Recent content by EastCoastChickens

So we have 5 hens, 2 Black Australorps, 2 Rhode Island Reds, and 1 Buff Orpington . They are about 7 months old now and all has been fine, but now we are noticing that 1 of the Rhode Island Reds has been pecking at the other, mostly whenever there is food around. But the one that gets pecked at...

hahaha great. Yes our dog loves puddle water. She drinks our well water but when I give her store bought water she loves it more...definatley a taste thing. lol....

That's good to know. I will be getting our flock started soon and wondered. Our water is full of iron and manganese. The ground here is solid coastal rock formations along the Atlantic. We have a softener, iron filter and a uv system and the water still is rust coloured in some months of the...

Great advice! Thank you :)

Very helpful. Thank you. I've attached a photo below. Now i've taken that temporary perch out under the window and added one above the door on the right. They have 2 roosts to choose from now. I thought of blocking it off for a coupe weeks. I'm getting them at 12 weeks of age so it may be some...

I've seen a few sites say that until your hens are old enough to lay that you should not allow access to the nesting boxes by blocking them off. Has anyone else practiced this? I will be getting my pullets at 12 weeks of age. 3 Heritage breeds Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red and Black...

Perfect....good idea

haha....no problem :) I added one more so I'll start with the 5. I dont' want to overcrowd and I want them to be happy hens for sure :) But I'm sure over time I'll be adding on at some point. The coop will expand and I was looking at some Silkies already hahaha....

Hahaha, its such a mind game isn't it. I know this is only the beginning of something new. I appreciate you not being of any help whatsoever and it made me smile too. haha....

Thanks! That exactly what I was planning to do. We will have 5 hens. I looked at those bases that you put a mason jar on upside down. Thought they were nice and simple and I could put a larger mason jar on it but wasn't sure exactly how much 5 hens would eat. I'm not opposed to a hanging feeder...

Ok time pick out a feeder! My plan for our soon to arrive 5 hens is to have water obviously 24hrs but pull their feed out at night after they are in the coop for the night and then put it back out in the morning when I open the coop! My idea behind this is because we have a lot of critters day...

I can't wait and thank you for the advice. Yes I hope to free range them when I'm around and have time. We do live rural and have ALOT of wildlife day and night so I do worry that I want to be around with them. Thanks for the reply! Cheers

I like that thought process! It would be fun to keep adding if you have the space....this is only the first coop so who knows...maybe there will be another in the future :)

Thanks, yes we are getting 12 week old pullets so the breeder is going to sex them. I've added a 5th so 5 hens to start. I want them to be happy and have lots of space to adjust and grow. I do worry about predators but I'm predator proofing the coop the best I can. I know incidents might happen...

LOL...too funny Cheers!