Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[stonykill]

that's really funny Beekissed!

 

[flocksalot]

That's so cute! He's a good single dad. I bet the babies are going to out weight him before he's figured out they aren't so much babies anymore. I'm guessing he's loving all the adulation from the chicks.

 

[Beekissed]

He gets up in the nest boxes and tries to call them up there in typical hen-talk...he will circle around in the nest and call them but when they don't come up there, he goes down with them. I don't believe I've ever had a single roo before, so I'm guessing that he wouldn't be acting this way if he had some gals to tend to.

Strange bird. I also have a strange dog...actually, I have a history of possessing some strange acting animals. I've been told that animals identify strongly with their owners, so it's no wonder they are all cracked at the seams.

 

[Miss717]

Bee or others with more wisdom than me? Didn't heat or light my coop either this past winter. Mild winter anyway. Mostly kept coop sealed up except for open eaves. How much draft / wind is too much. Wasn't exactly warm in the coop some days. Also, don't really have my coop insulated. Chickens seem to be healthy. Notice sneezes once in a while, but no coughing / nasal discharge / etc. Thank you in advance for any response. PS what exactly do you use vinegar for?

 

[Miss717]

PSS. Also have a hoarse chicken. Strange or not?

 

[Miss717]

One more. Have given my chickens BOSS, but then notice orange coloration in their poo for the next few days after. The BOSS is all I can think of that it would be from.

 

[loanwizard]

Dead Rabbit, I will partially side with you on this one. I have horrible irrigation problems on my land so there is standing water all the time. I have frogs, crayfish and a pond 30 feet from the barn in which my coop is a stall where they can come and go day or night. I have 2 5 gallon buckets with nipple waterers in them that I rarely use. It is drying up now but I have never seen a chicken at the pond but the puddles although getting smaller and smaller. My chickens, hybrids of RIR, SexLink, Brahma's, etc.... are free ranged although I feed them once a day. In winter, I keep a lot more feed and water around. I don't coddle my birds but I don't abuse them either. If they were laying around panting, or looked bad I would certainly take steps to remedy the problem.

 

[galanie]

For me, the problem with what Rabbit posted is that it looked as if he didn't really know or care if they were able to find water. I mean all day, not just morning dew. Other than that, letting them live off the land for the most part, so long as there's ample opportunity, isn't abuse.

 

[loanwizard]

For me, the problem with what Rabbit posted is that it looked as if he didn't really know or care if they were able to find water. I mean all day, not just morning dew. Other than that, letting them live off the land for the most part, so long as there's ample opportunity, isn't abuse.

And I understand that. What I see, is a lesser extent of that which goes on in lots of different forums because you cannot hear inflection in the typed word, nor are posters always clear on what they post. It seems crystal clear when they say it but it gets blown way out of proportion by others. I am as sure as can be that if he spotted a chicken in distress, he would rectify it. I have been guilty of gaffes such as this. Like him, I am sure that chickens don't need ALL the coddling we give them. I would NEVER do anything to harm or neglect my birds, but then again I would never buy a saddle for them either lol!

 

[galanie]

Bee or others with more wisdom than me?  Didn't heat or light my coop either this past winter.  Mild winter anyway.  Mostly kept coop sealed up except for open eaves.  How much draft / wind is too much.  Wasn't exactly warm in the coop some days.  Also, don't really have my coop insulated.  Chickens seem to be healthy.  Notice sneezes once in a while, but no coughing / nasal discharge / etc.  Thank you in advance for any response.  PS  what exactly do you use vinegar for?

I'm not an old timer but since none is around just now, I'll hazard an answer. Don't insulate your coop or provide heat. You did well. So long as they can get out of the weather they should be fine. Too much draft is any that hits them when they're on the roost. Other than that, it can be wide open. But they need to be able to roost out of a wind or draft. The more the better.