fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[NanaK]

In early spring when laying gets going all my hens want to lay in the same box. Sometimes 3 hens will crowd in one nest box while another paces and complains wanting to get in too. If an egg gets broken they gobble it up shell and all. Only evidence remaining will be yolk on the remaining eggs and in the shavings. I cut feed bags to act as nest box liners for easy clean up. They have plenty of nest boxes but will only use 1 or 2 and not always the same 1 or 2. They rotate!

Yesterday morning this was removed from my greenhouse. He was climbing the wall. Thankfully he did not get the babies I'm raising only a few feet away.

 

[fuzzi]

In early spring when laying gets going all my hens want to lay in the same box. Sometimes 3 hens will crowd in one nest box while another paces and complains wanting to get in too. If an egg gets broken they gobble it up shell and all. Only evidence remaining will be yolk on the remaining eggs and in the shavings. I cut feed bags to act as nest box liners for easy clean up. They have plenty of nest boxes but will only use 1 or 2 and not always the same 1 or 2. They rotate!

Yesterday morning this was removed from my greenhouse. He was climbing the wall. Thankfully he did not get the babies I'm raising only a few feet away.
View attachment 4143532

Love your hydrangeas.

I've rehomed any snake that found its way into my coop, but they all were rat snakes. I caught a copperhead trying to get in, once. He fed the woodland creatures.

 

[fuzzi]

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 day9

I have some canned fish that has just expired. I gave the chickens some salmon yesterday, and a can of tuna this morning, split between the two flocks.

 

[fuzzi]

I love that solution!

Thanks! Love my hardware cloth.

 

[NanaK]

Love your hydrangeas.

Thank you!

I caught a copperhead trying to get in, once. He fed the woodland creatures.

I've not seen a copperhead in quite a while although I know they are around.

 

[fuzzi]

No eggs today from the Dominique coop, not sure if it's just an "off" day for laying, or confirmation that I have an egg eater. If the latter I know need to break them of the habit.

I blew out an older egg, and filled it with the strongest mustard in the cupboard. Then I took part of an eggshell and glued it over the hole, don't want the mustard to leak out!

 

[1muttsfan]

While snakes can be pesky and very rarely dangerous, they can also easily be rehomed to a more wilderness area. They are superb mice/vole predators and clean out a lot of the things that cause us the most trouble. The presence of one inside the coop or run is just an indication that security is not what it might be.

 

[fuzzi]

Mustard egg was put in position last night. I have to work late today, so I won't see any results until 6 or so.

 

[thistlewick]

What is the purpose of filling it with mustard?

 

[fuzzi]

What is the purpose of filling it with mustard?

When the egg eater pecks into it, expecting a delicious yolk, they get a beakful of nasty mustard. It can work as a deterrent.