Pullet questions?

In a very small space like that, with the roost well above their heads, it may be difficult for them to get up there. Chickens don't necessarily have an easy time flying or jumping straight up, especially as they get bigger. Same with getting down, in a very small space they will be bouncing off the wall when they attempt to jump or fly down.

I've been thinking maybe this weekend I'll build a ramp up to there and see if that helps. Kind of wondered that myself, if they need a running start they can't get it in there! LOL!

Thanks!

Hi Heather (Fringe). The girls look lovely! They look like mine did when I first got them - small pale combs. You'll notice their combs deepening in color and getting bigger when they get more mature and ready to lay. The roost definitely needs to be about 4" wide so they can cover their feet with their bellies to keep them warm. I remember mine had no clue that they needed to go in the coop the first night, but when we eventually got them in, they just flew/hopped onto the roost.
A tip to prevent mites....sprinkle some diamataceous earth in the nesting boxes each time you replace the straw.
Where in CT are you and where did you get your pullers from? Is that a Sussex I see in the photo?

Denise

Yes. I think I'll change that roosting bar. I suppose they could just use the poop shelf but I suppose some kind of roost would be better.

I read or heard somewhere else they said about combs and wattles getting redder before they start to lay. I like your idea of the DE in the nesting boxes once I open them back up.

I live in Killingworth down near shoreline. Between Clinton and Durham. Where are you at? I'm originally from central PA and loved helping my grandparents with their chickens on the farms when I was a kid.

So the white one is a Light Brahma. Her name is Daisy. (My two nieces named them for me - I gave them a big list of "old fashioned" names and once I got the pullets and texted pics to my nieces they gave them names). The red one is Penny. She's a RI Red. The black one with the gold on her neck is Hazel. She's supposed to be a Red Star. And the all black one is an Australorpe. That's Lotte (said like lottie) which is short for Charlotte. I got them from a farm nearby. By the time I got the coop done nobody had any pullets unless I paid a small fortune in shipping from somewhere. They were closed but she said she had some she'd sell me. Some others I know had got from them. I didn't want to do the chick thing. Too messy.

Jim kept teasing that I'd built myself a really expensive lawn ornament for the winter. But she sold me some and here we are! Glad it's going to warm up this week. Taking the heat lamp out. Scares me but the lady at the farm felt I should just for a couple/few weeks until the put on a little more weight. I can tell they've grown a bit even in the week I've had them. We lose power a lot. I can't be at work, have a power outage and come home to find dead birds because they weren't used to the cold. They'll get used to it. I am buying a heated stand for my waterer though. Kept freezing! Every morning and every night breaking the ice out and refilling them.

What kinds Of birds do you have?

Hi Fringe, I am in Fairfield. I have 8 hens. 5 of them are Rhode Island Reds and 3 are White Leghorns. Some days I get 5 eggs, others (like yesterday) 2. I would love to get an Australorp in the spring for those blue eggs! My hens were very timid for the first couple of weeks until they got used to me and the coop/run. Now they squawk when they see me and crowd around me if I'm carrying something, as it's usually a treat!

I let them out to free range every day if I can. They love it and can spend hours under the bushes, scratching at the ground for bugs.

Here's some pics of them and my coop. This is all I have on my work computer!!



Denise

Your coop and chickens look awesome! I'm just starting with 4. Then I figure in a few years (if I can wait that long) I'll get 2-3 more. I didn't think the Australorpe laid a green egg. I think that's the Aracauna or something like that. That would be nice but I just like the different looks of the different chickens. I want to get some kind of Wyandotte and also a Barred Rock. Jim really wanted a black and white one of some kind and nobody had any. I also like the Sussex ones that are kind of red with grey or white speckles. So many choices and limited space! My coop, I can build another roost over the pop door if I want to add on.
So I just spent the last hour+ building a ramp up to the roost and just put it in there. They're very fidgety. I can't sneak up on them. They always hear me. They were all gathered at the top of the ramp at the pop door. I coaxed them inside after putting the ramp in and shut the pop door for the night. Hopefully they'll find it. I've left the bannister rail for now. I'll work on getting a 2x4 in there tomorrow when it's warmer and I can lock them out of the coop.
I think tonight will be the last night for the heat lamp. It's supposed to warm up over the next several days and I don't like having that on. Another week and some warmer weather, they should put on a bit more weight and be fine. We're going to be gone next weekend so I wouldn't run it anyway. I did find a waterer heated stand at the feed store. That will save my neighbor the trouble of frozen water if it should get cold.
Well, stay warm. Thanks for the help and Happy Thanksgiving all!!!!