Recent content by wannabe4birds

I right-clicked and "copied", then scrolled from top-to-bottom, then created a word doc and pasted the list. Maybe that'd work for you?

I haven't been able to start the chicken thing yet, but -- as a beekeeper -- I'm compelled to add my 2.5 cents ... This year I had my 1st actual honey harvest (4 gallons from a couple of my backyard hives; the Girls did well this year). I'm using a nice amount to make mead (a 1st for me, too...

Thx all for your interesting input; more food (feed?) for thought. I'll powwow with my pal and see if he's willing to go along with the 4X8 plyboard thing. Sounds reasonable to me -- and I think the birds would appreciate it.

Thx for the input, gardener; if I can do something bigger than a 4X4, I will; part of it depends on how much a pal who's wiling to help me is willing to do. I'm not handy, and he seems to think a coop bigger than 4X4 could be a issue -- for some reason. I hope to have 5 hens or so. I already...

I'm bouncing around coop-building ideas with folks and wondered: since I read that chickens want all the light they can get, and I'm not sure how many windows my coop-to-be will have (a 4X4X4 coop, maybe), what about the roof? Initially I figured I'd get a white-painted metal roof so it wouldn't...

Oops (or is it orps?) -- so it's "orpington", not "opington". Won't make that mistake again .....

Hi -- I haven't researched "sex-linked" yet; does that mean some hybrid-or-other that can't be ascribed to any particular breed? I'd like a mixture of types (opingtons, araucana, etc) for my "flock (5 birds) so .... is there such a thing as "sex-linked opington"?. Kinda confusing. Pullets're...

I'm a ways from doing it, but .... when it comes time to buy some chicks (probably at a local hardware store), will I be told they're female? My town only allows hens to be kept (sorry, guys). Would the store guarantee/certify they're female? Is it standard for these places to just stock...

Thx a million, Egg; beaucoup info here to digest. I'll peck at bits and pieces as I go along. Kinda makes my head spin when I think of all the data needed just to start to start. It's like with my bees -- every day brings something new. Not always welcomed or happy, but that's life. Mitch

Howdy; while I'm in the searching-for-knowledge mode .... I've read that buff opingtons seem to dislike being picked up; maybe they'll sit on one's lap when they choose, but otherwise ... hands off, mammal! I plan to have some ops as avian pets, and no matter what, I'm sure picking some up at...

I was at a hardware store (Mennonite one near my town; super-cool) yesterday and saw their little buff opington chicks. I told an old farmer there I'd've grabbed all of their 20+ op. chicks except that I don't even have a coop yet. Painful to leave 'em. Not to mention, in my town we're only...

I spoke with a nice chicken-raiser the other day, and re: perches was told that chickens, while sitting on roosts, have their feet sticking out (flat-footed?) and don't curl their talons [?!] around a perch. Ergo, I should use a roost made of a square or flat-edged board. Is this right? I...

Due to limited backyard space, I'll have to put my coop into the veg garden (which is only around 40X35'). The wire fencing is only 3' high, so I'm guessing chickens would have no problem hopping onto/over this? I have tons of plastic mesh (I've used for protecting fruit trees, mostly) I could...

Thx, Banty -- this is just too good. One thing I'm learning is that poultry aren't so style-conscious. Thank God .... I hope mine won't expect elegance or haute architecture in their digs next year. They could be in for a big let-down.

It's appreciated, Ivan -- I'm learning by the minute!