Eastern Tennessee Thread

[poultrylady]

I have a question for yall, I have 4 coops with long runs that get quite muddy this time of year, (they do have large dry coops attached to them), anyway I am thinking about putting a thick layer of dry oak leaves in the runs to help with the mud. Usually I put a 6 in. layer of crush and run small gravel and that works very well, but I don't believe I will get to do that this year. Is there any disadvantages to using leaves?

I went to the exotic sale in Cookeville Tn. last Sat. Just to look around, would you believe a cage of Lavander Orps sold for $90. per bird! They brought more money than any other chickens auctioned off that day. They had 3 vulturine guinea crosses that brought $160. per bird. I would have loved to have them but that was way out of my price range.

 

[bairo]

I have a question for yall, I have 4 coops with long runs that get quite muddy this time of year, (they do have large dry coops attached to them), anyway I am thinking about putting a thick layer of dry oak leaves in the runs to help with the mud. Usually I put a 6 in. layer of crush and run small gravel and that works very well, but I don't believe I will get to do that this year. Is there any disadvantages to using leaves?

I went to the exotic sale in Cookeville Tn. last Sat. Just to look around, would you believe a cage of Lavander Orps sold for $90. per bird! They brought more money than any other chickens auctioned off that day. They had 3 vulturine guinea crosses that brought $160. per bird. I would have loved to have them but that was way out of my price range.

Chickens love to pick through leaves for all the bugs that hide there; BUT wet leaves can and usually do grow Aspergillus fungus if we get warmish days in the winter after them being wet. Aspergillus is deadly to chickens. I know that fungus prefer certain types of leaves over others....but don't know where oak stands in that situation. I would try for the crush and run or rough construction sand. Maybe in the spring you can dig a few trenches and drop in french drain pipe and then cover that with gravel. That should help quite a bit in the future and is fairly cheap if you dig by hand or know someone with a back-hoe

 

[itsthelaw37801]

I have a question for yall, I have 4 coops with long runs that get quite muddy this time of year, (they do have large dry coops attached to them), anyway I am thinking about putting a thick layer of dry oak leaves in the runs to help with the mud. Usually I put a 6 in. layer of crush and run small gravel and that works very well, but I don't believe I will get to do that this year. Is there any disadvantages to using leaves?

I went to the exotic sale in Cookeville Tn. last Sat. Just to look around, would you believe a cage of Lavander Orps sold for $90. per bird! They brought more money than any other chickens auctioned off that day. They had 3 vulturine guinea crosses that brought $160. per bird. I would have loved to have them but that was way out of my price range.

There is a man in Lake City that sells his for $45. He always places in shows. But it would be my luck, those would be the ones singled out by predators. Anything over $25, and I feel like it has a sign on its back that reads "come get me." If I lost a $90 bird, I would probably burn the woods down trying to kill the critter that killed it.

Stang, we got two mini rex does yesterday that are six weeks old. I felt sorry for them last night because it was so cold and wet (and dark) by the time we got home, and housed them inside. Not going to do that again. I thought "those poor little babies just left their moma." Those poor little babies kept me up all night long playing. They scratched and jumped, scratched and jumped, etc. Thought about naming them Downey and Snuggles.

 

[itsthelaw37801]

Chickens love to pick through leaves for all the bugs that hide there; BUT wet leaves can and usually do grow Aspergillus fungus if we get warmish days in the winter after them being wet. Aspergillus is deadly to chickens. I know that fungus prefer certain types of leaves over others....but don't know where oak stands in that situation. I would try for the crush and run or rough construction sand. Maybe in the spring you can dig a few trenches and drop in french drain pipe and then cover that with gravel. That should help quite a bit in the future and is fairly cheap if you dig by hand or know someone with a back-hoe

Is crush not hard on their feet?

 

[Contrastphoto]

Adorable! I love mini rex bunnies!

Quote:

 

[stanglover2001]

There is a man in Lake City that sells his for $45. He always places in shows. But it would be my luck, those would be the ones singled out by predators. Anything over $25, and I feel like it has a sign on its back that reads "come get me." If I lost a $90 bird, I would probably burn the woods down trying to kill the critter that killed it.

Stang, we got two mini rex does yesterday that are six weeks old. I felt sorry for them last night because it was so cold and wet (and dark) by the time we got home, and housed them inside. Not going to do that again. I thought "those poor little babies just left their moma." Those poor little babies kept me up all night long playing. They scratched and jumped, scratched and jumped, etc. Thought about naming them Downey and Snuggles.

Cool! They look like blues, very neat! I have 3-4 mini rex I'm bringing back home with me from the Conyers show!

 

[poultrylady]

Thanks Bario, seems like I had read on here before about the leaves causing that. Just wanted to make sure before I did it. I guess I will go back to the crush and run. I actually do have drain pipes under the old gravel but over the years I guess they have stopped up.

As far as it being hard on their feet-not really. It is a very fine gravel, and after a few weeks of them pooping on it and it sinking down into the mud it works really good. It's just hard on me to shovel that much gravel! By springtime you cannot even see the gravel, its back to dirt again. These are the only 4 coops I have problems with, and only this time of year.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Thanks, just keep me posted. I totally understand if it isn't cost effective to do the testing. I just can't believe that I finally hatched my first splash pullet, only to loose my only blue male a few months later.

PS: I just had to share this. They finally have the Egg Skelter available for sale in the US. I have been wanting one since last year, and just got to order one finally.
www.mannapro.com has them. Use the code SAVE2 and save $2. Once I get mine I will update everyone on if it was worth it or not. Also please send good hatch vibes my way... I have my Cream Legbars set to hatch tomorrow along with a few others. I am down to 5 eggs from the orginal 12.

sorry to hear about you loosing your blue male, that stinks! Keep me in mind about the cream legbars when they start laying. I am becoming overrun with SFH's! Getting ready to sell a few hens ( I have 19 hens!!)

 

[itsthelaw37801]

Brain Damage Attracks Brain Damage by Amy Gregory Long

You know how I always make a comment about my chickens being brain damaged? Well, I just spent all morning catching my Golden Laced Wyandotte Rooster, bringing him in the house and photographing him. Took him back out to the coop and let him go. Was totally excited about seeing photos, printing them and making a rooster photo collage. I didn't put the card in the camera. I need a drink.

 

[Talbott Poultry]

Brain Damage Attracks Brain Damage by Amy Gregory Long

You know how I always make a comment about my chickens being brain damaged? Well, I just spent all morning catching my Golden Laced Wyandotte Rooster, bringing him in the house and photographing him. Took him back out to the coop and let him go. Was totally excited about seeing photos, printing them and making a rooster photo collage. I didn't put the card in the camera. I need a drink.

Sorry to hear this Amy but

Can I have a drink also?