Recent content by OrpingtonDad
-
RIP young Joe...:(
A new roo will be low on the pecking order until he gets some size. I introduced one last year, it all worked out just fine. Sorry about your loss- OrpingtonDad
- Post #14
- Forum: Raising Baby Chicks
-
Am I outta my mind? Hubby is gonna shoot me..
I orginally bought 7 thinking I might lose 2 (free range) to predators etc... I didn't, then I ordered 6 more. I am trying desperately not to order 25 or more. Must....fight urge....to order.....more....chicks!- OrpingtonDad
- Post #4
- Forum: Raising Baby Chicks
-
Raised coop as opposed to on grade
Mine is built in to the side of a hill. One end is raised and the one end is nearly flush with the ground. I put 5"high 24" wide door on the raised end. I can pull a wheel barrel up and sweep out the coop which makes for an easy trip to the compost pile. In the winter, I pile snow up against...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #11
- Forum: Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance
-
Healthy Roo drops dead
Well thanks for all the input. I suppose its possible that it could have been a predator, but I really don't believe it was. The only time my birds were ever exposed to a threat they all scattered and it took me hours to find them. He was warm when I found him right smack in the middle of the...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #7
- Forum: Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures
-
Healthy Roo drops dead
Any snake out at this time in Michigan would have to have fur, and we have only one poisonous snake indigenous to Michigan. I am confident it wasn't a snake, but thanks for the stab at it. You do have a good point though. He "seemed" healthy, and he was the biggest boy I had. I weighed him...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #3
- Forum: Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures
-
Healthy Roo drops dead
Thursday I left for a few hours and retruned to find my largest six and a half month old Black Australorp Roo laying dead in the yard. They free range, so my first thought was "something got him" which was bound to happen eventually. However, I quickly realized a number of my other birds were...- OrpingtonDad
- Thread
- Replies: 8
- Forum: Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures
-
Organic and Economy
One of my son's has a severe peanut allergy. I'm not talking about a rash, but full blown anaphylactic shock from something as simple as a touch. He doesn't even have to eat a peanut, just being touched by the residue in a sensitive area (face, neck, etc..). In December 2006 one of my...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #87
- Forum: Meat Birds ETC
-
QUICK!!! What to tell the kids.
I normally wouldn't presume to tell you what you should or shouldn't tell your children, but you did ask in this case, so I'll offer my opinion. Most people today are so far removed from the natural cycle of life that they find great discomfort in discussing slaughtering an animal. Food comes...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #21
- Forum: Meat Birds ETC
-
-
Healthy Eggs
The USDA reports similar numbers for chickens allowed to free range. Carotene is a photosynthetic pigment important for photosynthesis and its why your free range eggs are so much more orange in color. Regarding biosecurity and predation I am a relative newcomer to the wonderful backyard...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #7
- Forum: Managing Your Flock
-
new and in need!
Your girls will be smarter than you think. Chickens always come home to roost as they say Just be sure to keep them cooped up for a couple days first so they get to "know" the place and think of it as home.- OrpingtonDad
- Post #2
- Forum: Managing Your Flock
-
Ventilation / Drafts
Question answered. Thank you very much!- OrpingtonDad
- Post #4
- Forum: Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance
-
fluorescent lighting
That's very interesting, and I imagine its certainly possible. Most animals senses are vastly different from ours, but I have never read anything concerning stress and fluorescent lighting. Personally, I don't care for flourescent light. It has a stertile feel to it. So my purely human...- OrpingtonDad
- Post #2
- Forum: Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance
-
Ventilation / Drafts
I live in Michigan and we get some very cold weather, I recall a winter a few years back in which thge temperature stayed below 0 for 9 days. I built a fairly nice coop and all has gone well to this point. I have plenty of windows which provided execellent ventilation in the warm weather...- OrpingtonDad
- Thread
- Replies: 6
- Forum: Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance
-
soft shelled eggs...which hen?? Should I worry?
Hmm, sounds like you are covering your bases. I'd be interested in hearing grom someone who knows more.- OrpingtonDad
- Post #4
- Forum: Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying