Recent content by thornhill

  1. thornhill

    Chickens won't go in coop at night

    I should add that the rails outside of the coop are farther above the ground then what they roost on in the coop, so it's possible that's why they prefer to be outside. But then again, it's brighter longer outside of the coop, and where they roost outside faces west.
  2. thornhill

    Coop cleaning when coop has cement floor

    How good is your ventilation? The poop gives off ammonia gas, so if you're not cleaning often and your ventilation isn't that great, the gas will build up which isn't good for the chickens (just one of the reasons why good ventilation is so important). Is the poop also landing in a place that...
  3. thornhill

    Chickens won't go in coop at night

    In my experience the chickens prefer to roost outside, even in the winter. My coop sits in a a fully enclosed space -- basically a 10'x10x10' wire cage. Inside of that space I have a bunch of wood planks that are 2 to 7 feet off of the ground. I usually free range in the evening, and for...
  4. thornhill

    At what point is it too cold for chickens to sleep outside?

    Training is a pretty loose word when it comes to chickens. When I first got my hens I too trained them to go into the coop at night. And I always also closed the door after them. Because the run was predator proof I didn't see the point of closing the coop door at night during the summer...
  5. thornhill

    At what point is it too cold for chickens to sleep outside?

    While I don't think it's a huge difference in temperature, the coop does offer some wind proofing and should capture some of the warm air given off by the birds.
  6. thornhill

    At what point is it too cold for chickens to sleep outside?

    It's been raining pretty heavy for the last week and that has caused the hens to go back into the coop at night, even on nights when there is no rain. So I guess if they're uncomfortable they'll go back inside.
  7. thornhill

    At what point is it too cold for chickens to sleep outside?

    Starting this summer my hens began roosting outside in my enclosed run (I assume because it was so hot and humid at night). I kept the coop door open 24/7 because the run is 100% secure. Winter has come and they haven't moved back inside. I'm inclined to do nothing because the run is...
  8. thornhill

    Ended Official BYC Coop Page Contest #7

    Here's my entry: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-recycled-coop
  9. thornhill

    Comment by 'thornhill' in article 'The Recycled Coop'

    Hi @21hens-incharge. Thanks for your feedback. I agree that the coop is a bit small for 4 birds, but as I say and you note, the warm weather lets me keep the coop door open 24/7 for over 8 months of the year -- and there are plenty of mild days in the winter -- so they don't spend that much...
  10. The Recycled Coop

    The Recycled Coop

    My primary motivation for getting backyard chickens was the inhumane conditions of chicken farms. For years I paid more for eggs from "free-range" and "cage free" chickens thinking I was doing the right thing only to find out those terms didn't mean what I thought. I wanted my eggs to come from...
  11. thornhill

    Whiteness all over comb

    Two of my hens' combs are turning white like this: Based on other threads, people suggest that it's either frostbite, dry skin, or a fungal infection. We just went through about a week of very cold weather -- mid-teens at night -- and the last few days it has warmed up and rained a lot...
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