Recent content by gitanesteel

  1. gitanesteel

    Lost 4 hens - 3 in the last month - not sure why

    We've only had a couple of days in the 90 degree range with no humidity. None of the chickens have died at those temps. Yesterday was high 70's to low 80's. Two water containers - one outside and one in the coop. There are three aspen trees in the pen that produce quite a bit of shade and...
  2. gitanesteel

    Lost 4 hens - 3 in the last month - not sure why

    We've got 15 (now) Rhode Island Reds - 9 that are almost 2 yrs old and 6 that are just over about 14 months. In the past month we've lost 3 of the younger hens. When we go out into the coop in the afternoon they're laying partially on their side and hardly able to move or stand up. Looking...
  3. gitanesteel

    Bummer end to Christmas

    I went out to the coop tonight to button it up and found one of the older hens dead on the floor - only about 18 months old. None of the flock has shown any signs of sickness or injuries and production has ranged from 8 to 14 eggs a day. I did notice one hen getting jumped by another today...
  4. gitanesteel

    Is your coop door closed every night?

    Because of the cold the big door in the coop is closed and I close the small door every night after the headcount. After having a screech owl in the coop a month or so ago I try to make sure the doors are closed up as soon as the birds go back in the coop.
  5. gitanesteel

    leaving light on?

    Mine is on a timer until 9:00 pm or so. I have had a heat lamp on all winter over the water. Hasn't seemed to affect the chickens at all other than keeping the egg production going.
  6. gitanesteel

    How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

    9/10
  7. gitanesteel

    Ever had an owl in the coop?

    There's plenty of mice that's for sure. Just so long as it doesn't remember what's in the coop when it's fullgrown.
  8. gitanesteel

    Ever had an owl in the coop?

    A week or so ago I walked into my chicken coop to make sure everything was buttoned up at night. The small side door had been left open and when I shut it I heard a scraping noise. The chickens were quiet. I looked in the "annex" and there was a little baby owl (4-5 inches tall) hanging on...
  9. gitanesteel

    half my gals have stopped laying eggs......normal for winter months?

    I use a light with a timer and the egg production has stayed steady with 7-9 a day for 10 hens. The number will fall to 6 when it gets real cold or there's snow on the ground and they don't want to go out.
  10. gitanesteel

    Egg problem

    I'm trying to figure out what's going on with our Black Australorp. She started laying around Labor Day weekend for about a week and then stopped. Our RIR have all started laying and she's started a little also. She's the only one who won't lay in a nest box (actually lays on top or on the...
  11. gitanesteel

    How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

    Set a record with 6 from 10 hens today. Should have 3-5 tomorrow.
  12. gitanesteel

    Consistency when they first lay

    She seems quite healthy and spunky. The chickens have decided they like to roost on top of the nest box - all 11 of them - and I'm wondering if she sprained something when she jumped off this morning. Catching her to examine her closely is a whole different issue. She's quite mild mannered -...
  13. gitanesteel

    Consistency when they first lay

    Our Black Australorp started laying 9 or 10 days ago. In that span we got 4 eggs but nothing for the past three days. We have scoured the run (not very large and fairly barren) and haven't found any outside (one was laid in the dirt on Saturday). She won't use the nest box at all so I'm going...
  14. gitanesteel

    Our mystery hen

    Thanks for the help - at least we can respond to our friends when they ask us what breed she is.
  15. gitanesteel

    Our coop and run

    Quote: Thanks - one Black Australorp and 10 Rhode Island Reds
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