INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[critterwhisper]

Hi guys- need some opinions,we are working on our coop,planning on moving the older girls out this weekend. They will be six weeks old monday.they are fully feathered. Should i keep a heat lamp on in there at night?with the stupid groundhog lying on his prediction i think spring will never get here, but the older girls have outgrown the brooder. What are your suggestions? Also while working on the coop this afternoon a red tail hawk flew over me- i swear he knows i have chickens in the house- lol thanks

 

[Mother2Hens]

Originally Posted by chknbrdr

Just wanted to let the list know that there is supposed to be a swap meet at the fairgrounds at Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana on March 30th at 10 am. I will be bringing several exhibition quality birds and breeding stock to sell.

Matt
_____________

When any of you go to swap meets, etc., please post one of the Stolen Lavender Chickens flyers, and keep your eyes and ears open.
Thank you!

 

[CluckAcres]

Hey all!! You tired of your chickens tearing up your grass and becoming a muddy mess in the pen and having trouble keeping the grass to grow? Well I found the solution for you!! They are called Grazing Frames. Check out this link for all the details! http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/ I know I will be building some of these!!

 

[critterwhisper]

I like the grazing idea,i wonder if it would work with inbetween your garden rows?

 

[CluckAcres]

I like the grazing idea,i wonder if it would work with inbetween your garden rows?

Im not sure. are you wanting to grow grass or something in between your rows?

 

[Mother2Hens]

Wow, Cluck Acres, Re: Growing grass... My husband and I have been discussing what to do about the fenced in part of our yard where the chickens free range. Thanks to the chickens' gardening skills, our yard consists of brown dirt instead of green grass. (I keep blaming it on last summer's drought!) We have a small chicken tractor that my son built last summer from pvc pipe when the chickens were young, so my husband planted grass seed and covered the area with the tractor. After the grass grew in, he moved the tractor to start the next area, and suddenly the new grass had disappeared! Hmmm. The design on the link you provided prevents the chickens from yanking the grass out by its roots. Thank you!

To critterwhisper, Re: moving your little ones outside to the coop. I suppose it depends on how many you have to keep each other warm, what temp they have been used to--probably 65 degrees by 6 weeks of age, and what the outdoor temps are. When we went through the same situation last year, and even though ours were used to going outside on nice days in the tractor, when they moved to the coop we provided a heat bulb until they became acclimated. (I have read that chickens in general shouldn't undergo big temperature changes-- like bringing them in your warm house when it's snowing, and then putting them out in the snow later--like you'd do with a cat or dog). So, I'd say that young ones should have a heat source available, and you can monitor their behavior and needs until the weather temps even out since they have been fluctuating so drastically. You might Google your question to read other opinions if you don't hear from any BYCers (all the BYCers are SO busy taking care of their baby chicks and I am jealous!) The pictures that bradselig posted are adorable!

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Hi guys- need some opinions,we are working on our coop,planning on moving the older girls out this weekend. They will be six weeks old monday.they are fully feathered. Should i keep a heat lamp on in there at night?with the stupid groundhog lying on his prediction i think spring will never get here, but the older girls have outgrown the brooder. What are your suggestions? Also while working on the coop this afternoon a red tail hawk flew over me- i swear he knows i have chickens in the house- lol thanks

With night time temperatures down in the thirties you will want a heat source. It doesn't have to be a 250 watt bulb though. Just have an area that isn't real drafty and place a lamp close to the floor ( a foot or so if it is a lower watt bulb). Of course make sure your lamp is very secure. I use several zip cords and make sure there isn't a way for the cord to be used as a perch.

A main concern with 6 week old chicks is if you move them into a colder environment without a light source, they will huddle for warmth and security, That can lead to crushing deaths for whoever is on the bottom of the pile. When they have a light they are able to move about in the night and don't huddle in fear.

I would suggest that you put their feed and water right on the boundary of the area where the heat is. They will still be warm enough to eat and drink comfortably. By doing it this way you create an area for the chicks to warm themselves while still letting them adapt to outdoor temperatures.

 

[critterwhisper]

I was thinking of the heat lamp in there at night, even thou in the house i have been shutting the light off,its about 70+ in the house. I thought maybe using a chain or horse lead ropes to hang the lamp from the celing,for it will be secure.?? The grazing idea i was thinking i always have grass growing between my crop rows and if i can make it where the girls will eat the grass so i dont have to ho so much lol

 

[critterwhisper]

There will be 15 moving out to the coop,who love to fly

 

[bradselig]

Well received my SFH eggs I won on EBay. I'm shorted 4 eggs! The add said 6 eggs and then at the bottom it said the hens had been laying great so make it 12 eggs. I sent a message to seller, awaiting a response. She has 2 other ads out that say the same things. Well see if she sends them. If she does I have another staggered hatch. Grrr! But I guess that is better than not receiving them at all.