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

[Back2MyRoots]

Each grown bird needs at least 18" of space on the roosts.This is for large fowl. You might get by with 12-14" for bantams, bearing in mind that they tend to scrap more.Chickens are not missles. They need room to spread their wings to get on the roosts!

I tried to tell my girls that they shouldn't huddle so close together.... There are 4 more roosts other than the top, but all 8 cram themselves up on the top only a little over 4 foot across! And these are full-sized birds! What's really funny is that the face different directions sometimes!

 

[bruceh]

I tried to tell my girls that they shouldn't huddle so close together.... There are 4 more roosts other than the top, but all 8 cram themselves up on the top only a little over 4 foot across! And these are full-sized birds! What's really funny is that the face different directions sometimes!

mine do the same thing.. i got 5 roosts they all huddle on 2

 

[Beekissed]

Mine all want to sleep with the man in the flock. They will fuss and fight and crowd to get next to him. One man, too many women...sigh.

 

[donrae]

Mine all want to sleep with the man in the flock. They will fuss and fight and crowd to get next to him. One man, too many women...sigh.

Mine do this too. My coop is an old greenhouse and I left the shelves in, so most of the birds huddle on the shelves. The older roo is in a back corner, with about 6 hens around him. Some even tuck UNDER him to sleep!

I'm noticing my new layers starting to do the same thing with the oops roo I got with them. They sleep on a different shelf and are starting to jockey for position near him, before it was just a generic huddle. Guess he's starting to look manly to them.............too bad I'm gonna eat him.

 

[normanack]

"Oops roo" -- snort!

 

[armorfirelady]

I tried to tell my girls that they shouldn't huddle so close together.... There are 4 more roosts other than the top, but all 8 cram themselves up on the top only a little over 4 foot across! And these are full-sized birds! What's really funny is that the face different directions sometimes!

Quote: Bruceh
mine do the same thing.. i got 5 roosts they all huddle on 2


Phew I thought it was just mine lol. I figure when they grow more and are really squished they will move to other posts. At meast it keeps them warm and their feet covered.

Ans B2MR: I count heads every night.....kind of funny when I am short one and realize I have a butt not a head lol

 

[Briezeechicks]

Sounds broody to me. How cold is "really cold"? (You're in Texas, right? Here in MN it can get below zero by that time of year, so I'm just looking for a reference point) If it were me, and I let them hatch, I'd leave them with the mother and let her keep them warm. I'm so looking forward to having a broody to raise chicks for me! No worrying about turning eggs, temperature in the incubator, setting up the brooder... And it's just so darn cute to see them peeking out from under momma - heads sticking out from under wings, in the wings, under her tail. My vote is, go for it!

We NEVER get cold like you do. We may have two weeks or so with weather cold enough to freeze water! Last winter, my M-I-L told us she broke ice for the horses 3 or 4 times all winter, and it is very dry here. Seldom any snow at all, and never over 6" or so, and it is usually gone the next day. That usually doesn't come until late Dec.-Jan. I have seen fruit trees in bloom here in Feb.!

So you all think the chicks would be OK? I'm excited! I just hope that the eggs are fertile. I have seen zero activity between that rooster and his
hens - he only has eyes for US! I have already learned to dislike him! Tho he still drags wings, he walks around us...but he always has an eye on us. Samantha is not allowed in the run. She can go gather eggs while we are feeding and changing water. They are all outside to get the kitchen scraps then. She's short like me and he flies up in her face...

Brie

 

[galanie]

Absolutely, Brie! I am in Houston and have a broody setting now, too. Her's will likely hatch next week. They'll be 100% pure mutts but I don't care. The boys taste good and the girls will still sell for layers if I want to do that.

 

[Beekissed]

I wish ol' Moby Dick would go broody right now....I'd buy some eggs from Fred and let her sit 'em. Have some real nice layers come spring.

 

[Briezeechicks]

What surprises me (besides the time of year) is that they've only been here such a very short time. Maybe the place just smells familiar to her. And, since we will probably finish the dominecker domicile (that chain link fence has got me whipped!) this week when Bryan comes home, the doms will be moved...leave her behind, I guess? And when we put the layer chicks in there, will she decide they are good enough to be her babies? Or will she stay on her nest? OH MY GOODNESS! There is soooo much that I don't know!

She assured me with her screeching this morning that she would surely kill me! Good thing I'm not afraid of chickens! lol.

Brie