Recent content by Jim Phelps

I have Australorps for the first time and they will not use their roost. They are two-month old pullets and insist on sleeping on the ground in the coop. I have had many other breeds, and after a couple of nights placing them on the roost, they always used the roost. I repeatedly place the...

Does anyone know of a serama breeder in southeast Georgia (near Statesboro)? I would like to purchase a pair or trio of seramas.

I agree with the above post. As I stated earlier, my baby chicks began using it right away. Now as hens, they continue to use it. When I first tried it with older chickens, they would not use it at all. My swing is very similar to yours except made of wood. (See avatar.) One suggestion...

Speaking from my experience..........the hens in all probability will not use it. I have found that a swing works best with mine when they are introduced to it as baby chicks. (See my earlier post above.) Also I have found that "homemade" swings have a rougher surface that works better for...

First, thank you all for endless information on "boards." Yesterday I constructed a 2' X 4' X 3 1/2" wooden tray lined with linoleum; filled it with three inches of PDZ; and slid the tray under the roost. How nice to go out to a clean coop this morning! I do appreciate the many helpful ideas...

Thank you. They are young, but so much easier on the vegetation. They eat the clover, but no scratching up and destroying. So very different from other breeds I have kept. Quite enjoyable. And they do like their swing!

I have my first cream legbars. They seem to be extremely "gentle" on the vegetation. The seven pullets are in a 20 X 20 run planted in crimson clover. They have been there for three months and there has been little wear and tear on the plants. They delicately graze about. With any other...

Really made a difference when I had one available when the chicks were only a week or so old. They continue to swing on the "adult swing" as young pullets. Sometimes two or three birds on it at once.

This idea may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, but I use nipple waterers attached to the bottoms of 2-gallon buckets. I keep one-liter (bottled water) bottles in the freezer. Dropping a couple of these frozen bottles in the nipple waterer buckets keeps the water cool. In very hot...

Yes, Tractor Supply.

I have grown (am growing) clover and other crops in 2 X 4 frames made of 2 X 6's and covered with 1 X 2 welded wire. Works well. The hens walk on the wire without weighing it down which protects the greens. As the green crops grow through the wire, the hens eat the tips which are quickly...

I use the Quikrete sand from Lowe's, and it works well for me. I'm sure there are varying opinions. Just speaking from my experience. And I do add the PDZ. Makes quite a difference.

I agree. I have sand mixed with PDZ in my coop. Spread a bag of PDZ over the sand. The hens soon have it thoroughly mixed in. I have attached a super-size kitty litter scoop to a piece of PVC to provide a longer handle. Each morning I scoop out the droppings. Takes about two minutes...

Use the granular form of PDZ rather than the powdered. This eliminates most dust.