sn0wwhite's Wichita Coop for the Twin Cities

[sn0wwhite]

Question... Her poop is really too big to fit through hardware cloth unless it is watery (which happens so often I think they're dying but they don't) but there was a divider panel that came with the crate that I could put down and it would provide extra support but still some space. And there was also a plastic floor but I thought I was supposed to allow air flow so I didn't put it in.

Would it be better to put in the hardware cloth and deal with stuck poop, try the extra panel to see if that's enough, or just put in the plastic floor?

This was like the worst day for this because I had a busy day at work, had to photograph at the Father Daughter dance at Daughter's school, I have to work a seminar in the morning AND I came home to find a #$^& wolf spider in the laundry room!

Everyone is really lucky I didn't just burn down the house.

(Thanks for your help guys!)

 

[aart]

You know I thought about the HC and stuck poop later....so maybe just some smaller wire than just the crate bottom (or rather top.....I know what you mean about the crate bottom-Huge mesh to save money) the divider might work.

Not sure if the plastic tray would be ok.....just wire is best to cool those hot momma bellies down....and you wouldn't have to clean it like the plastic tray.

Hope you survived your busy busy day....hope this one is more peaceful.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Happily just an overnight and half day in the broody jail did it!

I put her down, she ran off to be with the other hens and hasn't looked back. Hasn't laid an egg yet either though... If she doesn't lay today that will be 2 days without an egg. When do I have to start worrying about egg-bound?

Today will be beautiful outside happily. I hope to get the gutters up and finish cutting the tree we had to take down. It was over half eaten a way by wood peckers so although it wasn't dead yet and makes great bird habitat, I don't want it to come down later in a storm and damage my house, my neighbor's house or the garden/yard I'm creating.

Now off to have coffee with chickens!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Her little egg cycle will take a break after the broodiness. Give her a couple 2-3 weeks to get the eggs rolling again. It may even be sooner than that. these Australorps are champs. My BA is an egg "machine". I love the breed. The broodiness can be a pain but...for grazing--she's easiest on the feed--she loves foraging, eating grass; flighty enough to watch for predators, dark to hide from them, lays eggs like crazy. If I was to have only one breed of birds this would be it. I just love my Holly.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Oh, that's nice to hear. I do love all of them!

And happily Omelet did lay an egg yesterday. It was funny, she got in and out the fastest I've ever seen. It was like, "Here's your egg, I gotta go!"

I'm leaving the broody jail hanging in there for now in case anyone else needs a turn.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

You're kidding?! She laid again that fast? That's fantastic! Must be the sunshine and green grass. Fun business foraging and bug catching. Ha. Happy little chook.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Oh gosh... such a busy few weeks I've had. I wanted to stop by for a quick update though because there is some really interesting things going on...

I got my garden covered and planted, and created another garden for zucchini and cucumbers, threw some pumpkins in another spot and we started the rain garden. That is a ton more work than I anticipated, but it will be so cool when it's done. I just severely underestimated the effort involved with using a sod cutter, rear tine tiller, rocks and tree roots.

I've ordered grape vines, planted raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and a cherry tree and prepped some garden beds for a flower and herb garden and some asparagus.

The chickens have been doing well, laying well, even though Florentine laid an egg without a shell early one morning, but it was just a one time thing. Very weird.

The most amazing thing though is that I may now have added a free agent peacock to the flock. Daughter named him Kevin (after the bird in the movie UP) and he was in the neighbor's back yard yesterday and decided to join the girls this afternoon and evening. They all seem to be getting along fine - no aggression from him or them, and he really seems hungry and thirsty. He's eating scratch and chicken pellets and drinking lots of water.

Should I be concerned and chase him away or is it ok to let him stay? He really seems pretty cool.

 

[aart]

Wow!! That bird looks to be in good shape....I wonder of someone is missing it? Is there anyone nearby that could be the owner?

 

[sn0wwhite]

I thought his tail seemed a bit ratty.... but the rest of him seems nice.

No, he's definitely not from my neighborhood. My daughter called animal control and they said they'd had reports of it wandering around the city for a couple of weeks, but no one has claimed him or reported that they lost him. They said they don't do anything about him except note his last known location in case someone calls to report him missing.

He was back again this morning waiting for the girls to come out or the food to show up. I'm not sure which.

I'm restraining Oscar the Chihuahua at the moment. I kind of like him. I hope he's no problem.

 

[chickiegrrl]

I wish I could see the photos! Kevin sounds awesome. Where does he go at night?