Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[galanie]

      Quote:

 I don't know where you live, but when the mean, grey, cold days of Jan., Feb., March, strike, and they huddle up, you will see why. I'm assuming that your run attached to your coop by a poop door is uncovered since you let them out for a few hours a day. Then the more room you can give your birds, the healthier they will be. Crowding causes stress. Stress causes sick birds.If your run attached to your coop is covered and dry, include that space in your figuring. Too many people crowd too many birds, and wonder why they get sick.See my page for very healthy birds.

So what do y'all think the minimum space (square footage) per standard sized bird is?

Not an OT. But I do know already then when people are looking for a minimum of square feet per bird, they are already headed for trouble. I say 15 square feet when people ask me.

PS - I have already caused, unknowingly, a bit of a "row" between my son and his father in law over this. Daddy wanted to generously give them one of those dollhouse coops. I told him not to accept anything under a certain amount of square feet. Dad was upset. I only found out about it second hand. But my son's birds aren't crowded in some cutesy little doll house!

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Quote: Clip and Save for the book, BK.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Coop space. Beekissed mentioned earlier (I can't find it) about having deferent levels of being in the coop. I don't see alot of that in process, but it makes a big difference with a flock of various ages. Think about putting shelves in, it adds another dimension especially for the smaller young ones who can get up off the floor when being chased around the block. Not everybody can roost on the top either, just like not everybody can win first place, but they will situate themselves to avoid droppings from above. I also don't see many roosts in runs. Chickens like to nap occasionally hang out on a treelimb for snooze time, or even just for some balance exerise. Jmo.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:

So what do y'all think the minimum space (square footage) per standard sized bird is?

Because I free range at all times and we rarely get snows past a few feet anymore and only a couple of those per winter, I usually allow 4 sq. ft. per standard bird in the coop. This gives plenty of walking, moving or just lying down by yourself space without bumping off other birds.

I don't think one can look at just square footage for a chicken's comfort, though it is a big part. I think the space, combined with light, ventilation, area climate and even bedding/flooring options all play into a bird's well-being in a coop environment. If you have a small space, increase the light and ventilation, provide deep litter and good roosting options, as well as a generous sized run.

I kept 30 birds in a 10x15 ft. coop and free range and the space was more than adequate on snow days. I provided deep litter which gave something to do during confinement and many roosting levels and options if a bird wanted to get up off the floor. One whole wall of windows and half of the other and plenty of ventilation.

Right now I have 13 standard birds in a 8x 10 coop that will be decreased by the placement of haybales along the walls into a 6x8 ft. coop for the winter. They will still be able to find that extra space by getting on top of the hay bales(and they love this) and deep litter will once again give them something to do on days of too deep snow. I've also provided different roost levels for other places of being out of the general population when needed. This coop, too, has two walls of natural light and good ventilation for winter.

 

[Suzierd]

I found this out on Friday! e I have not been able to find Bragg's anywhere locally, but I did find it on Amazon. I have no clue what it costs anywhere else, but I figured I would just wait a couple of weeks until I could afford it, and get a whole case. I still may do that, but I CAN find local vinegar if I have to.

They have it here at Fred Meyer in the organic area.

 

[chicken curious]

What in the world? Was this caused by a predator or is it within the craziness of flock dynamics?

I'm posting here b/c I hope some OTs (or those who wanna be one when we grow up) will have some input.

I let the 12 POL hens out to range a little this morning, filled up the feeder, and then ran my kids to school. I didn't go in the chicken yard when I got home, but I did start using power tools in the nearby garage (very noisy). After a while, I decided to see what they were up to and I wandered in there...

1) I could tell they were freaked out by their locations and body language. One had a feather glued to her beak and comb with blood, comb was detached at the back. The one with the feather bloodied to her face is not high in the pecking order from what I can tell and I have seen her be chased by one of the top hens. Top hen was in nest box (I assume she laid the FIRST egg of the group...she sat on it for a while).

a few of the higher ranked hens have a small bloody spot on the top, middle of their beaks which leads me to think there was a pecking order issue, but...

2) feathers were EVERYWHERE in the hen house and even more so in the attached run (which was wide open so they could forage) definitely colors from multiple chickens (one of which is near top of pecking order, but seems unscathed)

Anyway, I figured I'd get the feather off and access the damage of the one with obvious injury. Well, turns out she is gashed all over...around her vent she has a gash going down and one going up plus her back is missing a lot of feathers and has another gash. at least half her tail feathers are missing. I did see her poop a big, but healthy poop (fermented feed), but then she seemed to limp a little.

So, my gut instinct tells me that maybe it was some huge chicken scuffle, possibly pertaining to the first egg laying, BUT is there a chance it was a predator (neighborhood cat?)? The chickens just seemed so freaked out, but maybe a fight would be upsetting? Ugghh, I don't want to ascribe chicken emotions, but I'd like to know if it's safe to leave them out or if they should be confined to the run and house area only. And if it's flock dynamics, will confining them lead to more problems?

BTW, I soaked the hen in warm epsom salt water to clean the wounds and then squirted on some providone (things I would do for myself for a gash). She was really upset when I tried to crate her to keep her clean and the others weren't bothering her while I got supplies together so i let her back with the flock. not sure if that was the correct choice. sigh. what in the world?

edited to add: it's been a couple hours, but they are all peacefully huddled together in the safest area (under the hen house)

edited again: I'm about to leave to go out of town...should I cull her for food or she if she heals without much intervention while I'm gone (my mom will be here). this is a small laying flock and I am frustrated that once they're finally ready to lay I might need to eat one (already ate cockerels)

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like a predator but not a cat....usually a dog will snatch the tail feathers out and also will try to grab other birds as they run by. A cat usually tries to stalk and corner one bird. Anyone with small dogs in the neighborhood? Coon?

Doesn't sound a bit like flock disputes. The hen should be fine...they are tougher than we think.

 

[armorfirelady]

Yesterday some had mentioned that they were going to start putting plastic around their runs since the temps have been cooling down during the day & evenings. Plus the cool winds are starting to pick up.

Today I decided was the day for me to tackle that project. While it was chilly this morning in the 50s by the time I finished other chores & decided to put the plastic up the temps were in the low 70s. The girls were in the run napping after a dust bath. I started to cut & tack up the plastic & with the warm temps all I could think of was that I was going to make it into a green house in there since it had warmed up. Mind you one end & the roof are open to air all the time even for the winter.

As I sat there & wondered if I should just wait till another day an idea struck me. Why not make it like the canvas on my pop up camper? Make it so the plastic can be rolled up on warm days (since we will still get a few of those & put down when its cooler & the winds pick up? For winter it will all be stapled down snug so it wont blow in the wind.


I didnt put the plastic all the way to top of the run at the roof line. I wanted to make sure they had plenty of ventilation in there when the plastic was tacked down completely.
I wanted to share my idea with others who have the same problem with fluctuating temps this time of the year

 

[thedragonlady]

What in the world? Was this caused by a predator or is it within the craziness of flock dynamics?

I'm posting here b/c I hope some OTs (or those who wanna be one when we grow up) will have some input.

I let the 12 POL hens out to range a little this morning, filled up the feeder, and then ran my kids to school. I didn't go in the chicken yard when I got home, but I did start using power tools in the nearby garage (very noisy). After a while, I decided to see what they were up to and I wandered in there...

1) I could tell they were freaked out by their locations and body language. One had a feather glued to her beak and comb with blood, comb was detached at the back. The one with the feather bloodied to her face is not high in the pecking order from what I can tell and I have seen her be chased by one of the top hens. Top hen was in nest box (I assume she laid the FIRST egg of the group...she sat on it for a while).

a few of the higher ranked hens have a small bloody spot on the top, middle of their beaks which leads me to think there was a pecking order issue, but...

2) feathers were EVERYWHERE in the hen house and even more so in the attached run (which was wide open so they could forage) definitely colors from multiple chickens (one of which is near top of pecking order, but seems unscathed)

Anyway, I figured I'd get the feather off and access the damage of the one with obvious injury. Well, turns out she is gashed all over...around her vent she has a gash going down and one going up plus her back is missing a lot of feathers and has another gash. at least half her tail feathers are missing. I did see her poop a big, but healthy poop (fermented feed), but then she seemed to limp a little.

So, my gut instinct tells me that maybe it was some huge chicken scuffle, possibly pertaining to the first egg laying, BUT is there a chance it was a predator (neighborhood cat?)? The chickens just seemed so freaked out, but maybe a fight would be upsetting? Ugghh, I don't want to ascribe chicken emotions, but I'd like to know if it's safe to leave them out or if they should be confined to the run and house area only. And if it's flock dynamics, will confining them lead to more problems?

BTW, I soaked the hen in warm epsom salt water to clean the wounds and then squirted on some providone (things I would do for myself for a gash). She was really upset when I tried to crate her to keep her clean and the others weren't bothering her while I got supplies together so i let her back with the flock. not sure if that was the correct choice. sigh. what in the world?

edited to add: it's been a couple hours, but they are all peacefully huddled together in the safest area (under the hen house)

edited again: I'm about to leave to go out of town...should I cull her for food or she if she heals without much intervention while I'm gone (my mom will be here). this is a small laying flock and I am frustrated that once they're finally ready to lay I might need to eat one (already ate cockerels)

Something hemmed up your birds. Sounds like a dog, or a fox, or even a hawk. Time for hot wire!

 

[thedragonlady]

They have it here at Fred Meyer in the organic area.

My darling new hubby is retired Army. Whar a surprise to find Braggs at the Commissary today!