fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

I've been walking the perimeter every day, looking for openings that I have missed.

The door has shrunk a little. I cannot insert my pinkie finger between it and the frame underneath or on top, but here on the side it's gapped a little. The finger as seen here is between 1/4" and 1/2", cannot insert it fully.

If I added a strip of hardware cloth would outside on the door overlapping the frame be best?

 

[NanaK]

I've been walking the perimeter every day, looking for openings that I have missed.

The door has shrunk a little. I cannot insert my pinkie finger between it and the frame underneath or on top, but here on the side it's gapped a little. The finger as seen here is between 1/4" and 1/2", cannot insert it fully.
View attachment 3615652

If I added a strip of hardware cloth would outside on the door overlapping the frame be best?

That would work. I have places that did that. I try to cover them best I can.
I don't want snakes inside. They say weasels and mink can get though tiny places. Never seen any but I know we have them. BIL is a retired farmer. He told me he has seen them on a farm nearby he used to manage.

 

[fuzzi]

That would work. I have places that did that. I try to cover them best I can.
I don't want snakes inside. They say weasels and mink can get though tiny places. Never seen any but I know we have them. BIL is a retired farmer. He told me he has seen them on a farm nearby he used to manage.

I'm planning on adding a strip of hardware cloth to the door over the weekend.

The last carton of large "free range" eggs...

Nifty comparison

 

[fuzzi]

Martha was in the nesting box all day...at least every time I checked on her. About 5pm I brought out some squash and tomatoes, but she wouldn't leave the nest. I was a little concerned she might be egg bound, so I reached in with both hands and removed her. I put her on the ground and she just sat, but there was a perfectly normal egg in the nest!

I picked her up again and checked her rear. Vent was clean. l held her like a football, talking to her and she remained calm. After stroking her a couple times I put her down, she shook herself, and walked away.

Could a 6 month old pullet that started laying a couple weeks ago go broody?

 

[fuzzi]

The Dominique Divas!
(Lydia, Abigail, Naomi, Tamar)

 

[fuzzi]

Martha was in the nesting box all day...at least every time I checked on her. About 5pm I brought out some squash and tomatoes, but she wouldn't leave the nest. I was a little concerned she might be egg bound, so I reached in with both hands and removed her. I put her on the ground and she just sat, but there was a perfectly normal egg in the nest!

I picked her up again and checked her rear. Vent was clean. l held her like a football, talking to her and she remained calm. After stroking her a couple times I put her down, she shook herself, and walked away.

Could a 6 month old pullet that started laying a couple weeks ago go broody?

View attachment 3619356

Martha was sleeping in the nest box when I checked the coop after dark. For good or ill, I removed her and placed her on the roost. I checked a few minutes later and she was still on the roost.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's possible for her to go broody this young.

See what happens in the morning - if she goes back to nesting and try to get a good look at her poop too.
If she is indeed broody, you will definitely know in a few days just by the HUGE stinky poop that she leaves in the mornings. Can't hardly mistake a broody poop once you ever smell one. Terrible!

 

[NanaK]

I had a Black Copper Marans go broody very young. She had just starting laying.
As @Wyorp Rock says that first morning poo is hard to mistaken.

 

[fuzzi]

I have noticed a more pungent smell but as the weather has been exceedingly hot and humid I thought it could be due to the weather.

I removed Martha from the right-hand nest, and moved the fake egg to the middle nesting box. The next time I checked she was in the middle box, so I removed her again and all three faux eggs from the boxes. I placed her on the top of the A-frame roost.

Tonight she was up on the roost at dusk, by herself, yippee!

 

[fuzzi]

Egg call?