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  1. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    I named a rooster chick penguin too! He looked like a little penguin. I don't like having roosters because they really don't protect the hens, they're just the first ones to get killed. My flocks have always been calmer once the roosters are gone...they can be pretty rough. So I'm mostly ready...
  2. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    I'm just south of Tampa in Ruskin. Are you keeping chickens up there?
  3. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    Hi again! I'm sorry to pester with so many questions. I bought the soft crate just like yours and The top zips off. Do you leave yours off or on? And funny enough I do have the exact dog pen you show in the photo. I thought I would do exactly as you said and put the soft pen inside to keep the...
  4. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    The soft sided pen make so much more sense. I never thought of it and if I saw photos I probably didn't need one so the idea didn't land. I ordered one last night and it will come well before the chicks. I Hope it has a semi-solid bottom so I can just pick it up and take them out for some sun...
  5. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    I love the soft crate idea! Brilliant. I'm ordering one now. Thank you so much for your advice and sharing a little bit about how you go about raising little birds.
  6. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    Ah. I get it now. That sounds like a nice setup! I use a big dog crate with 1/2-in hardware wrapped around it so they can't get their heads through. It's heavy, but I'll keep them in there in the house. It has a pan and I put a rubber mat inside with a light dusting of zeolite to absorb poop...
  7. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    Do you mean the big plastic tote is in your house and then you move them outside to a sheltered area? I'm not sure I understand. My options are bin in the house or bin in the coop as soon as they arrive.
  8. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    Today I'm having a rethink. I put a thermometer on the floor of the coop and it's only about 85°. I'm just not sure I should put baby chicks where I can't keep an eye on them. I'll keep them in the house for a bit but when it comes time for a bigger pen then I'll put them out. I always try...
  9. leslielbk

    Hot Florida temps, can chicks be outside?

    I've never done this before so I have to ask. I'm getting eight chicks next week. I've always kept them in the house under heat but this is the first time I'm ordering them midsummer. It's midsummer here in Florida lol. Currently it's 95° and the coop goes down to about 90° at night. Would I be...
  10. leslielbk

    Indian runner duck tries to fly??

    I'm trying to find a forum that talks about combining chickens with ducks and whether I have to build a separate duck house or not. I'm planning on getting just a few Indian runner ducks once I find a breeder because apparently the hatcheries won't send just a few. Do you have any pointers for...
  11. leslielbk

    Indian Runner Hens

    I'm so jealous! And I see you have them in the kitchen... How adorable is that?? I'm trying desperately to locate the Pencil variety but so far no luck. Have your girls started to lay yet? I'm here in Florida I'm trying to get a picture on how this might go. I have a flock of 10 chickens and a...
  12. leslielbk

    Indian Runner Ducks - full grown dying unexpectedly

    I'm wondering if you have an update on the cause of death? I'm doing a bit of research on Indian runner ducks because I'm thinking of adding just a couple to my flock of chickens. I'm a little lost on whether I need to build a duck house or can they sleep in the giant coop I have? I'm sure...
  13. leslielbk

    Newbie getting ready for winter - Insulating? Closing down Windows?

    This is a great article https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-coop-ventilation-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/?utm_content=iss144&utm_source=threadloom&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ed27
  14. leslielbk

    Snake

    I'm glad my neighbors can't see me crawling around on my hands and knees looking for the tiniest holes🤣. While I try hard to keep it from looking like it was done by Jed Clampett unfortunately I've missed the mark. I had good intentions in the beginning and it looked really cute and then...
  15. leslielbk

    Snake

    I have a few black snakes too and I'm glad because they keep the rats down. That's a constant battle. Between me, the Jack Russell, the hawks, the owls and the snakes we do a pretty good job. Since I had to crawl around every square inch of the coop looking for "leaks" and close them off, I used...
  16. leslielbk

    Going out to feed/maintain/..slip on shoe recommendations?

    I had to figure that out too. I keep a pair of rubber boots by both the back door and front door. I also have a pair of black rubber clogs that are super easy to slip into. It didn't take very long for me to get in the habit and quit running outside in my sandals 😤 and then having to wipe down...
  17. leslielbk

    Comment by 'leslielbk' in article 'Bee's key points to successful and safe free ranging.'

    This article was just posted in the BYC newsletter today, but it is from 2015 so if no one gets a response from Bee directly that might be why. What I found interesting is her mention of the birds feather pattern and color when studying her losses. Mine have been grays and blacks. I keep a lot...
  18. leslielbk

    I need to kill my roo and i cant do it

    I agree and you're hilarious, but some of us just got the email from backyard chickens with people's questions. That's why we're responding so late. It's more on the website than on us, I swear!
  19. leslielbk

    Comment by 'leslielbk' in article 'Using Sand In Your Chicken Coop'

    Agreed. I've been using it for years to keep the coop free of mites and any other bug that might be lurking in the litter. I know it looks benign and like powder, but to soft exoskeletons it's lethal. It is much less effective when wet because it loses its razor-like sharp edges; it softens. I...
  20. leslielbk

    I need to kill my roo and i cant do it

    I had a nasty rooster too and I placed an ad on craigslist with some nice photos asking $20. Believe it or not, I sold him in 2 days. I told the buyer he needed to come at night where I could easily snag the rooster off the roosting pole. My girls were so happy! They calmed down immediately. And...
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