Recent content by m3shelly

  1. M

    First time: dog pen turned coop

    Looks a lot like what I did; repurposed a dog kennel that was already existing when I bought my house. Mine is 12'x12', and attached to the backside of my garage. It had a lean-to roof. I covered everything with hardware cloth, after losing a hen to a weasel, and also changed the roof from a...
  2. M

    Molting - affecting young ones?

    To answer in order, without a bunch of quotes: Size of coop? The covered coop is approx 3'x3'x4' tall. It started out as a prefab coop I bought at Fleet Farm, advertised to hold six, but I've increased the footprint about 20% and doubled the height. Four large birds max still. All perching...
  3. M

    Molting - affecting young ones?

    I have checked for other laying spots. They don't get out often now that the days are so short. I'll only let them out if it's light out, and I'm home, which unfortunately only happens on the weekends, and rarely an hour or so on a couple week nights. Their house is a 12'x12' fenced in area...
  4. M

    Molting - affecting young ones?

    Thanks for all the info. I just noticed, after seeing them during real daylight yesterday, only one of the old gals is molting. Poor girl looks like crap. I was worried about the food because I noticed some wet clumps in the bag when I opened it, and some had green spots. I've used Fleet...
  5. M

    Molting - affecting young ones?

    History: I have 2 light brahmas that are 1.5 years old, and 2 that are about 30 weeks old. The days are getting shorter, so I added light to their coop to add a couple hours in the am and pm. About 1.5 months ago, the little ones started laying small, funky shaped eggs, as normal. Then...
  6. M

    Copper Chef - Hard Boiling & easy to peel!!

    One of the eggs I added to the batch was cracked, and the shell cracked immediately when my hubby grabbed it from the coop the other day. We blamed it on the freezing cold, but it looks like it was a triple yoke! Here's that yoke compared to a 'good' or normal yoke.
  7. M

    Copper Chef - Hard Boiling & easy to peel!!

    My Copper Chef appliance for eggs, immediately after hard boiling 8 eggs. I forgot to mention, it's fast too! I haven't timed it, but it seems to shut down faster than 15 minutes, and no waiting for water to boil in a pan. And, I should add, I remove the eggs immediately after the appliance...
  8. M

    Copper Chef - Hard Boiling & easy to peel!!

    I posted here a while back about using Egglettes, to hard boil without peeling. Since then, my husband bought me this kitchen contraption from Copper Chef, for preparing hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, etc. eggs. I've only used it to hard boil so far, but wow, a huge difference! The shells...
  9. M

    hen suddenly stopped laying

    I should add: I have a separate bowl of oyster shells for them when needed, and they get a handful of dried meal worms approx once per week.
  10. M

    hen suddenly stopped laying

    I'm having an identical problem, and ask for ideas... Here's my situation: I have three young hens, all light Brahmas that were born March, 2018. They began laying in late August, and have been laying fine until about 1.5 weeks ago. We live in SE Wisconsin, so I have a light in their coop...
  11. M

    One of my hens has stopped laying!!

    My three pet hens also prefer to sleep next to each other on the bedded floor of their coop, and not up on their perches. Maybe the same reason; their first ten weeks of life was in a brooder box, although I had a couple wooden dowels for them to use in the box. They just prefer to sleep on...
  12. M

    Started laying, then stopped?

    Will do. I also read that keeping them inside the coop for a day or two and they will learn to use those nesting boxes. I have been waiting to force them to stay in their coop all day since it's been so damn hot and humid here. I wouldn't want to be cooped up all day until it cools off a little.
  13. M

    Started laying, then stopped?

    Thanks to everyone for the excellent info!! I was always wondering the best place to locate the light. Good info. Yes, I'm in Wisconsin. It's depressing how quickly are days are shortening. Even for us humans. It just happens too fast. Just a month ago, it was light past 9PM! Now, it's...
  14. M

    Started laying, then stopped?

    I have seen others adding light. How? Simply adding a light in their run? Or inside their little coop? Thanks!!
  15. M

    Started laying, then stopped?

    My three young light brahma hens just began laying (yay) two weeks ago. To my surprise, they laid fifteen eggs the first week, even though I thought one was a few days behind the other two, judging by their color. Then, this being the end of week two, I only got eight eggs from them! I am...
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