FunnyBunny89
Songster
- Apr 3, 2024
- 491
- 808
- 181
Hey everyone!
I am wondering if anyone here could give ME advice on how to give advice to some friends about how they raise chickens. Here's some pertinent information:
1. They live in the forest at snow level, so they have a lot of predators out there. All they did to protect their chickens was put up a 6 foot galvanized steel fence. Their coop is elevated really high but it's very small, only fits about 6 comfortably.
2. They have lost 3 flocks now over the course of 2 years to predators, and they said their chickens tend to take a long time to give them eggs. E.g. they had chickens they raised as chicks for a whole year before any of them began to lay, and then they all got attacked by something overnight and died.
3. They marveled that their second flock of chickens preferred to sleep in the trees, but then the chickens were killed like, a month or so later.
4. The enclosure sits in a hill in a really neat grove of trees, but the dirt is all packed and hard and riddled with gopher holes. There are almost no plants growing in the dirt. The chickens, when I last visited before the most recent attack, seemed agitated and when one got out, she immediately ran to the nearest dirt and began scratching frantically.
With the latest attack, they lost all but one, a one year old EE hen. I have her now and I've been caring for her for two weeks while they sort out their issues with the coop. They said they had been leaving the coop door open at night and not bothering to close it
obviously, a fox or raccoon found them.
I feel weird because the chicken in my care has seen a major improvement in her general condition; she's no longer dehydrated, she's been laying since the second day I had her (they've had her for two weeks and she hadn't laid at all. They said she was acting, "broody"), and she has all the dirt and plants in the world to scratch in and snack on here, so she's very happy. And all I could do for her was keep her in a dog crate! To think she's happier here makes me feel guilty if I send her back without saying something.
But idk not everyone cares that much about their chickens and I don't want them to feel like I'm lecturing them.
What would you do??
Ps I found her a rooster friend who can help protect the flock when he matures fully (hopefully). He's been great. I only hope he goes back to a home where he won't just become food for another wild animal.
Pps she has a real watering can now, the bowl was temporary 'til I went to the store. And also, she's in my front yard behind an 8 foot fence and the dogs yard is only about 30 feet away, so she's good and safe. I still lock her up every single night.
I am wondering if anyone here could give ME advice on how to give advice to some friends about how they raise chickens. Here's some pertinent information:
1. They live in the forest at snow level, so they have a lot of predators out there. All they did to protect their chickens was put up a 6 foot galvanized steel fence. Their coop is elevated really high but it's very small, only fits about 6 comfortably.
2. They have lost 3 flocks now over the course of 2 years to predators, and they said their chickens tend to take a long time to give them eggs. E.g. they had chickens they raised as chicks for a whole year before any of them began to lay, and then they all got attacked by something overnight and died.
3. They marveled that their second flock of chickens preferred to sleep in the trees, but then the chickens were killed like, a month or so later.
4. The enclosure sits in a hill in a really neat grove of trees, but the dirt is all packed and hard and riddled with gopher holes. There are almost no plants growing in the dirt. The chickens, when I last visited before the most recent attack, seemed agitated and when one got out, she immediately ran to the nearest dirt and began scratching frantically.
With the latest attack, they lost all but one, a one year old EE hen. I have her now and I've been caring for her for two weeks while they sort out their issues with the coop. They said they had been leaving the coop door open at night and not bothering to close it
obviously, a fox or raccoon found them.I feel weird because the chicken in my care has seen a major improvement in her general condition; she's no longer dehydrated, she's been laying since the second day I had her (they've had her for two weeks and she hadn't laid at all. They said she was acting, "broody"), and she has all the dirt and plants in the world to scratch in and snack on here, so she's very happy. And all I could do for her was keep her in a dog crate! To think she's happier here makes me feel guilty if I send her back without saying something.
But idk not everyone cares that much about their chickens and I don't want them to feel like I'm lecturing them.
What would you do??
Ps I found her a rooster friend who can help protect the flock when he matures fully (hopefully). He's been great. I only hope he goes back to a home where he won't just become food for another wild animal.
Pps she has a real watering can now, the bowl was temporary 'til I went to the store. And also, she's in my front yard behind an 8 foot fence and the dogs yard is only about 30 feet away, so she's good and safe. I still lock her up every single night.
