Maine

[MistyMae]

They go in at 8pm like clockwork now. And it is a stampede in the morning when we open the coop door for them. So funny!

 

[woods79]

Chicks say goodnight, they all have been on the roost at night no more huddling on the floor

 

[islandgirl82]

Why not lay your eggs on another hen's head when there's a perfectly good empty box of equal dimensions right next door?





This particular hen always waits until someone else has occupied the box before getting in and laying her egg in the same one (no matter which box) while standing over the other hen's head. This causes some mayhem. Is there a reason for it; dominance or moral support, anything? Or is it just one of those quirky things? Any thoughts on this?

 

[MistyMae]

I am trying to decide on what to put in the coop run now that they have trampled and pooped all over the grass. I have read a lot about sand, people seem to either love it or hate it. Any thoughts?

 

[islandgirl82]

I am trying to decide on what to put in the coop run now that they have trampled and pooped all over the grass. I have read a lot about sand, people seem to either love it or hate it. Any thoughts?

I like my deep litter. I throw leaves and branches through the mulcher and throw that into the run. Running over a pile of leaves with a lawnmower is just as effective. They like to scratch through that. Also, any of the bedding I'm cleaning out of the coop gets tossed into the run and turned in with the mulch. I have a catch board so their droppings from that go directly to the compost.

 

[mlowen]

I am trying to decide on what to put in the coop run now that they have trampled and pooped all over the grass. I have read a lot about sand, people seem to either love it or hate it. Any thoughts?

I, also, am a deep litter fan. I use the hens to shred my leaves (mostly maple and oak) and mix in their poo as they go. In spring, I haul out a layer for my garden. Coop and run are together under one roof and all deep litter over 1/2 inch hardware cloth and dirt. I collect leaves in construction trash bags in the fall and use them as needed the rest of the year.

See "my coop."

 

[lazy gardener]

Why not lay your eggs on another hen's head when there's a perfectly good empty box of equal dimensions right next door?





This particular hen always waits until someone else has occupied the box before getting in and laying her egg in the same one (no matter which box) while standing over the other hen's head. This causes some mayhem. Is there a reason for it; dominance or moral support, anything? Or is it just one of those quirky things? Any thoughts on this?

I think the hen in question prefers to lay her eggs on a soft feather bed. And what bed can be softer than a feather bed made up of Dom feathers? Or perhaps she wants to take credit where credit is not due. If she lays her egg on top of the other hen... when they get out of the nest, there will be 2 eggs there. And since she was the hen on top, they both must belong to her.

I am trying to decide on what to put in the coop run now that they have trampled and pooped all over the grass. I have read a lot about sand, people seem to either love it or hate it. Any thoughts?

I can only imagine that sand is A: expensive. B: carries a lot of maintenance. (I have better things to do than rake poop out of sand every day) C: IF you decide that you don't care for the maintenance, and if you decide that it turns into a smelly mess, with the sand becoming saturated with chicken poo particles. I can only imagine what it would be like after a couple of weeks of steady rain driving the poo deep into the sand... then you have to haul it out of there. After experiencing DL in the lower level (soil floor) of a cattle panel coop and in my run, I can say that there is NO maintenance, NO smell, and the litter just melts into the soil creating a haven for beneficial bacteria and fungi, as well as insects and worms to help keep the chickens healthy and fed. It's a fantastic place to dispose of your extra leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, and other yard waste. Over time, this litter breaks down into the finest garden compost that money can't buy! That being said, I can tell you that DL in my coop with linoleum floor is a work in progress, and I'm not yet ready to call it a great success, nor am I ready to call it a failure.

I like my deep litter. I throw leaves and branches through the mulcher and throw that into the run. Running over a pile of leaves with a lawnmower is just as effective. They like to scratch through that. Also, any of the bedding I'm cleaning out of the coop gets tossed into the run and turned in with the mulch. I have a catch board so their droppings from that go directly to the compost.

I'd love to have a mulcher! Last fall I collected 100 bags of leaves to use in my run, coops, garden and orchard. Heavy work, but each bag of leaves provided organic matter that other folks would end up paying for over time. I just pile it and get it for free. Of course there's a lot of labor involved... again... free stuff. I've never paid for a gym membership, but get plenty of exercise for free!!!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Why not lay your eggs on another hen's head when there's a perfectly good empty box of equal dimensions right next door?





This particular hen always waits until someone else has occupied the box before getting in and laying her egg in the same one (no matter which box) while standing over the other hen's head. This causes some mayhem. Is there a reason for it; dominance or moral support, anything? Or is it just one of those quirky things? Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for the laugh.



These hens are both long dead but I used to have to separate them, as well. They'd get into epic battles over eggs/nests.

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:

The Dominique in the first photo gets really upset when she's laid an egg and another hen sits on it. She comes running to the kitchen door making the most horrid noises of something that isn't actually dying while she looks in through the window. When she sees me, she runs to the coop and if I don't follow, she'll come back to the door still making a fuss until I do follow her. Once I get to the coop she'll stand in front of the nest that has her egg in it, screeching and hollering until I take it out from under the other hen. As soon as I have it, she runs back out of the coop and into the garden happy as can be. She's such a tattle tail and I love her so. She also earned the name "Java". She joined my daughter and me on the garden bench one morning a few days after she arrived while I had a cup of iced coffee. She watched me take a sip and then immediately snuck one. It has become the morning routine for us to sit on the bench together while she watches me drink my coffee but I have to watch her or she'll try to drink it. If I don't go out to the bench, she'll come pecking on the kitchen door until I open it. Then she'll stand in the doorway and watch me drink it in the kitchen. When I've finished, she turns around and walks right back out.

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:

I think you're onto something in regards to laying on a soft surface. It's just not so pleasant for the hen on the bottom. EVER.

As for the mulcher. It's much faster to run over the leaves with a lawn mower. I have to wear a dust mask with the mulcher. If I don't, I get massive sinus infections. I've only tossed the dry leaves in it though, maybe it would be different if I mulched right after it rains.