Recent content by Sseckel

So I have a litter of 7 Holland Lop kits about 5 days old. There were 9 in the litter and 2 were still born. Of the surviving 7 one little guy is quite a lot smaller than the others, which are all about the same size and easily double this little guy. He seems to be well proportioned albeit...

Yeah, I want it open enough I can get in there and clean each level, as I mentioned in my first description. But definitely wider than a poop board. I'll post pics when I get it built and I. An let you know how it works.

I think I am envisioning a combination of what you all have suggested. A largely open lower level with their water (I keep the food outside but the coop will have electric to keep the water thawed) and nesting boxes just under the 2nd story. The 2nd level would basically be extra wide shelves...

I am just starting to plan a new coop. This will be the 4th one I've built and this time around I am looking to curb some expenses in the build. I don't build "pretty" coops to begin with just solid and functional. I am wondering if I can increase the square footage available to my flock...

My serama are outside with the LF as well (Iowa winter temps can be down to -10/20 but average around 0, with no added heat) last year we got much colder (-30F) and I did add a heat lamp as even my large fowl were struggling with the sudden change. I do keep an indoor enclosure just in case I...

Oops! Here is the plot plan

So I am considering moving my garden into the chicken run. My run is large 60'x30'. And my plan is to use raised beds that I can fence off with chicken wire to keep my hens out. And the larger fence around the run should protect my veggies from the deer and my Newfoundland who likes to steal my...

That's great you were able to hatch some of her eggs! I don't believe your hen can tell and don't put them in with her. It is very likely that she will hurt them. I do brood my chicks in my main coop but they are divided by a wire mesh wall from the adult hens. Whenever I put new ones out there...

Well I like the idea. I would say 14" would be the smallest they could possibly fit through but I'm not sure if they will actually go through it unless the length is quite short. As it would look like a scary black hole to a non buroughing prey animal.

Not in the shell, but yes! I crack them all into a bowl, blend with a hand mixer and then pour into ice cube trays. My trays are small so it is 2 cubes equals 1 large egg but there are larger ice cube trays that are 1:1 ratios.

I agree. We are expanding our garden this year and I'm hoping to devote a section to growing oats for my girls. I will also keep buying feed throughout the summer (usually my girls get enough free ranging in the summer) to stock up for the coming winter. I will also be freezing some of my eggs...

You definitely will have happier hens if your roosts and nesting boxes are elevated, they feel much safer when they can get off the ground at night. Plus it's easier to gather the eggs if you don't have to keep bending down. While the floor of my coop is not elevated (actually there isn't even...

Well I am definitely in the minority here. My coop is 11x14 and 8' high. The walls sit on cinder blocks and the interior has a dirt floor where I use deep litter and clean out once a year, twice if we have a wet summer. Otherwise I let it compost in place and put it directly in the garden beds...

Yes I could. The coop is 8'x14'.

So we had a pretty good windstorm break a latch on my coop door while I was at work and all but 1 of my seramas escaped. I penned her and left the pop door open should they try to return at night time but alas it has been a week and no sign of them. The latch is now replaced with something much...