We're getting ready to "spring clean" the coop and run. This time I want to completely change out the PDZ on the poopboard. Can it be spread on the garden along with the pine shavings from the coop and deep litter from the run ? We have some beautiful compost out in the run!
Our garden is starting to wind down and I got to thinking, there won't be any leftovers during the fall and winter for the chickens. What do you or do you, add anything to their regular feed diet? Now they're getting fruits, veggies, weeds, grass, etc.
Yesterday morning when I went to the coop to check on the girls and tidy-up, one was in the nesting box doing her thing. I decided to come back later to do chores rather than bother her. Could I have gone ahead and worked in the coop or did I do the right thing coming back later? And yes, there...
Our pullet/s (18 weeks) have just started laying. Both eggs were laid on the poopboard. The nesting boxes are ready with golfballs inside. Do you all think I should leave the "lid" up? It's hindged at the top or should I leave it as is?
Got our first egg today :weee It was soft shelled and broken (she laid it from the roost and it dropped to the poopboard). The inside appeared normal. I have read that this is common for young pullets so not too worried. There is oyster shell available but they are still all on grower feed...
My girls are 12+ weeks, a little while yet from laying but I've been reading up on what to look for when laying is about to begin.
I have 3 different breeds, (3) Black Sex Link, (1) Black Jersey Giant & (2) Buff Orpington. The Black Jersey Giant's comb & wattle is red (not particularly large)...
Today DH leveled an area for the grandkid's swingset. I put some of the sod in the run for the chickens. Boy, did they love it!! They were making all kinds of noise, scratching and looking for goodies.
One of my Black Sex Link 8 week old chicks (on the right) is all black compared to the others that have copper chest feathers. Is she a BSL or something else?
Sorry about the not-so-great pic, they were all lined up and before I got my phone out started preening. Hopefully you can see the...
DH & I were out for the evening. A little after 9 pm we got a call from our daughter. She and 1 of her kids went out to the coop to see the (6) chickens (8 weeks old). The (auto) pop door was down, all still in the run and 3 had iinjuries on the top of their beak. We of course came right home...
DH & I went out to the coop last night to check the new auto pop door. The mosquitoes were unbelievable! We haven't had rain for about 2 weeks and there is no standing water around other than the waterer.
Our chicks are 8 weeks old. We started them on medicated chick starter. When we bought the chicks we bought a 50 lb. bag and the farm store included a 50 lb. bag. Both bag were opened (one by mistake). How long is it OK to feed the medicated starter?
The roof of our run is actually metal barn siding sheets left over from when we built our barn. Where the sheets meet the run frame it doesn't lie flush. It's like this... __/\__/\__/\__
The open "Vs" are about 2 " at the widest part. Any ideas what to fil that with to keep predators out? I...
Everyone has been so helpful so thank you in advance. Our run will be complete soon, right now it's grass but knowing that before long the ground will be bare I'm trying to decide if we should put down a sand base before letting the (6) chicks out or leave the grass and dirt for now, adding the...
We are in the process of building a run. It will be built with 1/2" hardware cloth on the sides and a metal roof. What is better at the ground, trenching and going down 12" with the hardware cloth or skirting 12" out and holding the hardware cloth down with cement blocks or brick? Our soil is...
....too small.
When we bought our chicks we also bought a coop/run combo from the farm store. Before the chicks left the brooder tub inside the house we knew we had just made a $500. mistake :/ The coop was advertised as suitable for 6 chickens, we have 6. As our chicks grew and grew it...
Yesterday when I went to check on the chicks (5weeks) midday, one of them was caught in the welded fence seperating the chicken area from the storage. She must have felt adverturesome and caught her leg while trying to get through.
I freed her, no visible injuries or blood but she was limbing...
The shed we're revising for our coop is divided in half by a 4' high fence and gate. (it was oringinally built for dogs that was never used). The back area we are using for the chickens is approximately 8' x 8.5' with a pop door to the run. The front area for storage, is approximately the same...
Hello, I'm new to BYC and chickens. Our (6) chicks are still inside the house but we are getting ready to move them outdoors in the next few weeks. We will be using a coop/run purchased from the farm store but I'm concerned about predators. We've beefed it up but with all the raccoon and fox we...