Recent content by diggergal

  1. diggergal

    Anyone use SAND in the run/coop

    I have had chickens since 2011 and have used a clean concrete sand in our run. It is at least 1-1 1/2 foot deep. Every year we empty the run sprinkle the sand with farmyard grade lime and till it in. It breaks up the sand and freshens the run. It is a lot of work but it really helps to keep the...
  2. diggergal

    Automatic coop pop door reviews?

    Has anyone purchased from Fleming Outdoors the "Hen House-Automatic Chicken Coop Door-Basic" ? I have seen alot of reviews on this site about the Ador1 pop door but I am concerned because we have a covered run and a lot of shade around our coop door. I liked the idea of Fleming's coop door...
  3. diggergal

    post your chicken coop pictures here!

    Here is mine. Established 2011. 8 ft x 20 coop with an 8 x 8 ft area inside for the chickens and the rest storage. It has an attached covered run 8 x 36 ft. On the back of the coop under the roof eve is a screened vent.
  4. diggergal

    Electric fencing for laying hens

    Thank you everyone for the replies. I believe a better description of what I was inquiring would be "electric netting". Your responses have been helpful and I did look back at @JackE thread which also had great advice. I also have a predator proof 8 ft x 40 ft covered secured run but with more...
  5. diggergal

    Electric fencing for laying hens

    I would like to add some electrified fencing to temporally enlarge my run. I have search this subject and Premier1 and Kencove have been mentioned in the past. I was wondering if anyone has had recent experience with either fencing? What are the pro and cons on electric fencing? Would I have to...
  6. diggergal

    Interior Coop Pics

    And my husband thought I went overboard. Wow, wow, wow
  7. diggergal

    Interior Coop Pics

    "Diatomacious Earth (often referred to as "DE") is an off white talc-like powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. When sprinkled on a bug that has an exoskeleton (such as bed bugs, ants or fleas) it gets caught between their little exoskeleton joints. As they move, the...
  8. diggergal

    Interior Coop Pics

    I now have only 10 chickens in my 8 x 8 ft coop with large attached run. I have a poop board under the roosts and my waterer is setting up on a platform of landscaping bricks to keep shavings out of it. The chickens rarely spend time in the coop during the day except in rainy weather. Their...
  9. diggergal

    Interior Coop Pics

    I have a tile floor in my coop and after a good cleaning I initially put down about 4-6 inches of shavings sprinkled with a little DE to help keep it dry. Then as the shavings breakdown or when it seems to need freshened up I put in another two or so inches of shavings. Then every three to five...
  10. diggergal

    Interior Coop Pics

    When I first got my chickens three years ago I changed my shavings weekly and spent alot of money $$$. Now I add a little DE to the shavings and clean out the coop floor 3 or 4 times a year. I do have a poop board that catches the most of the poop. I was just over zealous the first year and...
  11. diggergal

    Need to get rid of FLYS!!! they are constantly on the chickens and ducks food. Any ideas?

    Ditto the above post for me. I spread DE in the shavings and on the poop board--very few flies in our coop. I sprinkle it in the run, especially where the chickens hang out the most. It keeps the poo dry and very few flies and not much odor in the run ( I do have a covered run which also...
  12. diggergal

    Comment by 'diggergal' in article 'The Chickens Of Alpine Springs Ranch'

    Cute story, enjoyed reading about your chickens :)
  13. diggergal

    Have you ever had a group of chickens that's just smarter than the rest?

    No, mine hasn't... but we have it set so it shuts after sunset. It was quite an investment but we are feel it has been worth it for the covenience and safety of our chickens.
  14. diggergal

    Have you ever had a group of chickens that's just smarter than the rest?

    It not that my group of chickens are especially intelligent; my neighbors are ignorant when it comes to chickens. My neighbors called us on our cell phone after they saw us leave in the evening, " Hey, your chickens are out.", My husband replies "That's OK they will go back to the coop when it...
  15. diggergal

    introducing new chicks to a broody mom?

    I am raising my first batch of chickies from a hen in my flock that went broody. I started out with 9 fertilized eggs from a friend who had a flock of mixed breeds. Six out of nine eggs hatched. I was at a feed store the same weekend the chickies hatched and picked up 3 more baby chicks. I...
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