Colorado

[Latestarter]

No

No pressure. Lol. Congradulations on the chicks.

Congratulations!

Thanks!

They're funny to watch... they'll be running around then just stop and fall asleep in some of the strangest positions. Some sleep standing, with their beaks buried in the pine shavings...

They also seem fascinated with the thermometer I have laying centered under the light... They all pile on (or try, it's pretty slippery) pecking it. Maybe they see the red dial and think it's a worm?

 

[samsr]

I cought two in the live trap last night. They got dispatched this evening. Nothing in the bucket yet. Maybe tonight. They all apear to be the same kind of mouse. Small with a long tail.

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

I'm officially a chicken owner now

They arrived this morning, all well and it appears, happy

So I now have about a month to finish their coops and runs!

How cute! Congrats!

 

[yawningreyhound]

I posted in the Behavior Forum too, but thought I'd give you Coloradans a try, too!

Hi everyone, the chickens' smallish coop is pretty warm and I'm trying to get the birds to use the roosts in their covered and well-fenced (and now tarped all round) run which is 11 degrees cooler. I took down their ladder and shut their coop door and I've placed each chicken on the roosts (on which they quickly dispatched the mealworms I'd scattered and then descended to the floor). One chicken is roosting and it's 8pm; will the others follow suit or do I have to go out and place each chicken on the roost after dark?

Then have an eggless day due to stress, I'm sure.

Thanks any and all!!!!!

Marcia in Colorado

 

[Pozees]

Latestarter, congratulations and welcome to chicken madness Entertaining, heartbreaking, rewarding all, but one of the most satisfying endeavors available in the world, in my opinion.

Marcia, is the coop attached to the run? Is it possible you could just leave the door open and they could sleep inside the coop if they choose while still benefitting from increased air circulation? I believe as they grow accustomed to the perches in the run and the weather continues to heat up, they will soon elect to sleep out on the roosts, and then come winter you will have to "learn them" all over again, possibly, although they may have the sense to sleep inside the coop when it cools off. Chickens can be slow to accept changes.

 

[Pozees]

I was hoping to snap a quick couple of pics but ran out of time, but had to share - today I was the surprised and thrilled recipient of 7 Mille Fleur D'Uccle and 5 Silkie chicks Suncatcher, it was exactly what we had talked about earlier today, the person who shipped never notified me, thank goodness I was not out of town training or anything, although I could have had Bob go get them and settle them in. When I brought them home and told him I was going back to work, he said I should have just called him to go get them. I said I wasn't sure what was there, and he said, so? They still had to be picked up and brought home, I can do that! Bless his heart

They are adorable, active, healthy little chicks and I will try very very hard to get pics this weekend to post. I'm in love.

 

[trsturself]

I was hoping to snap a quick couple of pics but ran out of time, but had to share - today I was the surprised and thrilled recipient of 7 Mille Fleur D'Uccle and 5 Silkie chicks Suncatcher, it was exactly what we had talked about earlier today, the person who shipped never notified me, thank goodness I was not out of town training or anything, although I could have had Bob go get them and settle them in. When I brought them home and told him I was going back to work, he said I should have just called him to go get them. I said I wasn't sure what was there, and he said, so? They still had to be picked up and brought home, I can do that! Bless his heart

They are adorable, active, healthy little chicks and I will try very very hard to get pics this weekend to post. I'm in love.

Yeah! I'm so happy for you! Our D'Uccle is one of our favorite chickens. She's so sweet!
Our marans are settling in nicely. DD picked out her favorite immediately. They are some of the quietest chicks we've ever had! I think it's because of the brinsea ecoglow, but all of the locally hatched (mine and yours) chicks are super quiet. I don't even think DH noticed them, which is a good thing because he really doesn't want anymore chicks in the house.

 

[samsr]

Since the weather has warmed up a bit, my chickens have taken to roosting outside in their run. I don't mind though. They are as safe in their run as in their coop. Durring the last cold snap they would go inside to roost at night, but as soon as it warmed up. They came back outside. I think they know whats good for them. If yours are pullets, they will get the idea of getting on the roost instead of the ground eventually. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[maggiemo]

Took the eggs from the turner yesterday anticipating the hatch to start Thursday or Friday.....39 of 42.....

Keep us posted Wendell.
My broody is sitting on your eggs, all 11 of them.

 

[yawningreyhound]

Hi there! Yes, the coop is attached to the run, the photos were taken before the fencing and metal cloth were attached, but it's completely encased in tight wire now with fabric wire up about 12-18 inches from the bottom all round; and their pop door into the coop (on the left) wasn't cut yet, and the pop door from the outside to the run wasn't framed in yet. The building on the right is just a storage building for supplies. The outside roosts we put up are pictured, too. And since I read on here somewhere that they like safety, I tarped the two open sides so they seem enclosed. But it's been warm in that coop most of the last week and they still roost inside the coop which is well ventilated and has an open jalousie window on the side you can't see but that metal roof just heats the thing up throughout the day even if I leave the door wide open (the front of the coop is all door), so that's why I thought maybe if I forced them to stay out in the much cooler run a couple of nights, they'd get the hang of it.

this morning, it appears I have 4 poop piles, which tells me one hen must've roosted either under one of the buildings or so close to another hen that the poop piles merged. Wouldn't you know they chose the roost that's just inches higher than the other one!

Like right now, it's 69 outside and 81 inside the coop at 10:30am. I think I'll try it again tonight, no one's the worse for wear this morning.

It won't kill a bird to roost on the floor, right? I've had the occas mouse drowned in their water in the morning, but I think they entered by climbing the covered strawbales there at the outside rear and jumping in through the more open wire when I don't tarp the thing at night. So I believe the run is safe as far as nighttime intruders go.