Colorado

[Pozees]

and here's the photos (for some reason the site kept putting them in the quoted part of the message

Pretty coop! Is there wire across the top between the top of the run and the roof?

 

[skippyscage]

Pretty coop! Is there wire across the top between the top of the run and the roof?

thanks, there certainly is

 

[wsmith]

All the eggs in the incubator were duds...again.....

put another 25 in. One of these days we may get lucky with this guy.

 

[Pozees]

All the eggs in the incubator were duds...again.....

put another 25 in. One of these days we may get lucky with this guy.

Sorry Wendell

 

[Chook Chick]

awesome coop!!
I offer oyster shell on the side for the layers. That way they are not over supplemented with calcium, which can lead to kidney disease. If your hens eggs become brittle or thin, that would indicate they need more calcium. Sounds like your girls all should still be on grower... Mine didn't start to lay til 24 weeks!

X2 - I buy $1 plastic dog dishes at the dollar store to give grit and oyster shell in.

I am following the Nutrena feeding schedule, and according to it I should start feeding the big girls layer feed now. That's why I was asking about mixing the Layer and Grower feed together as I don't know how I'd keep the feed separate, they all eat from one feeder. There is nothing I can see in the layer feed that is any different from what's in the grower feed, with the exception that the layer feed has 2% less protein....so I was thinking I could mix the two together and give the big girls oyster shell on the side.......my girls all free range in my backyard and so I don't feel I need to give them grit. I have some old tupperware dishes that I give the kids their yogurt and treats in

I don't expect the big girls to start laying until sometime in July.

 

[ColoBecky]

That sounds perfectly fine to me.

Hi Y'all,
I just want to confirm with some experienced Colorado (dry climate) chicken keepers that I'm keeping a healthy coop. Here are the facts:

• Coop is about 4x4 with 3 adults and 3 adolescent (10 weeks, now independent from mom)
• Free range through back yard all day
• Using DLM, adding pine shavings every few weeks
• Coop has poop trays under roosting bars
• Spot cleaning nesting boxes and poop trays often
• No moisture issues, smell or flies present
• Replace all shavings 3 x per year

Does this seem okay? It seems unnatural to me to let the poop stay on the floor of the coop, but I can't get the poop out without taking 50 gallons of shavings....


Please let me know any tips or tricks that work for you all, I'm always open to suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[Chook Chick]

awesome coop!!
I offer oyster shell on the side for the layers. That way they are not over supplemented with calcium, which can lead to kidney disease. If your hens eggs become brittle or thin, that would indicate they need more calcium. Sounds like your girls all should still be on grower... Mine didn't start to lay til 24 weeks!

THANKS! It was alot of hard work as I did it all by myself, but it was worth it!!

 

[Pozees]

I am following the Nutrena feeding schedule, and according to it I should start feeding the big girls layer feed now. That's why I was asking about mixing the Layer and Grower feed together as I don't know how I'd keep the feed separate, they all eat from one feeder. There is nothing I can see in the layer feed that is any different from what's in the grower feed, with the exception that the layer feed has 2% less protein....so I was thinking I could mix the two together and give the big girls oyster shell on the side.......my girls all free range in my backyard and so I don't feel I need to give them grit. I have some old tupperware dishes that I give the kids their yogurt and treats in

I don't expect the big girls to start laying until sometime in July.

The difference is calcium, and it can damage the kidneys of younger birds. I offer grower to all with oyster shell and grit available so the layers can increase their calcium intake while not forcing the younger birds to ingest it.

 

[FrogEggs]

Beautiful!!!

and here's the photos (for some reason the site kept putting them in the quoted part of the message

 

[Pozees]

thanks, there certainly is

I figured there must be Really nice job.