Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

That should work. Having a floor in the coop is a great idea. My old coop had a floor in it. I elevated my second one. The area under the coop is always dry and provides a constant source of dirt for dust bathing. They hung out there all day today in the rain.

The new coop will have a covered run. This will be the smaller safe place for them, but they will still free range in the orchard during the day. It will be a minimum of 120 SF, but I'm trying for larger than that. It's all about space in the already fenced area without removing any trees.

 

[BY Bob]

Not at all, that was great!

I agree that was an excellent article. Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[WhoDatChick]

That is an excellent set up you have there. Very nice coop.

Thank you Bob .... l have been very happy with it...

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished project.
I don't need walk in type coops here so that's one factor that makes the choice easier. The chickens only go into the coop to sleep and occasionally to lay eggs.
It's not even that coops and runs built on the ground have digging issues, they're just harder to make secure and inspect and maintain.

The Chicken Palace is (I mean will be) walk-in with a dirt floor. But, I am really hoping I have fortified it well. I have 1/2" hardware cloth attached to the walls and going out 2' as an apron and to stop heavy duty diggers it is also covered with cattle panel. It would be very tough to dig or chew in but I may still run a hot wire around it just to be extra safe.

 

[BY Bob]

Where Did Lilly get into White Paint?

I was out with the three ladies yesterday while they were free ranging and I noticed that Lilly had white spots on her. They kind of looked like paint.

If was damp and drizzly at times yesterday so I thought maybe she had rubbed up against some of the white furniture in the backyard and some paint had rubbed off. I wish that had been then case.

I noticed that she was spending a lot of time standing around in front of the run door all day. I thought it was odd behavior but didn't think much of it until I noticed what was hanging over her.

That is a suet bird feeder for song birds. Lilly was standing under it eating what the song birds dropped all day. Smart on her part.

Then I realized what else song birds drop and I knew what was all over Lilly.

It wasn't white paint!


The suet feeder has been moved.

 

[RoyalChick]

While we're on the topic of coops, here's my list of features. What have I missed?

My list is more-or-less the same and being built into the Chicken Palace. On my list I had easy access to feeders that they couldn't perch on and a chicken jail inside the coop and a people-only storage area.

Once the new henhouse is done, I won't be as worried. Hopefully I'll be so sure of their safety, I'll be able give up the headcount.

I don't think you will give up counting beaks. Even though the Chicken Palace is not finished I have moved from really not very safe to much safer as they are camping in the Chicken Palace run. Honestly I think I could leave the coop door open in the current situation. But I still like to go out and see them all roosted safely. So I figure I will always be counting beaks.

 

[RoyalChick]

Where Did Lilly get into White Paint?

I was out with the three ladies yesterday while they were free ranging and I noticed that Lilly had white spots on her. They kind of looked like paint.

View attachment 2020130

If was damp and drizzly at times yesterday so I thought maybe she had rubbed up against some of the white furniture in the backyard and some paint had rubbed off. I wish that had been then case.

I noticed that she was spending a lot of time standing around in front of the run door all day. I thought it was odd behavior but didn't think much of it until I noticed what was hanging over her.

View attachment 2020138

That is a suet bird feeder for song birds. Lilly was standing under it eating what the song birds dropped all day. Smart on her part.

Then I realized what else song birds drop and I knew what was all over Lilly.

It wasn't white paint!


The suet feeder has been moved.

Oh my goodness. Lilly! She needs to go get a bath!

 

[BY Bob]

Oh my goodness. Lilly! She needs to go get a bath!

She's going to get one this weekend. Provided I can talk my wife into it.

 

[micstrachan]

This is the second after work runaround this week!

 

[LozzyR]

She's going to get one this weekend. Provided I can talk my wife into it.

I quite like bathing a chicken, although I usually need an extra hand. I know that's not Shad's preferred method of poo removal, but my girls don't get bathed very often so I like to think it balances out.