Eastern Washington

[NinetreesMom]

Hugs for sure. Losing a friend is never easy, especially the special ones.

 

[ChaeBird]

Our bantam, Marie, has become quite the escape artist. She's always been the most independent, and doesn't really care much for staying with the flock. She managed to get out of the yard three times this weekend, and we have neighborhood dogs that roam around, so we figured it was time to clip one of her wings.
It was super-easy, and I know it doesn't hurt them, but the sound the scissors make when cutting their feathers...just makes me shudder.

 

[Cam-n-Sara]

maggierose, thanks so much for your input. I think it was recommended as a base for drainage so that the run could be just hosed off or something now and then. I can't remember where I read it, so I can't go back and reference it. I know it wasn't for them to eat or anything, but as a base for the straw. Also, do you know how long the grass would hold up before the run turned into a mud hole? The run is going to be covered, but snow/rain will still blow into it, and freeze(we're in the mountains). Oh, maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing, I just know I'd rather haul it in with the tractor now instead of the wheelbarrow later. Any ideas would be so appreciated!

Vicki,
We have a chicken arc which we move about every five days to prevent the girls (6) from tearing up the lawn too much. Seven days is really too long for the health of the grass and the chickens really. On the other hand the grass rebounds in a couple days due to the fertilizer left behind

. The bigger issue is keeping the two schnauzers from eating said fertilizer. We do spray down the area and rake up the solid bits left after moving the coop and thus far it hasn't permanently harmed the yard. I would guess that it would take about a month to totally denude the grass and leave exposed dirt in the entire area.

-camnsara-

 

[Vickis Girls]

chickengarden, lovinchickypoos, and NinetreesMom, Thank you so much for your hugs. It really is a tough thing, and I appreciate your kind words so much. I didn't want another cat, but this one wouldn't leave, and boy, did he ever earn our love. I slept 11 hours last night and am feeling better now. Stress is really exhausting.

Cam-n-Sara, thanks for the reply. Maybe since our soil is horrible rocks anyway, the pea gravel would be a decent idea. If the grass wouldn't hold up for long, I don't want them to be digging up rocks and maybe getting hurt. The pea gravel is smooth and round and won't pack down. I'll probably keep them confined to the coop/run this year, and fence in a small area for them next spring. The coyotes here aren't shy at all, and I don't have time to free range alongside the chickens. Besides, if our German Shepherds eat composting vegetation, they'll surely love the chicken droppings even more(thanks for the heads-up).

Thanks again everyone.

 

[maggierose]

maggierose, thanks so much for your input. I think it was recommended as a base for drainage so that the run could be just hosed off or something now and then. I can't remember where I read it, so I can't go back and reference it. I know it wasn't for them to eat or anything, but as a base for the straw. Also, do you know how long the grass would hold up before the run turned into a mud hole? The run is going to be covered, but snow/rain will still blow into it, and freeze(we're in the mountains). Oh, maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing, I just know I'd rather haul it in with the tractor now instead of the wheelbarrow later. Any ideas would be so appreciated!

So five years ago this very sweet cat adopted us, and we learned to love him very much. He didn't want to come in, but chose to stay outside and be fed/loved there. He'd get in front of me when I was walking, and lay on his back in front of me to get petted, and reach out and grab my pant leg or socks to keep me there if he hadn't got all the love he wanted. So Wed. afternoon I fed him and then he got eaten by a coyote. I'll be so glad when I can stop crying. He was such a joy for me, I've had lots of cats, but he's the only one who would let a kid take him up the ladder and lay like a baby in their arms to go down the slide.
Lets all remember to love our pets today.

oh Vicki I'm so so very sorry for the loss of your kitty... that is so hard... I don't know if this is comforting but I believe that all our beloved animals will meet us in Heaven someday

As far as the mud hole/chicken yard thing, it probably depends how many chickens you have... the more chickens, obviously the more trampled the grass, the quicker the mud hole appears. I think that's why people use moveable pens and chicken tractors so they can move the yards around and avoid overuse in one area. Straw will definitely help, and will need to be replaced frequently. I know even with my 3 chicks, they tramp it down just in a few hours, so I am "fluffing" the straw and wood chips 2-3 times a day in the coop just to keep it fresh, and in their little yard, and will probably change it out in the coop 2-3 times a week. They have only been in their coop since Mother's Day. I will probably dump the used straw and wood chips into the big yard to mulch in with the grass and hopefully delay the whole mud hole thing... and keep lots of worms and grubs happy so my chickens will have lots to hunt for!

My set up is an "upstairs" coop with "downstairs" fully enclosed attached little yard with a little door that opens into their big yard. That way if I am going to be gone, or am busy or whatever, they can still get down into grass and dirt but are protected from raccoons, skunks, hawks, crows, etc etc. And if I'm home, they can "free range" in the big yard with me watching their fuzzy backsides like a Mama Grizzly!

Hope this helps!

 

[maggierose]

Our bantam, Marie, has become quite the escape artist. She's always been the most independent, and doesn't really care much for staying with the flock. She managed to get out of the yard three times this weekend, and we have neighborhood dogs that roam around, so we figured it was time to clip one of her wings.
It was super-easy, and I know it doesn't hurt them, but the sound the scissors make when cutting their feathers...just makes me shudder.

yikes... I bet that is a nasty sound... glad to see you again Chae... how are you feeling?

 

[ChaeBird]

yikes... I bet that is a nasty sound... glad to see you again Chae... how are you feeling?

I'm doing okay. We have a wedding/burlesque show this weekend, and our baby shower is next weekend, so not a lot of time for rest. I find I walk much slower these days, and I have to use one of those belly support bands. All I want to do is sleep.

 

[NinetreesMom]

Vickie Girls;
We live in a VERY muddy place. We are renting, so everything is temporary, but my girls have a hen house inside of a chain link dog kennel lined with chicken wire. The floor of the kennel is actually covered in chicken wire, with a deep bed of shavings over it. That keeps the girls from digging mud pits ( they are great excavators, and will also dig up your pea gravel) and also varmints can't dig under the coop. (We call it Fort Knox ). When it rains for weeks, we put a tarp over the top too. The girls free range during the day, but this way they always have somewhere dry to go. The only down side is that they can't dust bathe if left in the Fort (we travel pretty regularly), but a cat litter pan full of sand fixes that!
As you can see, we have all come up with our own solutions to a common problem! The awesome thing aboit this forum is you can learn from everyone's input, then take what you want to work for you. Good luck!

 

[WhiskiRanch]

These girls are killin' me! I've had Mo, the Cochin, trying to go broody for awhile so I gave up and am letting her have a go at it. A couple days later Crow decides she's gonna do the same. Ugh, OK, fine! Last night when I went to check on them, all 4 boxes were full of broody wanna-bes! 4 broodies?....NO WAY! Sorry ladies!

Im dealing with the same thing from my young hens. The sisters to yours are being difficult lately. i have to dump them from the buckets almost every day...lololol

 

[lovinchickypoos]

I'm doing okay. We have a wedding/burlesque show this weekend, and our baby shower is next weekend, so not a lot of time for rest. I find I walk much slower these days, and I have to use one of those belly support bands. All I want to do is sleep.

SLEEP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! You'll miss it soon!

Im dealing with the same thing from my young hens. The sisters to yours are being difficult lately. i have to dump them from the buckets almost every day...lololol

Those girls are DETERMINED!!! I've dunked their butts in cold water and locked them out of the coop (access to food and water of course) but as soon as they can they are right back in the nests!!! I need to rig up a wire cage to keep them in a couple days. Great little incubators!