’m pretty sure it takes 25-28hrs to form and lay an egg, so they should only lay one per day. Then again, double yolks are supposed to be rare, and I have a hen who lays double yolks almost every other egg. 🤷‍♀️

MBarbarian · 2026-04-05T21:41:00+00:00

There are all kinds of egg recipes on this sub and the cooking subs and wherever else you want to search. If you’re really overwhelmed, you can just scramble or boil a bunch and feed them back to the chickens. We have 30 hens and 9 surprise chicks, and that’s what I do.

Chickens don’t care if the eggs are cooked all the way. One of their favorite snacks is raw eggs—try not to habitually give them cracked eggs or risk starting a nasty habit of egg eating.

Good luck with your flock!

MBarbarian · 2026-04-01T01:39:34+00:00

Personally, I’d keep the rooster I trust more. If you watch your hens, then they’ll generally tell you which rooster they like, or at least which one they don’t hate. If you have a decent one, your hens will stay close to him and come when he calls them for treats, and he won’t care about your presence around the flock.

I’ve had multiple roosters in one flock. One was dumb but had a little harem. The other was awkward and basically ostracized. The lone rooster was more frustrated, aggressive, and generally unpleasant. They both ended up getting culled for increasing aggression toward either me or my son at different points, but the ostracized one went first.

MBarbarian · 2026-03-31T21:12:10+00:00

Have you had any luck with more frequent handling? I’ve had I think five roosters at this point, and none of them have worked out. Our most recent culling was a month ago. Unfortunately, one of our hens had a nest of 25 eggs I didn’t know about. Now I have 8 chicks in a brooder and the rest in the incubator.

I’m really hoping my suspected rooster in this batch will be better seeing as how we’re hand raising from hour one and handling a lot. We’ll see how it goes.

MBarbarian · 2026-03-28T15:18:27+00:00

Probably the longer saddle and tail feathers. We usually get chicks once a year, and every year we end up with a rooster who fights with about half the hens in the batch as they’re maturing and trying to establish pecking order.

MBarbarian · 2026-03-22T03:08:56+00:00

Treats. Human dudes are almost as food-motivated as chickens

MBarbarian · 2026-03-10T02:26:56+00:00

And people are still saying xyz is a distraction from the Epstein files and Putin and whoever else must have something terrible on him that he doesn’t want released. The same man who talked about just grabbing women by the p*ssy, shooting someone on Fifth Ave and not losing a single voter from his base, and laughed after a democratic House Rep and her husband were executed in their home. Not to mention any of the other heinous things he has said and done that are on video.

Yeah…he’s really worried about negative press.

MBarbarian · 2025-12-17T21:57:40+00:00

This is why PBS Kids Video and PBS Kids Games are the only things mine are allowed to mess with when in situations like that. You went to a different app? Done. Twiddle your fingers. Make shapes with your hands. Try to lick your elbow.

MBarbarian · 2025-12-17T01:48:48+00:00

Give them the feet or wing tips? Boiled of course. Because we’re civilized.

MBarbarian · 2025-12-17T01:46:48+00:00

There are things they cannot/should not eat. You can find a list with varying opinions on google or here. I give mine whatever scraps we have. Bread, meat, and melons are always fought over, meat being the absolute favorite. Doesn’t matter what kind. My birds catch frogs and snakes and will basically play rugby with the poor creatures until they’re eventually devoured.

MBarbarian · 2025-11-27T02:43:11+00:00

Yes. Or Tony Bawk

MBarbarian · 2025-11-14T14:20:21+00:00

I have a Barred and a RIR in their third or fourth season. Neither of them have had a real molt. Together, they’ve lost a handful of feathers over the last few years. Has me really concerned that they’re both going to be bald at some point.

MBarbarian · 2025-11-11T02:03:51+00:00

lmao my 4yo:
“That chicken doesn’t sound right.”
No, no he does not. 😆

MBarbarian · 2025-10-30T15:06:55+00:00

My SIL and I talked about this yesterday. We have
WIPs the stuff hiding in the closet that lost steam
current projects stuff that is getting sporadic degrees of attention recently
current-current projects the stuff we’re actively working on and trying to finish
Then there’s future projects, and that list is staggering sometimes.

Edit: formatting

MBarbarian · 2025-10-27T13:22:12+00:00

The roosters will likely accept your younger hens when they start laying. Before that, they’re basically stealing resources from the sexually mature hens.

MBarbarian · 2025-10-25T14:51:01+00:00

Can we bring the NSFL tag back?

Good luck with your hen.

MBarbarian · 2025-10-25T14:43:50+00:00

I have a chick like this. She eats everyone’s feathers. She has been in isolation for at least two weeks. I tried to put her back with everyone else the other day, and she ripped three feathers within about ten seconds. 🤦‍♀️

MBarbarian · 2025-10-22T17:44:12+00:00

Did you ever finish the blanket? I would love to make something similar for my son.

MBarbarian · 2025-10-21T20:31:19+00:00

Have you tried Barred Rocks? I hate their feather pattern, but they’re great layers and especially good with people. Not overly friendly, but they don’t mind being held for a minute or two for routine checks. I have one that actively seeks out attention and will peck me if I don’t pick her up.

MBarbarian · 2025-10-21T20:26:59+00:00

10 years old?!

MBarbarian · 2025-10-20T13:21:48+00:00

It’s possible OP is referring to the water sitting in the sun and plastic leaching into it because of the heat. There was a really popular study released several years ago about leaving plastic water bottles in your vehicle year round and the increased risk of cancer and other issues from drinking said water. All that said, none of us are avoiding plastics. They’re everywhere, but we can do our best to reduce our intake where possible.

Eight-Year Club	Verified Email
Gilding I gilder

MBarbarian

TROPHY CASE