From the life of a chicken fan

[Callender Girl]

Your birds are beautiful!! I love Casey's expression, like she's expecting something good to come her way.

I appreciate all the time, effort and expense you've gone through to keep your birds safe and happy. Avian flu wasn't widespread here this year but did get as close as the next county.

Is that a walk-in Omlet run in the previous post? I have an Omlet coop and small run, but have resisted buying the taller run -- so far.

Hope all your efforts pay off and everyone stays healthy!

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Yes, it is, I bought it after the first time we were forced to keep the chickens cooped up, I also bought a used Omlet cube, which I , after swearing, a lot, affixed to the omlet run today, hubby was even in a worse mood, cos Murphy was doing his best to not let us finish it today, but we prevailed it was touch and go as you can see , it was starting to get dark, and the chicken went into their coop, I had left it open to better reach some stuff, so I had to run around the run to get the back door, I also forgot to fill up the bedding, so they looked confused when I pulled out the drawer to fill it up with bedding

 

[Callender Girl]

I hesitated buying from Omlet because it's so pricey (you're lucky to have found a used one!) and the stuff looks more like kids' playground equipment than a chicken coop. But, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and, most importantly, the hens like it.

For the first winter, I bought Omlet's expensive little panels that attach to the run and fit under the coop to keep out rain and snow. This fall, I added the also-too-high-priced panel that wraps over the top of the run to give the girls more dry, windless area where they can hang out year round.

One major drawback to the short run is that I literally crawl into it to clean out snow. But, hey, whatever makes the hens happy, right?

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Yes, there are cheaper chicken coops out there, but the omlet ones really are well planned and easy to keep clean, I sometimes have back problems, so having the coop elevated really makes work easy on the back, I bought the run at a discount ( still expensive) but it is still good after some years!! Now I had to fasten the coop to the run, and even after some years, it worked out ( with the help of some zip ties )

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I use a long rake to clean the run

 

[Callender Girl]

Sometimes, I've had to climb inside the run to encourage members of that flock -- who are known as "the party girls" because they like to stay out late -- to get into the coop.

Since I've hung the heavy duty weather panel, more of the run is dark and they seem to accept that it's bed time on their own. Thank goodness!

Despite my initial reluctance, you're right about the Omlet's good points. I even recently entered once of their contests to win another Omlet coop. Good thing I didn't win because I would use it as an excuse to get more chickens.

I like the long rake idea!

 

[MotherofOrpies]

One month of cooped up chickens, it isn’t good for them, the young hens are getting heavy, food but little exercise, and almost no greens (I have started buying kale to give them something fresh) 2 of my older hens got abscess , my oldest one bumble foot, again (12.5 years, good food, little exercise) now she gets a foot bath every morning, I also clipped her claws, they were so overgrown , the coop has sandy soil, so I couldn’t see her overgrown claws another hen had an abscess underneath her eye, not an easy place to treat…

I had to separate them from the flock, cos my meanest ( and smallest) chicken attacked the oder hen the moment I came back from the vet I am hoping I can put back both of the hens today

 

[Callender Girl]

That's a lot of drama with the flock!

With mine, it sometimes feels as if Someone is going to have Something wrong with her nearly all the time, as if they are taking turns being sick or injured, just to test me.

Nice "bathing suit" for your girl -- much smarter than how my hens get foot baths, which usually result in me getting wet, too.

Hope everything and everyone settles down soon.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

That's a lot of drama with the flock!

With mine, it sometimes feels as if Someone is going to have Something wrong with her nearly all the time, as if they are taking turns being sick or injured, just to test me.

Nice "bathing suit" for your girl -- much smarter than how my hens get foot baths, which usually result in me getting wet, too.

Hope everything and everyone settles down soon.

Today, they rejoined the flock, and after a little bit of squabbling, settled down bathing suit is just the cut off sleeve of a terry sleep shirt hubby threw out I rebuilt them their stand, the wood had rotted away, but they are chickens, and everything new is suspicious

 

[Callender Girl]

Glad that everyone is settling in!

Ah, yes, everything new MUST be met with suspicion!

I built a swing for Dottie, a hen who lives by herself (long story, lots of trauma) and was so proud of giving her a cool recreational toy. I removed it after she threw a complete fit, terrified by her new "roommate."