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

[hannahransom]

I got these three leghorns a while ago from a guy that was leaving for military duty. I don't think he really fed them but ANYWAY, these things seem like great foragers but in term of the foods I give them they are driving me nutso! They will not leave it alone and have bulging crops in the afternoon. Do you think it's just because this guy didn't feed them much and it will go away? I got them about 2 weeks ago. Also, one has yellowish earlobes (I think that's what those things are) and occasionally makes a sort of snorting sound. Illness? She doesn't really like exploring, either. Doesn't seem to have any other sign of respiratory probs other than that sound.

 

[Beekissed]

Hannaransom, could you post some good pics of these chickens?

Quote:
The space you describe in your coop and run may sound adequate for the number of birds you have now, but will be pretty cramped when your other young ones get bigger....even with free ranging. Unless your coop has really great ventilation(like two whole walls of it) and multiple places of their being, it's going to be hot and crowded at night and the total area is going to be too small if the birds have to be confined to run and coop for any length of time for some reason....just something to consider here.

As for integration, I'd rig a place where the younger ones can escape the older ones if they are to remain confined to the run and coop....a pallet of some kind up on blocks is helpful or even placing a temporary wire fence with a gap at the bottom just high enough for the little ones to go under while out in the run. Having their own small feeder and waterer in that area will help keep them from getting the worst of community living.

If free ranging at the time of integration, they should be able to escape any trouble from the older hens and should be able to fend for themselves at the feeder after the older hens are done eating.

They really don't need to be wet down if they have adequate shade, plenty of water and plenty of open ventilation.

Some good pics of your yard, coop and run may help folks give you more or better advice on this matter.

Anyone else have anything they want to add to this? My experience with flock integration of different aged birds is limited to free ranging and not geared towards smaller confined areas, so others with more experience in that area may have much better ideas..

 

[therapydoglady]

Thank you for your joyful response! It's nice when someone else gets blessed as well as me! I am the one who is blessed by these sessions. To see those children relax and unfold like a flower, and know that their world had NOT come to an end is so enriching.

 

[Minchi]

Hannaransom, could you post some good pics of these chickens?

The space you describe in your coop and run may sound adequate for the number of birds you have now, but will be pretty cramped when your other young ones get bigger....even with free ranging. Unless your coop has really great ventilation(like two whole walls of it) and multiple places of their being, it's going to be hot and crowded at night and the total area is going to be too small if the birds have to be confined to run and coop for any length of time for some reason....just something to consider here.

As for integration, I'd rig a place where the younger ones can escape the older ones if they are to remain confined to the run and coop....a pallet of some kind up on blocks is helpful or even placing a temporary wire fence with a gap at the bottom just high enough for the little ones to go under while out in the run. Having their own small feeder and waterer in that area will help keep them from getting the worst of community living.

If free ranging at the time of integration, they should be able to escape any trouble from the older hens and should be able to fend for themselves at the feeder after the older hens are done eating.

They really don't need to be wet down if they have adequate shade, plenty of water and plenty of open ventilation.

Some good pics of your yard, coop and run may help folks give you more or better advice on this matter.

Anyone else have anything they want to add to this? My experience with flock integration of different aged birds is limited to free ranging and not geared towards smaller confined areas, so others with more experience in that area may have much better ideas..

I am still new but I might recommend Apple Cider Vinegar in there water. As hot as it gets in Texas it might help give them the electrolytes they need.

 

[Beekissed]

That's a given!

You can just insert ACV into just about any advice I give about chickens!

I love the stuff....could be why my chickens never seemed to suffer in high temps and others claim theirs have problems and even death. ACV replaces vitamins and minerals that are lost in the summer heat.

They used to make a wonderful drink~can't remember the name or exact recipe~that had ACV, honey, etc. in it that the oldsters used to take with them to the hay fields when putting up hay. Was supposed to restore what was lost from the sweat of honest work, they say.

 

[rosewolf22002]

I would like to say thank you to Hannahransom for reposting my post. I would like to say thank you to Beekissed for that wonderful information packed answer. Thank you Minchi for the water advice! Here are a few pics of my chicken yard and coop and a few of my babies. I have 6 acres of land for them to roam on once we let them out.
Ok this is the 24ft by 24ft yard.I messed up in my measurements this morning. It was early....


This is my daughter and two of her buddies. BTW she knows they are not pets and she knows they are food if they quit laying(not summer to hot to lay quit).


Here are the ones born this Feb.


This is the open top brooder that has 25 Polish and 14 keets 6ft by 4ft.


Here are the new ones at a day old.

This is the coop before we expanded the yard and cleaned my yard. Do you need anything else?

 

[therapydoglady]

Combine 1/2 C. Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 qt of water. Stir in 2-4 T. raw honey, add ice and enjoy!

My Granny used to add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, sometimes, and it was delightful. We always carried this concotion while we were on the tractor, cutting, raking, baling hay, because the hay fields were too far away from the house to just drop what we were doin' and come in for refreshment. This may be what you're thinkin' about unless it was a commercially prepared drink...

 

[Beekissed]

Combine 1/2 C. Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 qt of water. Stir in 2-4 T. raw honey, add ice and enjoy!

My Granny used to add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, sometimes, and it was delightful. We always carried this concotion while we were on the tractor, cutting, raking, baling hay, because the hay fields were too far away from the house to just drop what we were doin' and come in for refreshment. This may be what you're thinkin' about unless it was a commercially prepared drink...

That's the one! And with the cinnamon added! I can't believe anyone else remembers that...everyone else I mention that to looks at me like I just grew a third eye.

Rosewolf, you must have great predator protection where you are...got a good dog? A good dog practically eliminates the need for all the bear-tight coops that folks usually describe on this forum. Thanks for the pics and it looks like you all are really enjoying your chickens....it only gets better from here on out.

I'm going to give you some unsolicited advice...cut a few big holes in the side of your coop and cover with wire...give that thing some major cross ventilation. One down lower and one a little higher should do it. You live where it's hot, so it shouldn't be a problem and if you get colder weather in winter a little plastic stapled up goes a long way. Opening up your coop in this manner will give you light and ventilation, two things that healthy chickens need so badly.

Wouldn't hurt to shade part of your run either, if you can. Double shade goes a long way towards providing heat relief for livestock.

Kudos to you for cleaning up and reusing the materials at hand to get a start in chickens....a person doesn't need expensive coops and equipment to have a success at raising chickens!

 

[rosewolf22002]

We have a 8by 10 tarp on the run area. Hubby going to buy a really big one this weekend and we bought one of those kits that has 3 sprinkler's that connect in tandem. We have it on a timer to go off in the heat of the day, evening, and morning. Nice cool sand.

 

[Beekissed]

You can make that tarp work for you if you form an arch over your run with the use of a cattle panel or even with PVC pipes and then apply your tarp. As many find here, in a heavy downpour of rain or snow(probably not your main problem) a tarp is weighed down and may tear. It will also flap more in the wind if applied without a good support and will shorten the life of your tarp. An arched design under your tarp will shed precipitation and provide a better base for tying it down tautly and snugly than will a flat base or no support.