Encouraging exercise & sanitation (Getting 'em off the ground) = cotes

[kathyinmo]

Thought this may interest you ....

Broody up in a tree:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=235053&p=1

Quote:
Kate's tree chickens .....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107334

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Wild birds and pigeons will remove egg shells from the nest, what do your hens do with egg shells? Leave them in the nest or eat them?

As for hiding read post #6

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5146

Joe

 

[Resolution]

Quote:
Back in September, I started a new thread "Getting Ready For Winter ".


People were curious about the term "Cote" and started a thread here .

Taken out of context, a few people wrote some really dismissive and incendiary remarks relegating the ingenuity of Yashar's design and carpentry. They assumed it was some sort of marketing pitch. Other insults were laid on that amount to more misinformation.

For example, there is a red herring getting really ripe about just now- that still sniffs at the idea that some new marketing strategy is forcing chickens to become tree birds. The misinformed believing that this new fangled cote idea is essentially stuffing chickens into dovecotes.

All of this was in reaction to the response to a speed read by someone that really wasn't all that interested to begin with. Get where I'm headed with this?

There's some noise going on by people that seem genuinely incensed by the notion of rethinking the way we keep our chickens....And there is some really objective dialogue going on as well.


Here is a discussion on the history of poultry shelters , which ostensibly provides some context.

 

[elmo]

Wild birds and pigeons will remove egg shells from the nest, what do your hens do with egg shells? Leave them in the nest or eat them?

I noticed my bantams all ate the membrane inside the egg shell. But one of them actually stacked the shells neatly, putting the top half inside the bottom half! Is that weird, or what?​

 

[Medicine Man]

There are many ways to get that food off the ground; what else would this rusty old trough be good for?

(note that there is no shortage of space available, it is simply a good idea regardless)

 

[Resolution]

Quote:
I noticed my bantams all ate the membrane inside the egg shell. But one of them actually stacked the shells neatly, putting the top half inside the bottom half! Is that weird, or what?

I've noticed this often with the Rapa Nui fowls and a few others. It's frustrating when you want to figure out what egg hatched in instances where there are more than one depositing eggs in one nest.

 

[geebs]

NBarnes....Yep..you get the rainfall also... Up off the ground is sure a good idea for the PNW. I fight the rainey months too... Lots of roosting opportunities... Make sure the roosts are not sharp... the wet makes for soft feet that are easily damaged. I let them free range as much as possible when the waters recede.. Right now my pasture is under water...It is a normal thing...but not delightful!!!

Lots of indoor space and uphigh spaces to excersize to ward off winter boredom.....

 

[Resolution]

Have I mentioned I'm raffling off coupons for free whole body spray tanning in a multitude of colours and flavours?

I remember my cousin Megan had a dollhouse. It was great great great granny's dollhouse. And she also had a rather new one that had belonged to her sister Betsy.

Anyway, when you opened it -the dissection reveals that the architect of this dollhouse has accentuated ready access as well as physical space- the dolls have a multitude of rooms in which each could go about doing something different than the next. There was no place within any floor- any room- any space- where space was limited. The architects had built the most carefully planned mosaic- made up of structural components - ergonomics of the dollhouse make it possible for a large family of dolls and their assorted pets- and then -a spiny mouse with no tail and a baby turtle named Loris- a budgie named Charlie- how each creature did or did not fit - for example- baby rabbits- but getting back to hutches-

adding a few lofts to the enclosure outfitted with all the amenities of soil and twisted logs- and such- a real second , third- and fourth floor- with the fifth floor quite taller than the lot.

Ok chickens are not dolls. I get that. Represent. Nonetheless, the objectives of of both structures is to provide additional physical space for its occupantry-

In smaller cotes bamboo matting or inexpensive but built to last plastic coated heavy duty- table cloth- these can be affixed to encourage the droppings to collect away from the birds. Think cat furniture-

 

[LynneP]

I like platforms and the birds love them, indoors and out. Easy to clean, birds are up and dry. They have the option of using them in the run or the coop. By scraping the platforms daily you get the most out of your bedding too.

 

[Yashar]

We built this this last spring to raise our chicks in. We kept it in our green house and moved it outside on nice days.
It did a good job teaching them to use high roosting poles and to go to different levels to find food and water.
As the chick grew we would move things higher. For the few late bloomers we put in a few small boxes to help them get to each level.