fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like a lot of fun, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family.

 

[NanaK]

I mainly want to spend time with my family, especially my granddaughters. They grow so fast.

Hope you have a wonderful time! The girls will love the pool.
Yes they grow so fast. It seems the older I get time passes even more quickly.

Today is my grandson's HS graduation. I am so proud and happy I might cry. Seems like yesterday I was holding him in my arms.

 

[1muttsfan]

That looks heavenly

 

[fuzzi]

I have not gotten one egg from the Dominique coop in a week. I looked, raked, could not find a snake, no sign of egg shells, etc.

This afternoon I worked on the second coop, adjusting the turnbuckle so their door won't stick for my chicken-sitter

But then I noticed something...a GAP at the top of the door! The blasted warped lumber had warped more as it dried.

From overhead:

Snake sized opening?


Solution:

Hardware cloth strip on the inside of the door frame, bent horizontal, then vertical, a "speed bump".

Then I attached another strip of HWC to the top of the door, overlapping the door frame when the door is closed.

From below:

I think it might just work.

Oh, and I found an old hook & eye for the inside.

Then I raked the entire coop, but didn't find any snake. I used a metal square to slide in tight corners, too. Nothing.

Good News: Naomi still has all 6 eggs in the box.

 

[fuzzi]

9:45am, in the wheelbarrow...

The one on the right is real.

 

[fuzzi]

The plot thickens.

After I collected the real egg, I put an old egg (3 weeks) in its place, one that I hadn't eaten as the shell looked strange. I was going to crack it open to check the contents but hadn't. If it disappeared then there probably was a snake in the coop.

A couple hours later I checked and found this:

I have an egg eater?

A few weeks ago I switched feed based upon someone's glowing recommendation. It's a 16% protein crumble versus the 18% chick starter crumble I have used so far. The flocks have been less than enthused, so now I'm wondering if I may have caused egg eating by switching feed.

I opened my spare bag of the original chick crumble, tossed it on the ground. They started eating it.

I offered some to the broody , Naomi, and she ate it. Earlier when I brought a handful of BOSS for the others I offered her some on my hand, and she gobbled them up as well.

Maybe they don't like the new feed, and are hungry?

 

[fuzzi]

Old feed:
NatureWise Chick Starter/Grower 18% Protein

New feed:
Kalmbach 16% Protein Layer Crumbles

 

[thistlewick]

fuzzi I feed a 20% all flock crumble and my birds don't even look twice at the eggs they lay - I have to bc roosters and babies and a whole mixed flock but yeah, I'd vow for 20% protein any day

 

[1muttsfan]

I think egg eating can also be a crime of opportunity - a broken egg, yum yum.
Every year in the spring when my hens start laying I have problems with egg eating. But I think what happens is they do a lot of scratching around when they are first getting going, and break eggs that were laid earlier. Once they get into the laying swing it seems to go away.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Hardware cloth strip on the inside of the door frame, bent horizontal, then vertical, a "speed bump".

I love that solution!