Egg storage

[gatorshark75]

I didn't realize the code aspects of that when it came to backyard chickens! Cool! I always feel guilty that I couldn't call them 'free range.' As in our house 'free range' is synonymous with 'dog treat' or 'dog toy,' so they have to be penned away from said dogs And they only have a small leanto, so nothing but happy sunshine for my flock!
I think they are very happy actually, thank you. Even when I step on the occasional foot and don't realize it- they just stand there and stare at me, off balance and wait for me to figure it out. Goofy hens. I love hearing the rooster find some new treats I hid for them. Right now they have a massive pile of pinestraw to play in. I put corn or scratch in it, and they spend hours playing in it. I never realized chickens could be so fun and calming to watch!

they like swings too and for a treat we throw a whole head of lettuce in the runs for our chickens they love it and the best treat of all is a spaghetti squash cut it in half laid in the run they go nuts for it

 

[rojororeo]

they like swings too and for a treat we throw a whole head of lettuce in the runs for our chickens they love it and the best treat of all is a spaghetti squash cut it in half laid in the run they go nuts for it

Swings?! Sure you aren't pulling my chicken leg?! Mine don't seem to like roosting outside of the coop, they prefer to sit on the ground, or dig holes and sleep in them, now with the nicer weather.
I like to hang cabbage heads for them to play with.
Here is what my husband helped me make for them today to play with:
We took down an old decorative fence on our property, so I used the posts and panels to make a compost bin for them to play in! Gave them some old in the process of mulching hay, threw some seed on top, tossed a few hens in... they were having fun. I figure if/when this one rots, I have plenty more posts and boards where they came from .

 

[gatorshark75]

Swings?! Sure you aren't pulling my chicken leg?! Mine don't seem to like roosting outside of the coop, they prefer to sit on the ground, or dig holes and sleep in them, now with the nicer weather.
I like to hang cabbage heads for them to play with.
Here is what my husband helped me make for them today to play with:
We took down an old decorative fence on our property, so I used the posts and panels to make a compost bin for them to play in! Gave them some old in the process of mulching hay, threw some seed on top, tossed a few hens in... they were having fun. I figure if/when this one rots, I have plenty more posts and boards where they came from .

yep i said swings but if yours are free range they may not play on it mine are penned up all the time in a giant run so they need more to keep them entertained yours seem to be happy happy happy playing in their play yard i wish i could let mine do that but with the hawks eagles ospreys and coyotes here i have too keep them in a cage for their safety

 

[gatorshark75]

Swings?! Sure you aren't pulling my chicken leg?! Mine don't seem to like roosting outside of the coop, they prefer to sit on the ground, or dig holes and sleep in them, now with the nicer weather.
I like to hang cabbage heads for them to play with.
Here is what my husband helped me make for them today to play with:
We took down an old decorative fence on our property, so I used the posts and panels to make a compost bin for them to play in! Gave them some old in the process of mulching hay, threw some seed on top, tossed a few hens in... they were having fun. I figure if/when this one rots, I have plenty more posts and boards where they came from .

but do try the spaghetti squash my hens will eat it even the tough skin its amazing to see them go nuts for it

 

[rojororeo]

yep i said swings but if yours are free range they may not play on it mine are penned up all the time in a giant run so they need more to keep them entertained yours seem to be happy happy happy playing in their play yard i wish i could let mine do that but with the hawks eagles ospreys and coyotes here i have too keep them in a cage for their safety

They don't have full range of the property, just the size of a decent yard. They seem to like it. They came from a home where they lived in a covered pen/coop setting, so no real sun, nothing to play with, it was much smaller, too, so all this is the Taj Mahal for them! I love watching them play- great therapy!
I will try the spaghetti squash... they loved pumpkin.. and we had fun bashing them on the boulders in their pen to pop them open.
Our flock eats anything they can keep from the barn cats, which as long as I chop it into small pieces, and rub dirt on it, that helps the chickens win! lol
We do have all those animals here as well, but knock on wood, our dogs, and even our horses help keep the animals at bay. I guess I am willing to risk it for their happiness and the simplicity of the set up we made.
Have a great night! I will buy them a spaghetti squash next time I am at the store!

 

[gatorshark75]

They don't have full range of the property, just the size of a decent yard. They seem to like it. They came from a home where they lived in a covered pen/coop setting, so no real sun, nothing to play with, it was much smaller, too, so all this is the Taj Mahal for them! I love watching them play- great therapy!
I will try the spaghetti squash... they loved pumpkin.. and we had fun bashing them on the boulders in their pen to pop them open.
Our flock eats anything they can keep from the barn cats, which as long as I chop it into small pieces, and rub dirt on it, that helps the chickens win! lol
We do have all those animals here as well, but knock on wood, our dogs, and even our horses help keep the animals at bay. I guess I am willing to risk it for their happiness and the simplicity of the set up we made.
Have a great night! I will buy them a spaghetti squash next time I am at the store!

pumpkin is a great treat the seeds contain arsenic which helps with worms and they love them i think they love any kind of squash and they love greens too i gave mine some collards the other day it was so funny to watch full grown hens chasing each other like chicks with a cricket

 

[Twinkkitten]

My eggs are all given away within a few days of being laid. Excellant info!

 

[rojororeo]

pumpkin is a great treat the seeds contain arsenic which helps with worms and they love them i think they love any kind of squash and they love greens too i gave mine some collards the other day it was so funny to watch full grown hens chasing each other like chicks with a cricket

Huh, didn't know that about the seeds, I am fairly certain apple seeds do as well. I have heard pumpkin seeds are touted as a natural dewormer though

 

[RaZ]

It is cyanide actually. Although not enough to cause any harm.

 

[rojororeo]

It is cyanide actually. Although not enough to cause any harm.

One of those darn it! lol I constantly get them backwards in my head when I want to say them...