Building New Coop/Barn...Phase 5 Great Barn Build, OCCUPIED! 3/6/16

[chicklover 1998]

Awesome you are coming right along!

 

[MistyMountain]

All of this is coming together beautifully!! You've got me all fired up to finish our coop. Sadly, it will have to wait until the pasture is seeded in a couple of weeks. I am so ready though!!

One of my favorite EE hens is having issues again. I believe she either needs her own group of rooster less hens here, or needs to go to someone who does not have any roosters. My Roo is not mean, dances, doesn't just pounce and the hen squats willingly for him. However, this is the third time her side has been torn open. She is a big hen, well matched for the rooster, and not one of his favorites. None of the other hens have issues, just her. Off to the vacant broody coop she goes with a couple of friends for company, I guess. Anyone else ever have this problem?

 

[speckledhen]

All of this is coming together beautifully!! You've got me all fired up to finish our coop. Sadly, it will have to wait until the pasture is seeded in a couple of weeks. I am so ready though!!

One of my favorite EE hens is having issues again. I believe she either needs her own group of rooster less hens here, or needs to go to someone who does not have any roosters. My Roo is not mean, dances, doesn't just pounce and the hen squats willingly for him. However, this is the third time her side has been torn open. She is a big hen, well matched for the rooster, and not one of his favorites. None of the other hens have issues, just her. Off to the vacant broody coop she goes with a couple of friends for company, I guess. Anyone else ever have this problem?

A too-willing hen? Yes, I remember one or two of those. They almost ask for trouble, don't they? She needs to be w/o a rooster, IMO, if she keeps being hurt. I have all sorts of reasons to separate a hen and that definitely would be one of them.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Your barn is looking fantastic! Can't wait to see it painted. Were you able to get enough "oops" paint?

 

[MistyMountain]

A too-willing hen? Yes, I remember one or two of those. They almost ask for trouble, don't they? She needs to be w/o a rooster, IMO, if she keeps being hurt. I have all sorts of reasons to separate a hen and that definitely would be one of them.

Operation Chicken Move complete. Brownie is with Darth Vader and Curly Sue in the broody coop. Why does it have to be one of my favorites? I've been so lucky with all my hens, temperament wise. They all get along so well, so choosing which hens would go on vacation was not difficult.

Brownie was acting normal today. I treated her wound and left her to explore the new digs.

 

[1muttsfan]

Trimming your rooster's toenails may help reduce damage - not the spurs, but the actual nails. Trim them the same way you would a dog or cat.

 

[speckledhen]

Your barn is looking fantastic! Can't wait to see it painted. Were you able to get enough "oops" paint?

I have a couple of gallons, plus 32 oz of a super reduced Valspar paint in 8 ounce jars and various leftovers from our own house so I think I may have enough to do what I have to do. We have one roost to construct and it's ready for paint this weekend. We moved Xander's entire roost frame/shelf(cleaned it a good deal, too, yuck on the underside) and the nests from his coop, which are made from a 2 drawer file cabinet with inserts to cover the sharp metal edges. Will get pics later.

Trimming your rooster's toenails may help reduce damage - not the spurs, but the actual nails. Trim them the same way you would a dog or cat.

Yes, it's rarely the spurs that are the issue, but some hens just allow themselves to be over-mated. Not many roosters turn down constant invitations.

 

[speckledhen]

All pens ready for paint! Resused roosts from other coops in two of the pens, though they did not go with the same group who was using them previously. Some have brand new or new to them stuff. Xander as well as the Old Hens will have their own nests they are used to.

 

[aart]

Nice!
What's with Zanders pen..the mesh platforms?

 

[speckledhen]

Nice!
What's with Zanders pen..the mesh platforms?

Xander's coop where he is now was formerly full of Blue and Buff Orpingtons. They were so huge and the area so small that I could not find a good roost situation for them. So, I built big Suede a roost shelf to sit on. In winter, I put hay or shavings up there. It's only about 27" above the ground, easy on the legs, no balancing required, doesn't get in the way of floor space, etc. So, Xander inherited the shelf. Now, there's only one blue Orp left, big old Dusty, who probably weighs 9-10 lbs herself and of course, Rowena and Wendy, Atlas's sisters, don't really need it, but we just decided to move the entire shelf over there. That is plastic garden fencing, now re-stretched on the frame after all these years of use it's had.

Here is a photo of Suede shortly before he passed away snoozing on his shelf. See how it cradles his big old body?