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  1. Ridgerunner

    Moving Grown Hens to New Coop

    I respectfully disagree. It's great when it works but I've had to coop train chickens when I've moved them, even if they were locked in the new coop overnight and roosted in there. They were confined in a run. I've kept chickens in the coop only for a week or more and when I let them out...
  2. Ridgerunner

    Broody hen broody breaker??

    I've butchered enough pullets, hens, cockerels, and roosters to see the fat build-up before they even start laying. The difference is obvious. It is nature's way for survival of the species. By living off of that stored fat while taking care of the eggs instead of having to be off looking for...
  3. Ridgerunner

    When should I move my chick from the incubator?

    Before a chick hatches it should absorb the yolk. It can live for 72 hours or more off of that yolk without eating or drinking. It's why nature arranged for them to absorb the yolk, so the early hatchers can wait on the late hatchers so Mommy Hen doesn't have to abandon the later hatchers to...
  4. Ridgerunner

    How to decide which Roo to keep (and which to dispatch).

    You do not have a 5 month old rooster. You have an immature cockerel going through puberty. This could create some turmoil if you eliminate the older rooster. It is unlikely he is mature enough to dominate all of the older hens so some of them might beat him up to keep him in line. Each...
  5. Ridgerunner

    Is this a terrible idea?

    Separate locations for food and water, preferably where they cannot see the other locations.
  6. Ridgerunner

    Is this a terrible idea?

    Five pullets from 2 sources about 4 months old. To me it boils down to how much room you have and what your facilities look like. If you have sufficient room and you don't force them to be real close to each other I think you have a decent chance of success. If space is tight then your risks...
  7. Ridgerunner

    Humidity dropped during lockdown

    Thanks, I'm not familiar with that incubator. Searching the documentation I cannot find a way to add moisture without lifting the corner. Good luck!
  8. Ridgerunner

    Humidity dropped during lockdown

    What incubator do you have? To me it is easier to comment when I know what you are working with. Where are your vent holes? The way I add water to my incubator is to put a straw through the vent hole in the top and use a syringe to put water through the straw. I use an accordion straw so I...
  9. Ridgerunner

    Expanding the flock...

    A 4x8 will be tight to integrate 8 birds in. There is no extra room for them to get out of each other's way. Since the run is predator proof I'd put the dog crate in the run and leave the chicks out there for a week or two for the "look but don't touch" part, then try letting them mingle...
  10. Ridgerunner

    Expanding the flock...

    Where are you located? I'm not trying to steal your personal data, just trying to get a handle on what your nighttime low temperatures might be. Unless you are having temperatures near freezing they should be able to stay outside day and night based on temperature. The question may be how...
  11. Ridgerunner

    My Speckled Sussexes don't free range well

    Welcome to reality. Other than Silkies or other chickens that cannot fly most chickens can reach pretty high locations by flying if they want to. I'm constantly amazed by all of the posts I see on this forum where people think they cannot fly. It is usually not a question of can they, it is a...
  12. Ridgerunner

    My Speckled Sussexes don't free range well

    So your babies are not acting like adults. To me, that does not sound that strange. Just be patient and give them time.
  13. Ridgerunner

    BC Marans laying lighter brown eggs?

    I agree. It is not that the hen is getting older but that she is getting later in her laying cycle. A pretty normal pattern is that the longer a brown egg laying hen lays the lighter her egg becomes. The same thing can happen to a green egg laying hen also since the green comes from brown...
  14. Ridgerunner

    Feeding chickens in the coop

    Your chickens were in a 2.5 x 6.5 brooder. Now they are in a much bigger 6 x 8 coop. They will be fine until you get the run completed. They should really enjoy that extra space. One way to train them to go into the coop section to sleep at night is to leave them locked in the coop section...
  15. Ridgerunner

    When could I expect egg laying to start?

    The earliest I've had pullets similar to your breeds start laying was 16 weeks. That has only happened a couple of times, really rare. The latest I've had some pullets start to lay was 9 months and that was in the middle of winter when they are not supposed to lay. Those were the only green...
  16. Ridgerunner

    Roost height

    What breeds of chickens do you have? If you have Silkies, Frizzles, Cornish Cross meat birds, or other breeds that don't fly, yes they are too high or you need a ramp or ladder to help them get up there. Otherwise they can easily fly up there if they want to. With no adults present I've had 5...
  17. Ridgerunner

    Minimum pitch (slope) for tarp roof for heavy rain runoff?

    I assume you are not worried about snow build-up. I don't know how much snow you might get, the roof needs to be strong enough to support the weight of the snow or ice. You can get different opinions on how much slope you need on your permanent roof. Water will flow downhill as long as it...
  18. Ridgerunner

    Mama hen went onto her roost

    I've had hens wean their chicks at three weeks old, some not wean them until they were almost 3 months old. Most of my broody hens wean their chicks around 5 weeks old but that can vary a lot. I've had hens just cut their chicks off when they wean them, abandon them day and night. I've had...
  19. Ridgerunner

    Another "broody hen" post... but hear me out!

    Try Aart's method or rehome her. You don't need to be stressed like this. Instead of 48 hours I keep mine in the broody buster for 72 hours before I let them out. If that doesn't work I put them back in for another few days. It will not hurt them, they can eat, drink, and poop. Since...
  20. Ridgerunner

    Adjusting Chickens to a New Home

    I'll include a link to someone that deals with real cold. It may interest you. Cold Weather Poultry Housing and Care | BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens At -10 F (-23 C) I'd want them to have good ventilation in the coop to prevent frostbite and to not have a breeze hitting...
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