Recent content by gsim

Well written and described. I live in E. Tennessee, so no insulation needed, winter OR summer. I will average between 7-12 hens in any given year. My coop is 8 x 16' with 8'tall walls and open rafters to the roof decking, about 11 ft their peak inside. Roof is conventional, 6:12 pitch...

I subdivided my run, 1/3 for the youngsters, 2/3 for the adults. Did coop about 40-60. I remove door inside coop and gate outside in the run divider when they reach same size. Have never had first problem this way. I only install gate and inner door every 2 or 3 yrs when I order new pullets...

True to some degree. They gradually slow their output after age of 2 yrs. Now before I bought this last shipment of 3 chicks, they had quit laying altogether about August. From then until the newbies started laying (near year's end), they never laid a single egg, but no illness or any...

I've been keeping chickens since '08. Have noticed that when I send off for replacement pullets, the original bunch suddenly begin to lay eggs to beat the band shortly after the young ones start up. This happens every time I go through this process. I can't be the only one to have experienced...

Fine post and pix. I built a large coop, 8' X 16'. Divided it with chicken wire, 40% - 60% with removable screen door. Ditto for my 1900 sq ft run. So they are side by side, day and night, but cannot mingle. I simply wait until they are thru with the grower-finisher feed and take down the...

Hi, Jintz, I've kept chickens for 10 yrs and I still use grass clippings for litter. (free, and they smell great) I do use the 'deep litter' method, keeping 6" thickness year-round. In October, I gather up around 6 garbage drums of grass clippings and make the litter about 10" - 12" deep...

Been keeping chickens nearly 10 yrs. I have an 8x16 coop which can easily be divided 40-60 by hanging a screen door which I keep hanging on two nails inside. The run is around 1900 sq ft and again, it is divided as well, 40-60. Youngsters get the 40% areas inside and out. The older and...

I clean my 8x16 ft coop daily in AM. Takes exactly 4 minutes to scrape poop boards and put droppings into plastic tote box and snap lid shut. Far, far, far fewer flies. Dump weekly in garden or where needed, away from chicken run. I also have netting overhead to stop predators and to keep...

I have an 8' x 16' walk-in coop, and a 1900 sq ft run. Have divided both 60-40 with smaller portion for the younger ones. As soon as they have feathers, they go into their half of the coop. I built access ports which remain open outside until newbies are to be integrated. Then I put up the...

http://aviationhumor.net/farmer-finally-fulfills-chickens-dream-of-flying/

Thank you. It healed itself, and I never did learn what it was. No more pain and limping either. Gerry

Sorry for tardy answer. I thought I'd get an email if anyone responded. Never happened. The deformed foot healed after about a year and I can't even see it. No more limping either. Total mystery to me. Gerry

I have a Rhode Island Red hen who has two painful bulblous growths. One on each side of her foot. She is only a year old and has had this condition for 6 months. She is a regular layer too. It is painful and she barely allows it to touch the ground and has to roost on one leg at night...

I have a Barred Plymouth Rock hen who is 8. Still sleeps on the roost, but is the last one down each AM. I nearly always set her on the floor so that she doesn't have to make the 4 ft. jump. She quit laying 2 - 3 yrs ago, best I could tell.

Part of coop cleanliness is design. Ventilation is key. I have an 8 x 16 coop (128 sq ft) with 4 windows and a turbine vent besides the man-door and two pop doors. I also have full length soffit vents along soffit, front and rear. Floors are OSB with linoleum glued over that. I never keep...