Recent content by Strysa

You could put a light in your coop if you don't think the girls are getting enough light. We have a really small coop so I worry about the fire risk in mine. I am in Northwestern Idaho so I would think we have pretty much the same sunrise and sunset, so as long as you let them out early enough...

The birds are about 8months. I would not think that the lighting would be an issue. We are in the north and the birds get almost 13 hours of sun a day right now. I have actually never had a light in my coop and have never had trouble with consistent laying even in winter. Of course we do get...

So I am hoping to find out if anybody has ever had this issue before. My mother and I received a mixed dozen of chicks. She took 6 and I took 6. My girls have been laying for almost 2 months already but my mothers haven't even had the little first time lay eggs. We have had chickens for 4...

How cute. Nice to see a man doting on his favorite lady's ladies.

I have this same issue. Mine used their coop until about mid summer, then started roosting other places in the yard. So every night for weeks I started putting them in at dusk and letting them out in the morning. To this day we have the same routine. I also only have 2 birds, I think some...

Wow amazing that is like a lux hotel!

from Idaho.

My hens started laying. My first egg was Sunday and she laid it right next to their hanging water feeder. It was so soft that it cracked when it hit the ground, kind of looked liked a water balloon and it was also very small. I just went out to check and see if they had put themselves to bed...

What is the vinegar for?

My girls got corn on the cob. It was like chicken rugby in there!

Wow! Looks great!

This is my first year with chickens as well. I was actually in the same quandary as you. Not sure whether it was necessary to close the coop and there was no way any big predators could get in. Last week I actually found a garden snake in my yard which reminded me that we have big snakes like...

I love themes too! All of our are named for herbs/spices. Basil, Sage, and Thyme. I also have two new girls that I haven't settled on names yet but I am thinking maybe Cloves and Saffron.

I forgot to add, she has not started to lay yet. I did see that a lot of her symptoms matched those of being egg bound but I got all of the hens from the same batch and non of them have started to lay yet.

She does have a runny stool or muck on her rear. I have seen her drink lots of water, and she has wondered out of the coop a few times today, but as I said before, she gets out and just stands there kind of droopy looking. I still have not seen her eat anything. As for the latch, it has a...