INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Alright, I am planning a rebuild of my coop's nests. This is what I've got thus far. The boxes are in groups of two and off set so that the hens can do a zig-zag hop from one to the next all the way to the top if they want. Approximately 18 inches from the floor so that it isn't taking up any floor space and is hopefully tall enough to discourage nesting beneath it. The wall is 6 feet tall and the highest box will be about 4 1/2 feet high, which I'm not sure I like. I would do two rows of four, but then I haven't figured out how to make the second level accessible without having the lower level stick way out for them to jump from.

Please tell me what is wrong with this setup and how I can improve it. This will be our fourth nest box arrangement and I'd really like it to be our last rebuild.

ETA: Okay, the more I look at this plan, the less I like it. :/ Anyone have a good plan for 8 nesting boxes to fit in a 4-foot wide apace?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I like the idea of different colors. I was planning on using the bands to identify age in the layer flock, not my special breeder chickens. The special breeders get numbered and colored bands.

 

[browncow15]

Alright, I am planning a rebuild of my coop's nests. This is what I've got thus far. The boxes are in groups of two and off set so that the hens can do a zig-zag hop from one to the next all the way to the top if they want. Approximately 18 inches from the floor so that it isn't taking up any floor space and is hopefully tall enough to discourage nesting beneath it. The wall is 6 feet tall and the highest box will be about 4 1/2 feet high, which I'm not sure I like. I would do two rows of four, but then I haven't figured out how to make the second level accessible without having the lower level stick way out for them to jump from.

Please tell me what is wrong with this setup and how I can improve it. This will be our fourth nest box arrangement and I'd really like it to be our last rebuild.

ETA: Okay, the more I look at this plan, the less I like it. :/ Anyone have a good plan for 8 nesting boxes to fit in a 4-foot wide apace?

What if you stack them and just have a bar for them to jump to at the second level? Does that make sense? Mine routinely jump to the second level of the roost which is probably 4 ft high.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

My russian orloff is limping! Not bad though. Just like she stepped on something. For some reason their are a lot of bees hanging around my barn. I am thinking one might have stung her. I need to find away to get rid of them. They dont have a nest in the barn just like to buzz around in side it.

 

[Delawaremommy]

My russian orloff is limping! Not bad though. Just like she stepped on something. For some reason their are a lot of bees hanging around my barn. I am thinking one might have stung her. I need to find away to get rid of them. They dont have a nest in the barn just like to buzz around in side it.

You can try using oscillating fans as bees and flies don't like the wind....Don't know how well it would work in your barn though!

SallyinIndiana: are you going to have your Meyers chicks vaccinated for mareks? If you are then I would like to add a couple Dominique pullets and a Lavendar Orpington pullet to your order as I do want the vaccination and according to Megan at Meyers the whole order needs vaccinated or none get vaccinated. Let me know!

 

[Old Salt 1945]

My first hen to lay has chosen a corner on the floor. I now have two new layers who have better manners. This one is tending to business. The nest box on the right has had a golf ball rejected and replaced with an egg. Another hen is just starting up and dropped one with no shell on the floor from the roost a couple of days ago. I just found another on the floor under the roost. It is a better attempt, but ugly, as you can see in the photo farther down.


Janet will be pleased that I bought ACV with mother, raw and unpasteurized (the vinegar, not mother). $4 at Wally-World. Now all I gotta do is use it for something other than salad.


My first 4-egg day. Yea!!!!!!!!!!! The icky looking one was the one on the floor. It has been washed, but still not very presentable. The hen apologized profusely and promised to do better in future efforts.


The fish were elated. They had been sooooooo looking forward to a 4-egg day. Fish are like chickens. They won't hold still for a photo.


John

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: I don't get them vaccinated. Since I hatch my own chicks when I have a fertile rooster and the temps are cooler, I chose to stay away from the vaccines. Megan is right, vaxed and not vaxed chicks should not be mixed and the hatchery does the entire order or not.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

for those of you that think you can't do the butchering thing, there is a great new article on the modern homesteaders website. Talks about the kind of mindset needed and a couple of things to make it easier emotionally (delaying can make it harder).

 

[hogster160]

Anyone who does decide to necropsy poultry can take or send the bird to one of Purdue's diagnostic labs, West Lafayette and Jasper.  There is no charge.  Keep the body refrigerated, and if you ship it, ask FedEx for a cooling container--don't tell them what you're putting in it.  (They have to know, when it's going to the diagnostic lab, but.....)  Ship it overnight.  Don't keep the bird more than a day or so before shipping or delivering.
It may sound cruel not to just bury the pet, but then you know what you're dealing with.

Just so you know they charged me $125 and to ship overnight was $48. I asked about Indiana poultry assoc. possibly paying for it, or if they still did this. Well the lady I needed to talk with was out of the office for several days and I got the bill.

Anyway, it was worth it to find out.


This is how I wrapped my bird up to send.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741957/not-an-emergency-mareks-in-the-flock/410#post_11525869

Deb

 

[Kiniska]

My first hen to lay has chosen a corner on the floor. I now have two new layers who have better manners. This one is tending to business. The nest box on the right has had a golf ball rejected and replaced with an egg. Another hen is just starting up and dropped one with no shell on the floor from the roost a couple of days ago. I just found another on the floor under the roost. It is a better attempt, but ugly, as you can see in the photo farther down.


Janet will be pleased that I bought ACV with mother, raw and unpasteurized (the vinegar, not mother). $4 at Wally-World. Now all I gotta do is use it for something other than salad.


My first 4-egg day. Yea!!!!!!!!!!! The icky looking one was the one on the floor. It has been washed, but still not very presentable. The hen apologized profusely and promised to do better in future efforts.


The fish were elated. They had been sooooooo looking forward to a 4-egg day. Fish are like chickens. They won't hold still for a photo.


John

Love your Hippo and Naso John! How do you keep those three tangs from beating the tar out of one another?