2018 Newbie Chat!

[No More Empty Nest]

When my girls squat they lift their wings slightly, they don't open their wings though ( really hard to describe) just kinda like lift them from their body. I'd never seen a squat before but we able to recognise when my girls squatted because it's easy to see how a rooster could mount them that way, if you see what I mean. Any way, either way I'm hoping you'll get your eggs real soon

I think that may be what she did, her wings kind of went out to the sides but not unfolded, as she sunk down to the ground. I'll see if she does it again today.

 

[CannedMonster]

It snowed yesterday but it got warm in the afternoon and most of it melted.
But last night it REALLY snowed!
We got several inches.
It’s supposed to snow off and on for the next 10 days or so...

A few brave adventurers have made their way up to the deck

 

[Cbarr00]

That's really nice that you're going to build a coop for your FIL. My daughter built mine for me, using the knowledge she gained from the mistakes she made on hers. Or rather, things she thought would work out better.

I think maybe, possibly Diamond squatted for me?? She normally does kind of sink down following my hand when I pet her. But this time she went full body down before I even touched her. Does that sound like a squat?
They will be 25 weeks on Monday, the little freeloaders, lol.

He has a little shed type structure in his backyard that will be the base for the coop. We will just be doing modifying to make it a coop. Plus lots of cleaning. He's been disabled for the past 4 years after an outpatient procedure went wrong. So the yard has been severely neglected. He loves our chicken eggs and really wants his own now.

It sounds like squatting to me. I tried to get a good picture of my pullet squatting. Hope it helps. Her back kind of flattens out when she raises her wings and she goes slightly lower to the ground.

 

[Cbarr00]

It snowed yesterday but it got warm in the afternoon and most of it melted.
But last night it REALLY snowed!
We got several inches.
It’s supposed to snow off and on for the next 10 days or so...
View attachment 1669161

A few brave adventurers have made their way up to the deck
View attachment 1669163

View attachment 1669167

I forget it is winter. We've been in the 70s this past week. With a low dip to the 40s but back into the 70s this week. Hope you and the chickens stay warm and safe.

 

[Cbarr00]

I just read an interesting featured article about the egg song! It's a really good read I reccomend.

 

[llombardo]

He has a little shed type structure in his backyard that will be the base for the coop. We will just be doing modifying to make it a coop. Plus lots of cleaning. He's been disabled for the past 4 years after an outpatient procedure went wrong. So the yard has been severely neglected. He loves our chicken eggs and really wants his own now.

It sounds like squatting to me. I tried to get a good picture of my pullet squatting. Hope it helps. Her back kind of flattens out when she raises her wings and she goes slightly lower to the ground.
View attachment 1669204

The chickens will keep him busy and moving. It's s great idea.

 

[llombardo]

I just read an interesting featured article about the egg song! It's a really good read I reccomend.

Link to article?

 

[PNW_Peepers]

I got a hen apron for ash. She’s all healed up but needs to regrow her feathers. I put her back out with the flock as she was acting extremely depressed. She was not welcomed back seamlessly. She’s isolated herself and won’t leave the coop. I even found her trying to sleep in the nest box. If this continues I might try integrating her with Manny and Lazarus instead.

 

[llombardo]

So I may need your guys input when I start this coop/run build. I'm determined to do this. I got to get the trees cut and the pool down--that will be the hard part. I have such a vision for them.

I want to do 16 by 16 but only 5.5 ft tall. I do not want to be taller then fence line and I will be able to still walk in it--I'm not to talk..lol

There will be some seperation in the coop(that's why so big) I'm putting my 4 rabbits in there(along the walls). I am thinking 6-8 ft for each and two levels for each. Duke will have his own area--3-4 ft wide and the length of coop plus about 8-10 ft out in the run. I will be attaching a light in there and in the corner I'm making a shelf for a heater(I have one that turns off if it falls--love it) I will only set it for no warmer then 30-35 degrees in the colder winter months. I'm looking for a fan that does the same thing. I found nest boxes I want(2-3) and the roosts will be tree branches I have cut and saved. I will be shingling that roof and I'm attaching it to the run. The run will have both tin and clear panels(this will take the longest because I can only purchase so much at a time) but the net will be up. I do think I will be leaving the net up and as a second defense of anything makes it to the roof. I will be changing the run slightly. I do want to get the ducks a pool with a pond filter so I need more room for them. At the same time the way I'm connecting the coop and run, that will give chickens more room on that end. It sounds so much more complicated then it is. The roof, windows and doors will be the hard parts. I will have to make the door on the coop and two doors for the chickens plus a door inside to get to Duke and a door for the run for Dukes area. The electric fence will be completely around the run and coop with another fence a few feet away so my boy dogs can not per on the fence.

One question I have and it may be silly, but do you use screws or nails? I was looking to use a nail gun--not sure if you can use screws or nails in the nail gun?

I will get more ambitious as the weather clears..

 

[llombardo]

I got a hen apron for ash. She’s all healed up but needs to regrow her feathers. I put her back out with the flock as she was acting extremely depressed. She was not welcomed back seamlessly. She’s isolated herself and won’t leave the coop. I even found her trying to sleep in the nest box. If this continues I might try integrating her with Manny and Lazarus instead.

How can you tell the difference between milting and over mating?