Recent content by becy

  1. becy

    Keeping peeps from sleeping in nesting boxes

    Can you wall off the lower nest boxes and tell those hens to just deal for a little while? So you can stop the habit and let them develop a new habit. Or is it possible to raise the lower nest boxes as a compromise of sorts? Not sure about your set up but can you make them too high for your baby...
  2. becy

    Getting chicks in the coop to roost

    Your roost is probably too high then. Try giving them an interim roost or a ladder to use until they get the hang of it.
  3. becy

    Juvinial chicks won't leave the coop

    Clemsonchickfan, my coop is raised, but only about 18". I have the underneath part secured as run space but I have it boarded up for now. I was afraid they'd hide under there and be too scared to come out again to go up the ramp back into the coop. I left no access door (oops) and so I can't get...
  4. becy

    Juvinial chicks won't leave the coop

    Ok thank you so much. I feel better knowing I'm not the only one with agoraphobic chicks, haha! It's supposed to rain on and off the next 5 days so I guess I'll leave the feeder inside and just be patient--let them decide on their own time. I wanted to make sure I wasn't making some stupid...
  5. becy

    Juvinial chicks won't leave the coop

    No one? Is this a really stupid question or does no one have any idea what to do about chickens who won't leave the coop? Are my chicks are the first chicks ever to not want to leave the coop? These are my first chickens so I'm new at this and all the people I know in real life who have...
  6. becy

    Can't tell them apart

    I had 5 chicks that were identical. I marked them with drops of food coloring on their heads. No one pecked at each other (even the one with red dye on her head wasn't pecked--as soon as I used the red dye I thought i'd made a mistake but nope, they could care less). They stayed marked until...
  7. becy

    Juvinial chicks won't leave the coop

    Further info: I have 3, 2 month old bantams in a 4'x4' coop with access to a 10'x16' run. The coop is so big for them, do they just not feel the need for more space? I would think all creatures would prefer to be outside then "cooped" up, haha, but these birds seem perfectly content to hang out...
  8. becy

    Horizontal nipple waterers

    Just prime the nipples by tapping them yourself until a few drips fill the cup and then leave it. The chicks will discover the cups filled with water drops when they are thirsty and naturally peck at the nipple for more. If you're worried they won't get it, prime the nipples and then one by one...
  9. becy

    Juvinial chicks won't leave the coop

    I put my 3 juvinial chicks out in their coop for the first time one week ago and they seem to have no interest in leaving it/using the run. I kept them locked in the coop for the first 3 days and then opened the door on the afternoon of the fourth day. They were curious and haunted the doorway...
  10. becy

    Deer fence for day run?

    Thanks for the answers, lalaland. Not needing the hardware cloth at all would be a big savings. I'm not sure how secure her wood fencing is but I don't think there is a loose dog problem in her neighborhood. More just racoons/possums at night. I think she is reading the thread (lurker!), but I...
  11. becy

    Deer fence for day run?

    Seeking opinions. My sister is constructing a new run and coop for her 2 hens, and projected 2 additional hens, and is seeking advice/opinions regarding using deer fencing for a day run. Her hens are locked up safe in their coop at dark and let out in the morning for the day to the run. She is...
  12. becy

    illinois towns that allow backyard chickens

    Fox Lake, IL allows backyard chickens as of December of last year. A group organized and was able to convince the village to change the law. Now we can have 4 hens on a regular city lot (.25 acre) or 6 hens on an acre or more. No roosters. People in town have had hens on the sly for years...
  13. becy

    Cannibalism amongst the chicks. Need help SOS!

    Agree, they need more space. When animal start turning on each other it's a classic sign of over crowding. Best of luck, I'm sorry this is happening to you.
  14. becy

    Heated water nipple systems

    Thank you so much for the detailed information. It's really helpful. Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought. Does anyone have trouble with the birds pecking at the insulation for these set ups?
  15. becy

    Heated water nipple systems

    Thanks a bunch for the info, Carol. A couple of questions if you don't mind me picking your brain a bit: have you done anything to insulate the bucket or does the heater work on it's own? I suppose a birdbath isn't insulated... Also, you mentioned you lay the heater on the nipples, but I...
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