Coop Project: Maken the Plunge & Getting Chickens

[Rock Home Isle]

I solved that wasting feed problem..https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-almost-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder

I want this...

...and aart, those are beautiful, nice full bodied chickens.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

This is my dust bath....

They all know this is the dust bath.

They all use it.

They all know where it is.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

This is NOT the dust bath...

They may look similar...but only one is the dust bath.

Try telling that to a chicken....

 

[TerryH]

Chickens = poor listeners.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Summer is a nice time for me. I'm off for the summer and I usually have more free time (this summer I'm doing research at CSU, in Ft. Collins).

I get to spend more time on projects and I get to make more observations on the behavior of the flock. So for the past few days I've noticed that the layers like to take a morning break and hold meetings on our trampoline.

While across the yard, the little pullets congregate by the canoe and seem to be...plotting.

I sip my coffee with my wife and watch the antics of these living lawn ornaments.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Chickens = poor listeners.

Isn't that just the truth though...

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Digital App: Tracking the Flock



How many of you keep track of the production of your flock?...How many of you would like too, but you need a framework that works, or would appreciate a little guidance?

I try to keep track of details...it's important to me, it's how I was raised.

I have been using an app on my iPhone for the past few months, and it is very nice for what I want it to be. The app is called Flock Plenty.

I have tried this app for the last few months.

I can keep track of:
-Daily egg counts
-Feed purchases
-I can include notes with each of my entries
-I can include images with my entries
-I can go back and edit any entry
-if I know hatch dates, The app will show me the exact age of my birds. Handy when determining sexual maturity and Age of Lay...etc.
-with a purchase of $4.99 I can run sales and expenses to determine profits and losses

As data is being entered, I can generate daily, weekly & monthly charts and graphs that:
-show egg production
-feed usage
-calculate cost per dozen eggs
-profit & loss ($4.99 fee)

I can also transfer data, between devices, iPhone to iPad for example.

It does have weaknesses though. If you have multiple flocks....pick ONE to track with this app. There is no provision for calculating flock efficiency, even though I can enter my flock in the program, there is no provision to allow me to enter the numbers of birds in my flock.

Without #'s of birds, how does one track flock efficiency...that alone caused me to rate the app *** out of ***** stars.

So there are a few updates that could be made....

After entering my flocks, at the time of this edit, June 9th, 2016:
-My 6 Welsummers are 10 weeks and 6 days old
-My current layer flock of Barred Rocks and Black Sexlinks are 2 years and 1 month old.

Interesting.....

 

[aart]

Am old school, no 'apps' here.....can't afford the devices and service.
Excel spreadsheet program(circa 2003).... production and sales worksheets tied together......bunch more worksheets with all kind of notes and records.
I like it because it's completely customizeable.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Am old school, no 'apps' here.....can't afford the devices and service.
Excel spreadsheet program(circa 2003).... production and sales worksheets tied together......bunch more worksheets with all kind of notes and records.
I like it because it's completely customizeable.

You and I are definately from the same school...heck we probably sat next to each other.

I keep a solid paper-trail on my birds, though as a backyard project...not as much data as I would if this were a for profit commercial venture.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Chickenology: Integrating Flocks


Integrating flocks is tricky. It is made easier once the new birds are older and have some size to them. Ideally, which has never happened for me, you would have an older flock and a replacement pullet flock. Both flocks are maintained on separate fenced pastures, called paddocks, so they can see each other and interact at the fenceline. Then at the conclusion of the laying season, the pullet birds are quite matured and easily integrated into the older established laying flock. The combined flock is then assessed and birds are then culled just before the newly combined layer flock begins it's winter molt. When spring rolls around a few months later, pastures are rotated, and another pullet flock is started. Once again you have two separate flocks that are culled throughout the year until they are again combined at the end of the laying season, with a final cull just before they molt. That is the ideal scenario.

As it is for us backyard chicken keepers those conditions seldom if ever exist, if it does, then you have what's called, "a farm".

So we need to mix these birds realizing that the younger smaller birds will be subjected to the brunt of the pecking order of the established flock. Sometimes you don't really have a choice and young birds need to be mixed into an established flock.

When initially introducing the two flocks, you need to be present to head off problems, so plan ahead for this eventful day.

Keep the two flocks separated, but they need to be able to see each other. My garden is fenced with 2 X 4 welded wire fencing. I put the very young chicks in the garden with food and water and let them roam and explore. They will enjoy being outside and they will easily pass in and out of the garden through the openings in the fence. The older birds will notice these young upstarts, there will be interaction. If the older girls get to aggressive, You will be right there, but most importantly the little ones can just slip right through the fencing and out of harms way.

At this stage they can see each other through the barrier. Use a little chicken psychology to get them to start to accept each other. Place the feeders and waterers close to each other on either side of the fence. This will impact a significant aspect of chicken psychology, as chickens will instinctively defend their territory from intruders. One of the big things is the established birds will drive the new birds away from food and water. By placing all the feeders and waterers close by each other you are forcing the birds of the established flock to accept the new birds. In chicken speak...eating together means that you accept those around you. Once those barriers come down, you are already half way there, since they've already kinda been eating together; acceptance should come easy.

As the little ones get older I used portable green plastic fencing. It worked great to divide the entire yard in half for a few weeks, with the youngsters on one side and the adult flock on the other. They can see each other and they can interact...but should introductions start to go south the little ones simply retreat away from the fencing out of harms way.

When I introduced my young Welsummers to the established flock of layers, they surprised me. Chickens are always throwing curve balls at me. They surprised me because they ignored each other. I put the big girls in the garden, and let the little ones have the run of the yard. The Wellies would scamper into the garden and out of the garden, but were pretty much ignored. Very nice...

Keep this in mind: Chickens are motivated by Food, Water, Shelter & Sex. So when mixing these two groups, some or all of these motivations will come into play. Have multiple hoppers available for all. The older flock will be on the defensive, they will drive the youngsters away from food hoppers and waterers. Locate feeders so that they are NOT in direct line of sight of each other. That way if the youngsters are chased from one source, they simply run to the next. Keep this in mind for waterers as well. I have food in 3 different locations, and two different waterers going as well.

Then there are those times, seems more often than not, that problems occur and things don't run smoothly when mixing a flock. When that happens, I'm a one trick pony.

My one trick is to isolate those birds at the top of the pecking order and those birds at the bottom of the pecking order from the main flock...these two extremes in the pecking order will contain most of the birds that would/could create the more serious problems. Birds on top want to stay on top, birds on the bottom are excited to finally have someone beneath them that they can pick on for a change. Both will go after younger smaller birds.

Once these two extremes are removed and isolated, then integrate the new birds. You need to be vigilant, half the battles that we fight with poultry can be headed off early if we just pay attention and watch for the signs of trouble. Once the two groups are mixed, watch and wait until things settle out. Bring the isolated birds back into the flock only after you see indications that new pecking orders "start" to become apparent.

Anyway you cut it there will be turmoil on the home front. Chickens don't like change, it will be reflected in reduced production until things settle out. There is always the possibility that a nice bird will suddenly turn mean and vengeful.

They are chickens after all...


As an addendum: Keep in mind the temperament of the breeds/birds in the established flock as compared with the temperament of the new birds. For example, I would never even try to integrate young Buff Orpingtons into an established flock of say Ameraucanas. Under that situation it would be an "All in, All out" thing. But I would be perfectly content merging a group of Ameraucanas into an established flock of Buff Orpingtons...no problems with that at all.