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  1. swamy

    I'm going to make a rotating pasture

    We currently are running 34 SQ/ft per bird in a 4 "pasture" set up for our standards. The biggest factor is the weather. When you are getting good growing conditions and plenty of moisture, the birds won't keep up with the growth. Occasional string trimming may be needed. When we get into...
  2. swamy

    Who has NEVER let their chickens Free Rang?

    Our 7 hens have approximately 34 SQ ft. per bird in their fully enclosed run. They have 4 runs of this size. Each run has a section of steel roofing to provide some dry space/shade. Birds go on each run for 10 days, which gives 30 days of rest to each run. A lot of work went into building...
  3. swamy

    Automatic Coop Door Opener: Your Experiences Please!

    We got the kit from discount home automation, I think is the name. Wood worker, so built a simple pocket door frame with vertical sliding door. Leave plenty of room for expansion/contraction. We still get a visual of the birds in the morning and go out there at night to make sure everyone...
  4. swamy

    How to keep the flock cool?

    I planted some clumps of decorative grasses on the North side of the enclosure, not sure what species it is, but it grows to 6 feet tall and very thick through summer. When fall rolls around and they appreciate the sunshine I cut it down to ground level. Following spring it starts growing and...
  5. swamy

    Anyone feeding Kent Home-Fresh Extra Egg 16?

    That's all we've ever fed our hens and they have done well. We don't offer any other calcium suppliments, just a bit of scratch grains and BOSS in the winter here in Iowa. Shells are very solid.
  6. swamy

    Lethargic hen x2 days, I need some advice please.

    We always have a chicken or two every 6 months that goes a little lethargic for a little while, but snaps out of it after a day or two. I would boost up her system with scrambled egg, plenty of water, and a little warmth. Also, some water mixed with her feed to form a mush. It might jump...
  7. swamy

    Sasquatch attack!!!

    ***, why waste your time and everyone else's???
  8. swamy

    Dead chicken

    It could just be me, but it sure seems like a lot of sudden death cases are BO's. We just had a 10 month old healthy BO drop face down suddenly a few days ago.
  9. swamy

    dead chicken in coop with no wounds?

    See my post from earlier today, "first casualty". Same deal, 10 month old buff orpington. Healthy acting and looking, very active, chased me around for a little scratch in the AM. She layed an egg in the AM, found her dead around lunch time, inside the coop. Sudden death in chickens doesn't...
  10. swamy

    First casualty

    Just venting here. We made it almost 10 months with our new batch of hens without even a hint of trouble. Chored them in the morning yesterday and all eight were energetic, running around, foraging, etc. Stopped by the house at noon and one of our BO's was laying in the coop face down in an...
  11. swamy

    What bedding do you use? - POLL

    In the coop I use sand in the warm to moderate months and pine shavings in the winter. With the shavings I started with 2 or 3 inches, then added a few inches bi-weekly. Breaks down nicely and will go on the garden in a couple of weeks when I change back over to sand. Poop board user, I keep...
  12. swamy

    Solar panel

    We have a small creek near our coop...have often thought about tinkering with a hydro-electric system to power the coop. Might be a fun project, until a flood, or log came floating downstream.
  13. swamy

    Pets or Produce?

    We got our hens simply to introduce the kids to responsibility and all that goes into caring for animals. As we evolve it has turned into a very scientific project with rotational grazing areas, planting forage, watching for preferences, attracting bugs, reading the birds, inputs and outputs...
  14. swamy

    Getting a coop and chickens today! Help!!!

    I would be hesitant to keep more than a couple chickens in that set up.
  15. swamy

    Run size question

    I added enclosures on a bit at a time as it does cost a little to keep each one predator proof. We have large populations of Hawks here so all of them are covered with welded wire. The four enclosures feed off of one really narrow run that comes off the pop door. A large gate is shut on three...
  16. swamy

    Run size question

    I've got roughly 30 Sq feet per bird per enclosure. I have 4 enclosures. I rotate the birds every 7-10 days, this gives each area 21-30 days of rest for the greenery and poop breakdown. I keep a diverse clover/chicory seed mix on hand and overseed bare areas during the rest, otherwise I...
  17. swamy

    need quick help to decide on timed electric / solar coop door opener

    I never thought we would do this, but I got the same one as Green Eggs and Ham. It is very very slick. My door consistes of two pieces of CDX ply sandwiched over 1" rigid insulation with a one-by frame around it. I framed in a track out of pine so it fits between the studs. When it shuts...
  18. swamy

    FROZEN WATER - What's the answer?

    A person could easily rig up the same solar system that we use on automatic pop doors. Only instead of a string pulling a door up it could pull a strainer type object up and down through the water dish on a set schedule to prevent ice formation. Say, once every hour. The amount of travel and...
  19. swamy

    What Am I Doimg Wrong!!!!

    Sounds like a classic case of inadequate ventilation. A coop needs ample openings...above the roost height in the winter. Fresh air needs to flow in one side and out the other. Think about it like flushing a toilet, only you are flushing out the bad air/moisture. The other cause could be...
  20. swamy

    linoleum vs pressure treated ply for poop

    Another good one is plexi-glass loose-layed over the plywood. We have two 4' long pieces and keep a drywall knife on hand to scrape daily. Plexi comes out once a week or as needed to wash off.
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