fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[3KillerBs]

My fig is about to bear its first real crop. I've been watching carefully since I know that figs go from ripe to rotten in no time flat.

The egg watch is always so exciting.

Anyone playing in the nests and kicking the bedding out?

 

[fuzzi]

My fig is about to bear its first real crop. I've been watching carefully since I know that figs go from ripe to rotten in no time flat.

The egg watch is always so exciting.

Anyone playing in the nests and kicking the bedding out?

The bedding is still in the nests, but the faux eggs are being moved around.

I'm planning on doing a little rearranging in the coop this weekend, depending on the weather and my energy level. The far left corner is inaccessible for me, that needs to be changed.

I'm also thinking about roosting options. They're perched on a 2x4 at night, next to the hardware cloth. The only thing keeping a predator from climbing up and reaching through is a tarp. I'd like to get them off that end board and onto a roost away from the edge of the wall. Maybe I could put another board in at a 45° angle to keep them off.

They used to like the A-frame roost...

 

[fuzzi]

 

[fuzzi]

9:30pm.

No eggs, but one of the nest boxes was a bit disheveled...

And Rahab is suddenly growing her big girl comb!

Photos tomorrow.

 

[fuzzi]

Day off, decided to get started on the roost project.

Good thing the coop is shaded...

For safety concerns I needed to block the flock from roosting on the end braces:

I moved everything out from the immediate area:

Tools laid out on a clean board:

Possible materials to use:

I drilled a short pilot hole through each board, then placed it at an approximate 45° angle and finished the pilot hole diagonally through the board. I secured it with a 2 1/2" deck screw:

I added more boards in a similar manner, though I had to try different boards in different positions to make them fit without sawing:

Joel decided to supervise:

I had to do a bit of "jury-rigging" to get boards to cover at a 45° angle...but they're all fairly secure:

The top edge of each board is touching the hardware cloth, so roosting there should be nigh well impossible.

However, I will tweak it as needed.

Dominiques checking it out:

And the Sussex:

I need to find a better place for the straw (left side of the A-frame roost ) but it will be okay where I stashed it, "for now". It's too hot to do any more work.

 

[fuzzi]

As promised...

Joel and his sisters:

The Sussex were acting shy all of a sudden, but I did manage a few "comb" pictures.

Hannah (Samuel in the background):

Martha:

Rahab:

Naomi:

The other Sillies acting shy when just a few minutes before they were scratching around in the litter at my feet as I was drilling and attaching boards.

 

[fuzzi]

Oh, just an observation...I have been using deep litter in the hoop coop. I was using straw and last year's leaves, but have been adding one bag of yard/grass clippings a couple times per week. There was no smell in the coop as I worked, and only an occasional fly.

 

[NanaK]

I do that too. Works great, no odor. The chickens love spreading out the new material I add in.

 

[fuzzi]

I do that too. Works great, no odor. The chickens love spreading out the new material I add in.

Oh, do they ever!

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!"

 

[NagemTX]

Its hard for me to do that because if we get alot of rain it all gets wet and then it smells.