Recent content by Fire-Chicken

Thank you for that. We usually have production start back up in the winter, with our warmer weather, but it will be slow/sparse due to the shorter days. This molt just seemed a LOT longer than usual. I am curious to hear what other “chicken tenders” in our area are experiencing, if they are...

As of today, we, in Florida, have 10 3/4 hours of daylight.

First and foremost Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families, from South Florida! All of our chickens have been in their molt since the middle of August. Until today, they have not yet started laying. So I ask all of my fellow Floridians (and those who can weigh-in)… How long does a...

Very interesting points, thank you. I failed to mention that I do provide two containers, one with grit and another with crushed oyster shell so they may take as they need. I provide each year-round, in the run. I’ve seen all of my birds find theses resources on their own. I’ll even mix some...

I have also added the fake, ceramic eggs to the nest boxes, to deter the young ones from eating what few eggs I could find. it seems that if I’m not watching the hens lay (via the video camera), then running out to the coop to gather them, they will disappear. That is why I am thinking the...

Most of the eggs that I can collect, have hard shells. Although recently, I have found some soft shelled eggs. I have also found an uptick in eggs late at night/ very early in the morning, from the roost. Is a soft shelled egg normal to find during the molt? Are they putting most of their...

Good day everyone! I have recently added the 5 new girls to the living area (coop and run) permanently. A total of 12 hens under one roof. The older girls (one year old) - 2 Swedish Flowers, 2 Welsummers, 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 Cream Legbar The new girls (17 weeks old) - 2 Blue Copper Marans, 2...

Many thanks to all of you, who provided recommendations and feedback. The integration process went off without a hitch, and the best part, minimal squabbling and zero fighting. Probably the best anyone could ask for, just shy of them being reared naturally. I have recently added the 5 new girls...

Since they only intermingle on common ground, outside of the coop (in about a 50’ x 50’ area), that is where I have the safe place for the young-ins to escape to. When I remove all barriers in the coop/run, I will bring in the safe place for an extended period of time until things settle down...

We just let them intermingle, on common territory, just yesterday for about an hour. There was very little aggression from the original group, except for one bird and just a little bit from another. Other than that it was really calm. They were separated onto their respective groups, at bedtime...

Here is the coop, with makeshift sections for the 5 new birds, for the see, no-peck integrated living quarters. The coop section for the newbies is 5’x 3’ The run section for the newbies is 6’ x 3’

My Coop & Run Facts: Coop is 8'x6' Open floor plan with three nesting boxes 15 linear feet of roosting space (I plan on expanding that to 20) The coop is on stilts (like a stilt home) with the floor of the coop 2' off of the ground (I sound like a realtor!! LOL) Run is 8' x 16' and completely...

Coop before move-in…

So here are some photos of the coop, just after completion. The only thing not in the photo is the electric fence. It is a three strand wire, 360 degrees around the coop, on the bottom 24”.

Rosemarythyme Thank you very much for the insight and personal experience. I didn’t know that we could “regress” or “back-track” with the food. VERY interesting. I’ve never heard of that nor read that in any research. I‘ll keep that in mind as an option. It is tough keeping two worlds...