Hobby breeding and general fertility Qs

[Shezadandy]

Also, I’m a doofus and didn’t attach the picture here it is:View attachment 2993472

Yep, that should work with the plywood over the currently open area - if you still have plastic netting, just overlap the squares so they're half the size. Looks like you've got a great partition point in the corner if you wind up with 2 at the same time. Awesome!

 

[Shezadandy]

One of the reasons I was thinking straw bale is actually because our environment is pretty dry. I live in Washington, but it’s only the coastal regions that get the horrendous rain. I love on the east side of the state and it’s MUCH drier over here. Once the chicks were old enough, I’d remove the bale and mix it up in the poop pile I have composting for garden fertilizer next spring.

Ah! Got it. Yes, I saw WA and assumed you're on the western edge - we're in the Portland area where wet is our constant companion. Except during wildfire season.

 

[Shezadandy]

I will certainly look into it! I know I had a lot of trouble finding battery operated baby camera TVs/screens that had any sort of range when I had my first kiddo 3 years ago. But you’d think they’d have a solution!

Our coop is just under 300 feet from the house. Without wifi, I’d be pretty surprised for live image to transmit that far. Walkie talkies might be the best bet

I decided to order it to see how it works. I can do a plug for a camera if I have to - this one matches the other things I was looking for - better zoom, range and the camera moves by the parent unit control, which will be a treat! Once it gets here and everything is powered up I'll walk the camera out a ways and see how it does and let you know.

 

[Stephanie8806]

Ah! Got it. Yes, I saw WA and assumed you're on the western edge - we're in the Portland area where wet is our constant companion. Except during wildfire season.

Hi neighbor! Yeah, we are central, so similar climate to the Madras/Redmond area in OR! Wildfire season has been pretty scary the last few years on the PNW!

And thanks on the partition setup! It’s working well for now, much simpler than being in the house… but I’ll certainly be excited when we can upgrade once again to a stand alone brooding coop. We’d have the run attached to the current run as well so everyone could get acquainted through fencing.

 

[Stephanie8806]

I decided to order it to see how it works. I can do a plug for a camera if I have to - this one matches the other things I was looking for - better zoom, range and the camera moves by the parent unit control, which will be a treat! Once it gets here and everything is powered up I'll walk the camera out a ways and see how it does and let you know.

That’s awesome! Yes, keep me posted! Based on how you like it, I’ll probably get one anyways. Worst case scenario, it can be a backup monitor for the new baby

 

[Shezadandy]

That’s awesome! Yes, keep me posted! Based on how you like it, I’ll probably get one anyways. Worst case scenario, it can be a backup monitor for the new baby

Mine gets here on Tuesday (what time, who knows) but I'm happy to test its limits before you spend any $$s on one to make sure it will at least do the 300 feet. At this place my coop is closer to the house, though it has to go through the whole house and about a 2 floor drop to get to the coop- And we're on a wooded lot so it will be a decent test.

 

[Shezadandy]

Hi neighbor! Yeah, we are central, so similar climate to the Madras/Redmond area in OR! Wildfire season has been pretty scary the last few years on the PNW!

And thanks on the partition setup! It’s working well for now, much simpler than being in the house… but I’ll certainly be excited when we can upgrade once again to a stand alone brooding coop. We’d have the run attached to the current run as well so everyone could get acquainted through fencing.

Yes! This last year wasn't as bad locally but it was still very, very scary because it was so dry. After the 2020 season we were really lucky, flirting with just the Level 1 evacuation area... but one disadvantage to living on multiple heavily wooded acres is fire. Day became night and I hope we never see that again. When it came time to replace our old truck we went with a cargo van so we'd have a single vehicle to carry all the chickens and goats off in one trip if it ever happens like that again.

A separate brooding coop is on my list too! We got a late start on an 8x8 last year, so it's sitting there under the tarp, foundation and floor done, just waiting for weather. Once you stand up the walls it's a lot harder to weather proof, so when it became obvious last year it just wasn't getting done before the rains came, I covered it and that was that. Also fingers crossed we start on the long-planned 'big coop' - 12x20 most likely, and a big run addition (underway) then reconfiguration. It would be so nice to have a separate area for the older gals so they needn't be hassled by the roosters in their retirement years, and the ability to have multiple broodies without anyone being cramped!

 

[Shezadandy]

Just plugged my new monitor stuff in to charge. I think the camera does need to be plugged in but I haven't played with it yet.

 

[raingarden]

I’ve ready that quarantining a chicken for too long(I.e injury or sickness) from the flock will sort of reset their standing and basically that they can get bullied reentering societ.

It seems to me that a hen with chicks puts herself at the top of the pecking order. She demands that her chicks eat first and anyone messing with them will pay the price.

Hens with young chicks assert themselves over hens with older chicks.

 

[Shezadandy]

It seems to me that a hen with chicks puts herself at the top of the pecking order. She demands that her chicks eat first and anyone messing with them will pay the price.

Hens with young chicks assert themselves over hens with older chicks.

Depends on the hen. Seems like all broodies come out with that attitude, but they don't always live up to it. The initial scuffle when she first reenters the flock with chicks pretty much settles where she fits. Sometimes she wins and everyone stays out of her way, sometimes she learns that she's not on top, adjusts her behavior accordingly and that's that.