Bed time drama?

[Studio2770]

I have bird netting over their whole yard, I really appreciate and thank you for your input, so hard to get good responses to my questions. It's been 40 years since i had 4 'rescue' elder hens and all this integrating young pullets and waiting on eggs is new.

No problem. Some questions are easier than others. Though, some of my question got little to no responses so I get your frustration. Like I said, as long as no one gets hurt, but it'll hurt to see the young ones get picked on but that's how it goes. This actually reminded me of a video my older brother took of our chickens when the two groups were still getting to know each other. You can tell which young chicken is the cockerel, we had to give him away when he crowed. It's a bit chaotic but no one gets hurt. There's more peace now.

You can stop watching whenever you like, 11:30 is when nothing else happens. Three hens lay eggs in the video.

 

[katekearby]

No problem. Some questions are easier than others. Though, some of my question got little to no responses so I get your frustration. Like I said, as long as no one gets hurt, but it'll hurt to see the young ones get picked on but that's how it goes. This actually reminded me of a video my older brother took of our chickens when the two groups were still getting to know each other. You can tell which young chicken is the cockerel, we had to give him away when he crowed. It's a bit chaotic but no one gets hurt. There's more peace now.

You can stop watching whenever you like, 11:30 is when nothing else happens. Three hens lay eggs in the video.

WOW, I may need to re-arrange the nest boxes, got an egg yesterday, now 2 hens squatting, but no egg today.

 

[Studio2770]

WOW, I may need to re-arrange the nest boxes, got an egg yesterday, now 2 hens squatting, but no egg today.

Haha yes it's quite chaotic. I'm sure Oliver isn't such a sissy now. He was the largest chicken when we gave him away but he still steered clear of the older hens. It's recommended that the roosts are above the boxes and not in a busy area. You could blow out the inside of an egg and place the shell in the boxes or use a golf ball or ping pong ball ooorrrrr a rock. My two young ones laid almost exactly a week after they squatted, but all chickens are different.

 

[katekearby]

I've got some fake eggs, I had a plastic one in their and the pooped all over it. but it's almost like i wonder if my taking the egg, the one that was laid yesterday, away made them think it wasn't a safe place to leave one?

 

[Studio2770]

I've got some fake eggs, I had a plastic one in their and the pooped all over it. but it's almost like i wonder if my taking the egg, the one that was laid yesterday, away made them think it wasn't a safe place to leave one?

If they started squatting then those boxes should be clean. They won't think it's an unsafe place, unless it looks like it's been ransacked. Since they pooped on the decoy eggs, that means they sleep in the boxes which means it's a safe place. They won't sleep in a place that's not safe.

 

[katekearby]

If they started squatting then those boxes should be clean. They won't think it's an unsafe place, unless it looks like it's been ransacked. Since they pooped on the decoy eggs, that means they sleep in the boxes which means it's a safe place. They won't sleep in a place that's not safe.

Thank you again, I clean the coop every day, add fresh clean straw when they need it. Use PDZ and DE on the floor and shake it into the straw. The younger girls spend a bunch of time in the coop during the day, I don't think they were raised as 'free range' as the older ones were. They also have a 55 gallon drum laid on it's side with straw in it and a tight little alley behind the coop next to the horse barn that they seem to like to rest and dust bathe in. They are 25 and 19 weeks old, 2 rocks, 2 NH Reds and 3 EEs, the young ones.

Just went out and put them up for the night, there was an egg in the nest, I think one they call a 'rubber egg' the shell was not hardened?

 

[Studio2770]

Thank you again, I clean the coop every day, add fresh clean straw when they need it. Use PDZ and DE on the floor and shake it into the straw. The younger girls spend a bunch of time in the coop during the day, I don't think they were raised as 'free range' as the older ones were. They also have a 55 gallon drum laid on it's side with straw in it and a tight little alley behind the coop next to the horse barn that they seem to like to rest and dust bathe in. They are 25 and 19 weeks old, 2 rocks, 2 NH Reds and 3 EEs, the young ones.

Just went out and put them up for the night, there was an egg in the nest, I think one they call a 'rubber egg' the shell was not hardened?

No problem. I don't clean mine out everyday,but then again I free range. I think it's time to change the bedding in my boxes. Yup that's a rubber egg, or "fart egg" I think. That's the membrane and unfortunately has to be discarded as the shell isn't there to protect the egg. I've gotten several of those, most on the coop floor, either popped or intact. At least you got an egg in the box, the others should follow. Odd for chickens to spend time in the coop like yours do, probably because they want to stay clear of the older ones.

 

[katekearby]

Thanks, well the 'play yard' for the 7 hens is 15x30, so they've got room to run and play and have grass, I feed them various kitchen stuff. and the 3 new ones are spending more and more time in the yard playing. Room for them to go on the oppisite side of the coop if they feel the need. The coop isn't that messy but I figure a few seconds of picking the poop out while i'm in there keeps it easy. They really like it when it is hot for me to give them something from the freezer. The older ones love a frozen ear of corn, the younger ones didn't know what to do with that. Yesterday I had some old bread in the freezer and they all had fun with that.

No problem. I don't clean mine out everyday,but then again I free range. I think it's time to change the bedding in my boxes. Yup that's a rubber egg, or "fart egg" I think. That's the membrane and unfortunately has to be discarded as the shell isn't there to protect the egg. I've gotten several of those, most on the coop floor, either popped or intact. At least you got an egg in the box, the others should follow. Odd for chickens to spend time in the coop like yours do, probably because they want to stay clear of the older ones.

 

[Studio2770]

I assumed the play area was large since they didn't free range. It sounds like they're warming up and everything is going smoothly. Watermelon is also a summer treat. Mine like to pick out the seeds and then eat the rest. I would lime to cool them down more, especially our cochin.

 

[katekearby]

I assumed the play area was large since they didn't free range. It sounds like they're warming up and everything is going smoothly. Watermelon is also a summer treat. Mine like to pick out the seeds and then eat the rest. I would lime to cool them down more, especially our cochin.

Lime?
today Gertie looked like she spit up a little? have you seen hens do that, I also now have a 3rd 'squatter' who spent some time on the nest today but no pay off.