FYI. Bees are out. Make sure your water has something floating in it for them to land on. Fished out a bunch this morning.
Colorado
- Thread starter tsgreer
- Start date
- Feb 11, 2014
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O, I am so sad for your little BA, LS. Did you try putting an egg or two in your nest boxes? That is grievous that your hens won't use them; if there were such a thing as rotten luck, it would be yours. I had it out again this morning with my homicidal SS roosters. I was a victor, and nobody got hurt, but these guys are not taking "NO" for an answer and I'm about to go to Plan B. Abbie was a help and a sidekick. I hope you get your girls sorted out. Seems there is never a dull moment with chickens. Big problems for big people, is what I always say. That's why I keep 'em, I'm sure. Probly why I got a couple of maniacs.
- Feb 11, 2014
- 493
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thanks to all for the great ideas, I will use them ! The 16 chicks are looking good this morning, I hope they continue to do well. Here is a photo, they are 2.5 days old, and out under a Momma Heating Pad brooder in the Big Hen Coop. It was 48degrees in the coop when I took this photo. They are sturdy little survivors. Jan
Putting eggs in the nest boxes wouldn't work... I made sloped floors to create egg "roll outs" so the eggs roll away from the (reduced to ~ 12"x12") nest box area, where the hens can't get to them to eat them. They were laying in the boxes before this and eating them in there. That's why I modified them. I went in and physically put several of the birds into the nest boxes earlier and held them in there so they couldn't scramble right out. Like I said... I'm about over them. They are about to become chicken adobo.
Glad you won the battle go-round with the roos this time. I suggest you punt them
Glad you won the battle go-round with the roos this time. I suggest you punt them
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I think the Swedish Flower hens are so cute!
- Feb 11, 2014
- 493
- 159
- 161
Putting eggs in the nest boxes wouldn't work... I made sloped floors to create egg "roll outs" so the eggs roll away from the (reduced to ~ 12"x12") nest box area, where the hens can't get to them to eat them. They were laying in the boxes before this and eating them in there. That's why I modified them. I went in and physically put several of the birds into the nest boxes earlier and held them in there so they couldn't scramble right out. Like I said... I'm about over them. They are about to become chicken adobo.
Glad you won the battle go-round with the roos this time. I suggest you punt them
I understand about the boxes. The alternative sounds delicious. My two problem Roos have been seriously avoiding me, but this morning I got a determined spur-first challenge; not only would he not go away, he wouldn't stop attacking me. I had my big ole Juniper branch with me, and he can't get past that; the battle was intense, though, and I really could have used a shield and a broadsword. My net is on back order, but even if I were to teach them some serious lessons, I am starting to suspect that it is easier to change a leopard's spots than to convince these Roos that they cannot rule my territory. Separating them seems to help, was hoping at one time to use one in a breeding program, but I have one other of this line that is not nasty. Toast they are, and I'm oiling the rotisserie motor.
Thinking that some of those disobedient chickens both hens and roosters are headed to a freezer or pot from the sounds of it. What a bummer to have put in the effort and have it come to that. Although chicken gumbo is nice.
I bet there are at least 101 ways to prepare ornery chickens for dinner.
I noticed the bees around here too. I like having them around so I cleaned and filled the bee water dish yesterday. Already have bulbs up and blooming nicely here. Crocus and ground iris (not sure that is what it is called but that is what it looks like) are blooming madly.
LS, Which breed is it that is giving you the hassles? I cannot remember if it is the BA or the BO at this point.
That little itty bitty chicken that tried to go broody UNDER the huge coop is still on a rampage here. It is funny because and only because she is tiny. She has five foot of roost space every night while she has pushed everyone else to the far end of the roost.
jmdes, I am glad your little hatches are doing so well. Cute little ones of course. But then who is not cute at 2 inches tall?
I noticed the bees around here too. I like having them around so I cleaned and filled the bee water dish yesterday. Already have bulbs up and blooming nicely here. Crocus and ground iris (not sure that is what it is called but that is what it looks like) are blooming madly.
LS, Which breed is it that is giving you the hassles? I cannot remember if it is the BA or the BO at this point.
That little itty bitty chicken that tried to go broody UNDER the huge coop is still on a rampage here. It is funny because and only because she is tiny. She has five foot of roost space every night while she has pushed everyone else to the far end of the roost.
jmdes, I am glad your little hatches are doing so well. Cute little ones of course. But then who is not cute at 2 inches tall?
jmdes, sorry to hear about your chicks but I'm glad the others are doing well. They sure look happy running around.
Latestarter, sorry you can't seem to catch a break. At least your troublesome hens can provide you with a tasty dinner since they refuse to give you breakfast.
coop410silkies, sounds like you could use an ax and a tree stump too. Glad you have another option and you don't have to use those naughty boys for breeding. No sense letting them pass on their genes.
uzisuzuki, have you seen the contests in the hatch-a-long section? There is one for male fowl and I think a separate one for other fowl. Plus a few others. I bet some of your pictures could win, they are beautiful.
So, I'm a bit of a dunce. I got my first egg on Saturday so I have been sticking my head in the pop door and checking the run every day to see if there were more. To clarify, my coop is raised and I'm short so the door is just below my head level and on the far left side of the coop. I didn't see any eggs so I chalked it up to irregular laying for first time layers. This morning I peek in and see one egg in the far right corner. I got excited and opened the access door. To my surprise I find six eggs in a pile in the front right corner. So my ducks have been laying and I just couldn't see them. I thought I'd find them in the middle of the coop like the first one.
Oh well, at least I can attribute this little blunder to being a newbie. Plus it hasn't been hot so all the eggs are still good. I'll be sure to check all the corners from now on. I plan on adding nesting boxes soon for the chickens I'm getting in April to use. I know they won't need them till fall but maybe the ducks will use them in the meantime.
Latestarter, sorry you can't seem to catch a break. At least your troublesome hens can provide you with a tasty dinner since they refuse to give you breakfast.
coop410silkies, sounds like you could use an ax and a tree stump too. Glad you have another option and you don't have to use those naughty boys for breeding. No sense letting them pass on their genes.
uzisuzuki, have you seen the contests in the hatch-a-long section? There is one for male fowl and I think a separate one for other fowl. Plus a few others. I bet some of your pictures could win, they are beautiful.
So, I'm a bit of a dunce. I got my first egg on Saturday so I have been sticking my head in the pop door and checking the run every day to see if there were more. To clarify, my coop is raised and I'm short so the door is just below my head level and on the far left side of the coop. I didn't see any eggs so I chalked it up to irregular laying for first time layers. This morning I peek in and see one egg in the far right corner. I got excited and opened the access door. To my surprise I find six eggs in a pile in the front right corner. So my ducks have been laying and I just couldn't see them. I thought I'd find them in the middle of the coop like the first one.
My miscreant hens are the New Hampshires, which last summer were my best layers. <sigh> I'll replace them with new ones.
@lomine You might want to get a small rake or similar and move the coop bedding around a bit. My BOs are like turtles and loved to lay then bury their eggs under litter material... I actually found an old egg (No idea how old) buried deep when I shoveled out the coops last week. Every day I had to go out and get down on hands and knees and dig through their favorite laying areas to "unearth" their eggs. The one good thing was at least being buried, they didn't break them and eat them. Grats on your first egg and follow ons!
@lomine You might want to get a small rake or similar and move the coop bedding around a bit. My BOs are like turtles and loved to lay then bury their eggs under litter material... I actually found an old egg (No idea how old) buried deep when I shoveled out the coops last week. Every day I had to go out and get down on hands and knees and dig through their favorite laying areas to "unearth" their eggs. The one good thing was at least being buried, they didn't break them and eat them. Grats on your first egg and follow ons!
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