Sounds like your birds already get a variety of things to eat so a vegetable isn't as interesting. And every flock will differ in their likes anyhow.
I very rarely deliberately buy anything for the birds, but they don't mind leftovers. Melon rinds, corn cobs, spinach stems are all popular...
I would try a broody but it has never lined up with when I plan to get chicks (and almost always a hen goes broody after the fact! :p)
Deep litter on the run floor. It deliberately exposes the chicks to microbes and bacteria present in the environment to help bolster their immune system...
She probably has just enough hormones to kind of trigger the desire to seek out a nest site for laying, but not enough to trigger laying itself. Like I have one bird that spent much of springtime convincing herself that she was going to lay (she didn't, but she would sit down in the nests on...
Small mice can get through 1/2" so if that is a primary concern then that could help. But raccoons and dogs would have a easier time getting through your typical 1/4" compared to 1/2" simply because the wire is thinner.
I get how the Garden Coop style works but 2" gap on one side doesn't seem like enough. Can you drop one or two of the boards on the inside wall of the coop to allow for more airflow? Like this, removing the part in red and framing it out with HWC:
Also you're better off with 1/2" HWC for...
And secure it throughout, not just at the perimeter of the HWC section(s). You can weave wire, reinforce with zip ties, or I randomly placed hog rings throughout the length and width of the HWC.
Yup I have a cluster of trunk rounds in the run just as clutter and one's already sawdust. The chickens enjoy dustbathing in the remnants though so it still serves a purpose.
Cinder blocks are another good option, especially if steps are needed outside as they don't get slippery like wooden steps or a ramp would when wet from rain.
He's young, and younger birds go through multiple small molts as they mature so not unusual to see picked areas re-feather themselves without need for a full molt.
It probably depends on if she finds you suitable as the "rooster" but mine don't accept a human escort as a substitute.
Really no reason to be putting her in the box (if she was already laying and not using the box, that's a different matter). It's probably just stressing her out.
Some...
Nice looking mulch, how long ago was it that animals were last there (if you happen to know?) On one hand I'd be tempted to clear it out "just in case" and then replace it with similar, but on the other if there is any bacteria, parasites, etc. it's probably in the soil too so removing the...
Maybe see about putting a window or two in somewhere, even if you don't need it for ventilation having natural light inside a coop is always a plus, for both humans and chickens.
Not advocating the licking of unwashed eggs but I rarely wash eggs before using, so yes an occasional spot of dirt might fall in. If it's cooked thoroughly it shouldn't be an issue, and even though I like my eggs very under I still feel safe eating them that way.
4 sq ft is just the easiest general rule to go by. Some birds are fine with less. Some flocks need more than that. So averaging it out is a convenient way to get a rough calculation for numbers.
Not sure on the door... never tested that! It's more the location that they memorize. When I...
Oh ok, so very short distance move! Then really the main thing you'll want to do is make sure they have no access into the old coop. They'll likely huddle up next to it or as close as possible on the first few nights, but that makes it easier to round them up and put them in the new one...
I assume that means they're moving locations within in the yard and if so, you simply keep them confined to the new coop and run for a few days. They may need to be placed inside the coop a few nights before they get the hang of it.
Refrigeration slows bacterial growth as well as lengthens shelf life. Even with bloom left intact eggs at room temperature don't stay "fresh" as long as ones kept at a constant cold temperature. Since we're heading into winter I'm stockpiling eggs now for use 3, 4, 5 months from now, which is...