California - Northern

[BCollie]

Thanks Linda. I think I'll just go back to TS and get a 10lb feeder then. 

Where do you guys keep the food and water for your flock? Obviously mine will be hanging inside my coop while their run is being built, but what about after they have a run? Should it still stay in the coop so that they'll have access to food and water all night long, too?

And regarding watermelon, how do I know when they've had enough? I assume even chickens can have too much watermelon?! I just cut a small one in half and threw it in the freezer so they can have some tomorrow when it gets hot out

I put my water outside of the coop - and the food depends on if its dry feed (inside) to lock up at night or wet (outside) gone by the end of the day.  Keeping the moisture down inside the coop is important to me.  I don't want to allow mold, mildue, rot, etc. to grow inside the coop.  The birds will only eat at night if there is a light on (brooder chicks)  but usually the rodents will eat anything left out at night too.. not good to invite them for midnight snacks.  Are they old enough to be out without a light? 

  
I don't freeze anything I give to the chickens.  I don't eat frozen food when its hot either - gives me brain freeze and it hurts.  I will refrigerate it for them - but I get the insides - they get the rinds.  Chickens will limit themselves pretty well - and will usually stop eating when they get enough.  They will probably have runny poops for awhile, but they do that when they eat anything with more moisture than they can absorb (like grass) - they only have one waste system....

Is there any evidence to support that frozen stuff shouldn't be given to them? Temps here are going to hit 113 today, I was thinking frozen Watermelon would be a good way to help keep them cool on days like this.

And yes, they're old enough to be out without a light. They're about 6 weeks old now. They no longer have a heat lamp over their indoor brooder, and even last night at 11 it was hotter outside than it was in the house.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Is there any evidence to support that frozen stuff shouldn't be given to them? Temps here are going to hit 113 today, I was thinking frozen Watermelon would be a good way to help keep them cool on days like this.

And yes, they're old enough to be out without a light. They're about 6 weeks old now. They no longer have a heat lamp over their indoor brooder, and even last night at 11 it was hotter outside than it was in the house.

Nope, just my very unscientific watching of some of my birds eating frozen food when I threw it out one hot day. They took a couple of bites - shook their heads - went away.. then came back for more. It looked like it hurt and they didn't gobble it down. Then watching them with cool watermelon from the fridge - it was gone in a jiffy with the vultures attacking it constantly.


Most of my birds prefer damp dirt to lay in when its hot - only a very few wanted to stand in or under cold/cool water.. same reaction.

Then you won't need to put the water and food in the coop - they don't eat when they can't see.

 

[MossyoakLane]

Greenfire Farms has a Bresse that has blue feathers and blue legs. They do not have them in stock now but should have them later:

There are four varieties of Bresse: white, black, blue, and gray. The white variety is the best known and is used almost exclusively for meat production. The white Bresse is instantly recognized in France with its large red comb, bright white feathers, and steel-blue legs. (As newly hatched chicks their legs are yellow.) White Bresse produce a medium-sized cream-colored egg. By contrast, the black Bresse is less meaty but known for producing a disproportionately large bright white egg. (Despite their leaner carcass, one European chef told us he prefers the black Bresse as a meat bird.) Greenfire Farms has imported from Europe both the white, black, and blue Bresse varieties, and our birds were obtained from several distinct flocks.

Thanks for clearing that up! I was super confused....LOL

I see you already got the answer, but yes..........Poulet Bleu is referring to the blue leg. But the bird comes in white (the most common color here - lays the biggest egg), black (smaller egg, but known for better meat flavor) & blue (I don't know much about them.............but who doesn't like a blue (gray) chicken?)

Me, I got the black mostly because I prefer the black chicken, red comb and white earlobe over a white chicken. My white birds always look dingy and the feathers get sunburned. It's a trial to try and keep a white bird truly white (for me anyway).

Blue chickens are one of my favorites, but somehow I ended up with no blues.
My husband keeps asking my why we have all dark chickens.....it's because I don't like white ones.....they remind of dirty battery hens, which make me super sad

thanks -- the two campines are stuck in their coop/run for now, but the run is open to the air, so just as hot in as out -- although i just noticed that the temps have dropped here from 90 to 86 -- hopefully that's a trend for everyone!

I know, its beautiful here. We left to run some errands, and I turned the misters on thinking it would be super hot by the time we got back.......and it had cooled off by the time we made it home. i am so happy we are not baking....

 

[lizanne]

I finally got my eggs today. 14 BCM/Dorking cross eggs, and 8 OE eggs. Some of the eggs are a little dirty. Should I still put them in the bator if they have poop on them?





It was freakin' hot today!! I'll put my cornish x back outside later tonight when it cools down.

 

[ronott1]

I finally got my eggs today. 14 BCM/Dorking cross eggs, and 8 OE eggs. Some of the eggs are a little dirty. Should I still put them in the bator if they have poop on them?





It was freakin' hot today!! I'll put my cornish x back outside later tonight when it cools down.

Those are very nice eggs!

Yes, put them into the incubator just like that.

 

[8machines]

Is there any evidence to support that frozen stuff shouldn't be given to them? Temps here are going to hit 113 today, I was thinking frozen Watermelon would be a good way to help keep them cool on days like this.

And yes, they're old enough to be out without a light. They're about 6 weeks old now. They no longer have a heat lamp over their indoor brooder, and even last night at 11 it was hotter outside than it was in the house.

A blog I follow makes a mold of frozen fruits and veggies then freezes it, and gives it to her chickens. I guess it's whatever your chickens will eat. I have given watermelon from the fridge and frozen corn in some water. Mine won't eat frozen fruit until it thaws.

 

[chicksnthestiks]

A blog I follow makes a mold of frozen fruits and veggies then freezes it, and gives it to her chickens. I guess it's whatever your chickens will eat. I have given watermelon from the fridge and frozen corn in some water. Mine won't eat frozen fruit until it thaws.

X's 3

 

[BCollie]

The girls go outside tonight! After it cools off, anyways. 7:15 and still 110.
My little Blue Andalusian got to test run the coop Checking out the water...

And the food...

Is the feeder too high? Even though she had to stand tall to get the food, she didn't have any trouble reaching/eating it.

 

[BCollie]

Is there any evidence to support that frozen stuff shouldn't be given to them? Temps here are going to hit 113 today, I was thinking frozen Watermelon would be a good way to help keep them cool on days like this.


And yes, they're old enough to be out without a light. They're about 6 weeks old now. They no longer have a heat lamp over their indoor brooder, and even last night at 11 it was hotter outside than it was in the house.

Nope, just my very unscientific watching of some of my birds eating frozen food when I threw it out one hot day.  They took a couple of bites - shook their heads - went away.. then came back for more.  It looked like it hurt and they didn't gobble it down.  Then watching them with cool watermelon from the fridge - it was gone in a jiffy with the vultures attacking it constantly.


Most of my birds prefer damp dirt to lay in when its hot - only a very few wanted to stand in or under cold/cool water.. same reaction.

Then you won't need to put the water and food in the coop - they don't eat when they can't see.

Interesting! I wonder how my girls will react to frozen stuff. We'll see!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Chest level is a good height for feeders. Just make sure everyone can reach it.

I keep feed inside my coop for the person that was asking. I don't want to feed all the wild birds. Water is outside the coop. The only exception is when I have babies.