Hello from PA

[Farmer X]

Hi all,

After years of working on my wife, my daughter finally convinced her that we should have chickens this spring, so chickens we have!

We started with some "pullets" from the local agway, 1/2 of which turned out to be roosters (one survived the ensuing carnage). Since then we've built up the flock from a guy who breeds chickens up the hill. So far we have one hen each of California Gray, Buff something (a banty), cornish game, white cubalaya, red/gray cubalaya, old english game hen, and a blue sumatra. We also had a Shamu and a black sumatra until a few days ago when a fox paid us a visit. The rooster was supposed to be an andalusian, but is something else.

My username comes from my daughter, who names the hens after X-Men (making me Farmer X, of course).

I'm mostly interested in figuring out how to convince them to lay eggs in the boxes I have yet to build, and perhaps convince them to go into the barn stall at night as the weather starts to get colder (currently they roost in the trees at night).

-Johnny.

 

[wolfsnaps]

Hi! I'm pretty new too (and also from PA)

I love that your daughter names the chickens after xmen!!!

Sorry to hear a fox got one of your birds. I just got three red stars and I'm already attached...they are very much my pets as of right now.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Farmer X, and

! Great to have you in our community! Sorry about the fox visit! Yes, I think you certainly need to get them nesting and roosting inside at night - predators are everywhere! Best of luck to you!

 

[nova022]

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hello and welcome to BYC from Kentucky. So sorry to hear about your loss. You might want to place all the chickens in the barn and keep them locked inside for a few weeks. That normally let's them know where home is located. Once released they would probably go back inside at roost time. When it comes to egg laying keep your nest boxes lower than the roost. Chickens seem to like laying in a box that is placed at ground level or slightly above. Find either ceramic or plastic eggs to place inside the box. That helps to convince them to lay in the boxes with the fake eggs.

 

[Kevin565]

 

[liz9910]

from California!

 

[weimarmama]

& from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

I agree about penning your birds inside until they get used to thinking of it as home. I would also teach your birds to come running when you shake a can of grain - and do not give them any treats at any other times until they come consistantly when you call.

 

[jbirds2012]