Recent content by Mike_g

  1. M

    Checking-In On Peeps - Post Here To Say Hello!

    Hey guys, been more busy than usual so checking in here way less often. Chickens are now 4 years old, about 8 each of Jersey Giants and barred rocks, plus about 3 to 4 golden comets. Egg production is about 6 eggs per day. Should be buying new chicks this year, but am reluctant due to time...
  2. M

    Changed Egg color, Jersey Giants?

    So we've got 9 Barred Rock, 8 Golden comets, 8 Jersey Giants. They'll be 2 years old this memorial Day. All hens, except for maybe a couple Jersey Giant roosters. They have laid up to 24 eggs in a day. Each of the three varieties lays a distinctively colored egg-golden comets lay darker brown...
  3. M

    Molt started? Will laying return?

    Just an update. Chickens gradually increased laying, probably taking a month off on average. Golden comets were the first to return to laying. Today, they laid 21 eggs without supplemental lighting, pretty much back to normal.
  4. M

    Molt started? Will laying return?

    Thanks, that's helpful. I shut off supplemental lighting, and gave them some Old Roy dogfood in addition to their layer feed, for a bit more protein.
  5. M

    Molt started? Will laying return?

    Hi y'all. We currently have a mixed flock of golden comets, Jersey Giants, and barred rocks. We bought them at the end of May, 2020. They began laying that fall, and continued thru winter with supplemental lighting. Laying has been below average the past month or so. I realized I forgot...
  6. M

    Lighting for winter laying

    The article linked by @aart suggests to me that laying thru winter, done properly, does not shorten lifespan.
  7. M

    Lighting for winter laying

    That's a good article, thanks @aart. That makes sense to wait until the molt is finished before lighting. I'll remember that for next fall. @Chickenhappy8708, thanks for your concern for the birds. I'll be sure to give adequate nutrition and allow for annual molting to keep them healthy as...
  8. M

    Lighting for winter laying

    Thanks for the thoughts, sounds reasonable to me.
  9. M

    Lighting for winter laying

    I understand the theory there. We are planning to have them lay thru winter, though.
  10. M

    Lighting for winter laying

    Ok, so we are 3 months into the chicken game, and things are going well. We've got barred rocks, Jersey giants, and golden comets. None have laid eggs yet, but I suspect there golden comets will start, sometime this month or next. We are setting our coop up for the winter months. We'd like...
  11. M

    First Coop design....

    I'm thinking of insulating with fiberglass and sheathing with OSB, it gets cold here. Both the North and South eaves are open at the top of the stud walls. I am thinking that these will need to be open, at least partially, during winter. I'm wondering how to accomplish insulation of the...
  12. M

    A different Brooder heater

    No supplemental heat. Some have been sleeping underneath, but most have been sleeping on top of the heat mat. Not bad for 57 watts of heat. However, it's been 70 to 80 degrees ambient in the garage, so that helps too.
  13. M

    First Coop design....

    JT, Thanks for the thoughts. I was thinking of making the nest box doors left of the window on the big wall (south wall) to make it more symmetrical in appearance due to the window on the right side of the wall. I'm thinking the high transom windows would add more light, I've heard that...
  14. M

    A different Brooder heater

    They are certainly cute, for sure. Don't know if we'll need a second heat source yet. If we do, we'd likely use the space heater.
  15. M

    A different Brooder heater

    Here's a couple. First is yesterday, when kids were using space heaters to warm them (they had just arrived in the mail) I just shot this next pic, had to turn the light on, and one snuck out to see what's going on. Note the hastily assembled canopy to keep them from jumping out, chunks of...
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