BYC Café

[ronott1]

I took the tarps off the run a couple days ago. It's under cover of trees and has shady spots all day, so that's nice. But what a difference! I remember thinking when I put the tarps on in the fall that it was dark and gloomy under there. Now it's bright and cheerful. Definitely going to put a clear roof of some kind on it this fall.

I'm wondering if that gloominess is part of why my pullets didn't lay last winter.

We'll be moving the coop and run to its summer home in a couple weeks. Unless I convince DH to leave it up here by the house year round. I'm actually thinking that might be the better spot. Yes, it's cooler down by the garden; you can feel the temp drop as you walk down the hill. But it's shadier and breezier by the house. I can create the shade with the tarps, but I can't make the breeze. The air is much stiller in that little valley.

It is possible. chickens are very sensitive to light.

I remember a post from years ago where the hens were in darkness most of the time. The poster had to add lights to the run for them and it was not the winter.

Supposedly they only need enough light to see several feet in front of them, so not too much light.

 

[LaFleche]

It is possible. chickens are very sensitive to light.

I remember a post from years ago where the hens were in darkness most of the time. The poster had to add lights to the run for them and it was not the winter.

Supposedly they only need enough light to see several feet in front of them, so not too much light.

Ovulation is stimulated by light:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/decreasing-daylight-and-its-effect-on-laying-hens

 

[pennyJo1960]

Morning Cafe second cup here now.. We caugfht even another young, small rats. That makes two since offing their mother rat

 

[Mtn Margie]

It is hot out there, whine, whine... 83 degrees with burning sunlight, hiss, whine, whine...
DH just rubber buckshot popped the bobcat hanging around. It decided to shade-up under a platform we have at the top of the hill (after checking out the chickens) and now it has moved off, but it is just too hot to travel far. I also saw the weasel again, but it seems to have moved on as well.
I brought some lemonade to the cafe...

 

[pennyJo1960]

Lemonaide would be welcome Margie ..
Coops cleaned got three rats today a big one and two small .. I did not actaully decode but believe the bigger one to be male ..

 

[Sally PB]

So the chicks still aren't brave enough to get out of the brooder into the playpen I made for them. I sat for over 30 minutes with some mash on my palm and they ate it. I put a little bit on the wall (cardboard) of the brooder and moved my hand up a couple inches. They perched on my hand and pecked the mash.

Stormy, the bravest, has peeked over the wall, but that's all. We'll try again tomorrow.

Since I made yogurt today, I mixed a couple teaspoons with some of their feed. They loved it! It feels funny when they eat out of my hand. It's like getting tapped with dull pencils.

 

[aart]

So the chicks still aren't brave enough to get out of the brooder into the playpen I made for them. I sat for over 30 minutes with some mash on my palm and they ate it. I put a little bit on the wall (cardboard) of the brooder and moved my hand up a couple inches. They perched on my hand and pecked the mash.

Stormy, the bravest, has peeked over the wall, but that's all. We'll try again tomorrow.

What does this set up look like....pics please?

 

[Sally PB]

Here's the brooder. A dog crate lined with cardboard. I have the cardboard folded down by the door so that I can reach in. It's about 10-12" high at that level.

The pile of white fabric and purple fabric are sheets. The fence for the perimeter of the playpen has 2x3 openings, so I drape the sheets over the top of it to keep the chicks from escaping through the fence. The black plastic thing is just a low seat for me. The turquoise is a towel to spread out on the floor, which is slippery tile.

I've folded down the cardboard even more at the door, so that it's about 4-5" high at the crease (light diagonal line in the lower left corner). This picture is before I put a smear of the mash on the cardboard to entice them to see what was on the other side.

DH is gone on vacation so I can't get a picture of me sitting there to show the entire set up.

 

[aart]

I've folded down the cardboard even more at the door, so that it's about 4-5" high at the crease

I'd say fold it down even further.....but they can probably get thru the mesh holes in the playpen.

 

[DobieLover]

Good morning Cafe. Coffee is ready.
It's 49F out this morning. Feels great! I love cool mornings in the summer.