i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[McChooky]

that seems like SO MANY chickens to me!

I need 5-6 eggs a day so I keep 10-12 hens

 

[Mother of Chaos]

…when i say i need a manual, i mean literally... i need someone to tell me exactly what to do, when, for how long, and how many times. lol! i absolutely do not have a clue what i am doing.
still.
after them landing here 6 months ago.

But you have your manual! Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

(the indexing is a little shaky though )

 

[McChooky]

i think 2 are a lot of work! i can't even imagine what you have to do. and the poop!!! gah! cleaning up poop must be like a full time job
you'll get no judgement from me. just admiration.

Thanks! Maintaining it is easier than you think.I clean the bedding out once a year and the poop boards and nest boxes as needed.When I had a small coop like yours it was hard to clean.The bigger the better!

 

[pollipazzi]

But you have your manual! Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

(the indexing is a little shaky though )

thank you!
it has definitely saved me!
especially when i ask something and someone gives me the very specific details i need
i do appreciate this place!

 

[pollipazzi]

Thanks! Maintaining it is easier than you think.I clean the bedding out once a year and the poop boards and nest boxes as needed.When I had a small coop like yours it was hard to clean.The bigger the better!

mine are weird and don't poop in the coop. it's the only thing they do that makes it easier for me

 

[pollipazzi]

louise is trying to be broody again! is that maybe what her problem with thelma is?

 

[pollipazzi]

ok. i know we have been through this before
but i am a slow learner.

how do i know if it's broodyism or not?

she went in the coop at 7:30 this morning. thelma was hanging out in the run for awhile by herself. it was very windy and rainy.
then thelma joined louise in the coop.
thelma, as you know, can take forever to lay an egg.

after a few hours i took them both out of the nesting boxes and i took the fake eggs out.
louise was annoyed but she went out into the yard.
thelma started with the crazy time. she was trying to find someplace else to go.

she did not do that when she was broody. she wanted back in the same spot.
so i gave her her fake egg back.
maybe she really needs to lay an egg.

i did not give louise a fake egg.
she had stayed out longer than thelma but went back in and is now sitting in the middle of the coop on nothing.

neither look like they did when they were in the broody trance.

thelma is growling and puffing up her neck feathers but louise is not. and neither are flat pancakes like before either.

i ordered an automatic door that i am so excited about and it was delivered today. so of course they are both in there.

sorry for such a long description, but i want to nip it in the bud if it's broodyism. and if eggs need to be laid, i don't want to disturb.
should i give thelma more time and take louise out? take both out? let them both have more time?

see. if i had a manual, i wouldn't be here bugging all of you all the time!

 

[pollipazzi]

thelma laid an egg and she's out!

 

[pollipazzi]

3pm longest time ever

 

[RoyalChick]

ok. i know we have been through this before
but i am a slow learner.

how do i know if it's broodyism or not?

she went in the coop at 7:30 this morning. thelma was hanging out in the run for awhile by herself. it was very windy and rainy.
then thelma joined louise in the coop.
thelma, as you know, can take forever to lay an egg.

after a few hours i took them both out of the nesting boxes and i took the fake eggs out.
louise was annoyed but she went out into the yard.
thelma started with the crazy time. she was trying to find someplace else to go.

she did not do that when she was broody. she wanted back in the same spot.
so i gave her her fake egg back.
maybe she really needs to lay an egg.

i did not give louise a fake egg.
she had stayed out longer than thelma but went back in and is now sitting in the middle of the coop on nothing.

neither look like they did when they were in the broody trance.

thelma is growling and puffing up her neck feathers but louise is not. and neither are flat pancakes like before either.

i ordered an automatic door that i am so excited about and it was delivered today. so of course they are both in there.

sorry for such a long description, but i want to nip it in the bud if it's broodyism. and if eggs need to be laid, i don't want to disturb.
should i give thelma more time and take louise out? take both out? let them both have more time?

see. if i had a manual, i wouldn't be here bugging all of you all the time!

Over time you get to learn the signs in each individual hen. But often I don’t know until someone is missing at roost time and I go frantically looking for them only to find them all tucked up in a nest box.