Arizona Chickens

[Mikey D]

Quote:
That's funny!
I have one Austrolorp who keeps dropping them wherever she is. Usually on the back porch!
I think if you lock them in the coop with the nest box for a couple of days they'll have no choice, but then I'd have to lock all of them up. I think I'll give mine a couple more days to figure it out.



I figured that's why she was laying them on the floor of the coop

Prolly just too lazy to pick her narrow but up and get into the box.

Maybe when I get the ramp it she'll like it more.

 

[Mikey D]

Quote:
Actually I was considering that. Then I thought that she might find a more inaccessible place (for me!) like under the play house.

That'd be all I need, dozens of eggs rotting in the summer heat, in a place where I couldn't get at them!

Maybe I should just leave well enough alone?

 

[Mikey D]

So I ran afoul of the galvanizing process.

Seems you cannot have anything that has been previously plated or galvanized, hot dip-galvanized.

That goes for hinges, latches and the freak'n wire that I was going to screw to the new coop/tractor/brooder/grow-out pen!

So here I am in the garage fabricating hinges. (how many times a day can I use this

emoticon?)

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Actually I was considering that. Then I thought that she might find a more inaccessible place (for me!) like under the play house.

That'd be all I need, dozens of eggs rotting in the summer heat, in a place where I couldn't get at them!

Maybe I should just leave well enough alone?

Of course she would do that to you. They are sneaky that way.

At least you will know who is laying the eggs there. I found that my Sophie, Australorp, has been occasionally laying eggs in her sleep. I have found them right under her roosting spot. Silly girl!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

So I ran afoul of the galvanizing process.

Seems you cannot have anything that has been previously plated or galvanized, hot dip-galvanized.

That goes for hinges, latches and the freak'n wire that I was going to screw to the new coop/tractor/brooder/grow-out pen!

So here I am in the garage fabricating hinges. (how many times a day can I use this

emoticon?)

IMS sells bare-metal hinges for a pretty good price...but I KNOW how much you enjoy all aspects of metal working

 

[Mikey D]

Quote:
Thank you Sonoran. I can get them from American Metals as well but if I weld them on and then get it galvanized...

- the hinges will be frozen in place and need a torch to free them up

and

- the galvanizing will not get between the leaves of the hinge and it will show rust there.

I cut some 1/8" sch 80 pipe into 100 one inch pieces, turned both ends in the lathe and as soon as the wind stops blowing

(I NEED A SHOP!)

I'll weld em in place!

 

[Fuzzybird]

The time finally came to let the babies sleep outside.They were just getting too big and stinky for the brooder. Well, I survived the night and they did too. The first time is always the hardest to let them leave "home" on their own.

It is getting more difficult to take group shots now but I got a somewhat good one.

6.5 and 5.5 weeks old.

You have GOT to enter that last one in the flapper contest!

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

You have GOT to enter that last one in the flapper contest!

How do I enter the flapper contest?

 

[pdx2phx]

So the chickens were unusually insane today....with a one hen (Meaty the NH) Very Proudly starting to lay again after a 5 month break, another just stopping because of a molt, 2 co-broodies, 7 POL pullets running around b'gawking at everything and several others that have to complain when anyone else is using one of the 14 or so nesting boxes. Suffice it to say it was a hormonally-charged 'chicken drama' day!!

Oh yea, Cujo the rooster keeps trying to get the hens to nest in weird places. Like my DH's shoes, the top of an outdoor TV cabinet where an egg would just roll off, the roof. Anywhere but somewhere reasonable seems to be his choice!

So we ran a quick errand, and came back to hear Meaty doing her Very Loud & Proud egg song......and went to go find it where she usually lays in the coop....no egg. We looked all over. I figured that I just missed it somehow or maybe she still hadn't layed yet. I went over to check the co-broodies in the Serama coop, and they were both out of the box complaining loudly, which is unusual. I checked their box that has the 3 tiny serama eggs, and there is a new addition. A HUGE brown New Hampshire egg!!

Now this wouldn't be that unusual...a hen laying with others, except the Serama coop has tiny tiny Serama sized nest boxes, and a tiny door to get in/out of the coop. Think barbie dollhouse for chickens.......I have simply no idea how Meaty got in the coop through the tiny door, crammed herself in that box with the 2 broodies, laid her egg (without crushing the other 3 eggs) and got back out again.

I really wished I had caught her in the act with my camera

these Ladies never fail to entertain, that's for sure!

 

[Novaleigh]

Just realized my duck/goose pen is tweety bird proof....and BIG! 14 ft. long 10 ft. wide 7 1/2 ft. tall. It is ideal for raising quail and other small exotics.....hmmmmm......