I’m planning to add 12 to my flock of 13 (2 BCM -1 may be an austrolop, 3 barred rocks, 2 Wyandottes, I olive egger, 3 ameracunas, 1 bcm roo & 1 Wyandotte roo). I’d rather have a broody, but we have had a massive egg shortage this year (1 egg since early November, I think) & I want to make sure...
Mine have done the same (going to bed by themselves) since day one. It must be the stress of the dog crates and new spaces. I’ll try the light tonight, thanks for the support. ☺️ I did get to hold my Wyandotte rooster for the first time, albeit briefly to toss him into the door. He has the most...
Update; it was total chaos getting them into the henhouse, but we (me & hubs) did it. The doo is going to open in the am (our son takes care of the technology & I couldn’t figure out how to disable the automatic door w/o him), so I could be faced with the same issue tomorrow, but I might be...
Thank you—one girl has lead the way to the roost. I’ll 100% shepherd them in for the first several nights or until they get the hang of it. They’ve been pretty happy with the new inside run so far. Everyone (except the one ameracuna) are huddling near the door saying (to me, their crazy chicken...
Thanks, I have water in there so it won’t freeze. The run is very secure—I was thinking 2 weeks in the run (before I give them pasture) to reset their gps, so to speak. Is that ok or should I pen them in the henhouse?
I made sure not to have any high places (I think those two rafters in the run are too high with no in between spots). I made that mistake in the last/first coop—they all roosted (until tonight) at 8 ft and it was really bothersome . My 3.5yo barred rocks are starting to struggle to jump down...
We are in the process of moving our flock (about a 45 min drive to our new home). We are not quite sleeping there yet, but I’ve built (or rather, had some guys build for me 😂) a very secure henhouse & run. Do you think they will find their way into the henhouse tonight, or should I help them? I...
Happy Thanksgiving!
We are about to move the flock. Advice on that would be helpful. It’s 2 roosters & 11 hens. I have 2 very large dog crates that should fit 4 hens each. So I’m thinking several trips and get the roosters after dark?
How deep should zeolite be in the poop board?
How deep...
I have 2 similar hens, 3.5 yo, molting, 8’ high roost. Was just checking on them and wondering why they don’t come down. One looks like she wants to, but the other seems content to stay in bed all day. They’ll have a new home with 3-4’ high roosts in a couple weeks, which will be best for...
Thanks for the roosting bar info. I went back & forth. They’ve been living in an open air coop on 2x2’s for roosts, and their floof usually covers their toes. I thought they’d like a grip. Easily fixed, either way☺️
For nesting material, it’ll either be hay (where does one get straw if not on a...
@ChickyCh00k we currently have 11 hens and 2 roosters. Would like a few more hens, but my one hen that went broody ate all her eggs 2 weeks in🤨
I’m glad I’m on track. Does anyone have advice on designs for nesting boxes? I’m thinking something like this: that I can access from the shed side. I...
Right side is the henhouse (8’x16’) & left side is a garden/storage shed. The “windows” on the coop side will be hardware cloth with awning type shutters. 2x6 roof will be open air (with hwc) soffits. There will be a 24’x16’ attached run, with Fort Knox 😂 predator proofing. 18” footer for...
Any ideas why some whites are very gelatinous? I was thinking it was because some girls are getting on in age, but this one is from my youngest (14 months) marans. Some of the white is extremely watery and the rest very thick and jelly-like. They are seem healthy otherwise.
Yes, it’s plastic. A temporary situation while we build our home. We like that we can move it around easily. The main (we did have a neighbors dog attack once, just one minor injury) daytime predator pressure are hawks. I seem to have thwarted them by making narrow spaces in the run that a hawk...
Last night I caught a rather large opossum on our camera. It was out by the food and water in the (not predator proof) run. Chooks were all inside, apparently safe. I ordered a large live trap to catch it, then I guess we will have to shoot it drown it? What is a good bait? Cat food?
To the...
Hi stinky, thanks. I’m planning to put a Dutch door on the garden side of the run. Did you build your own? I was trying to find some plans for my builder 🤞
I could even leave this whole wall open (hwc) and just tack up cardboard or feed bags during winter. Maybe I should leave the upper...