INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[alliejean]

Talk to me about your roosts. I was planing to do them in 3 levels on the back wall of the coop (like shelves on a wall-if that makes sense), but now I read things about that creating pecking order issues.... Is this a real problem? Or is that just people overthinking and or being overly cautious? I just really wanted to maximize the floor space so I can fit more chickens in there and still give them their own 4 square feet haha. Has anyone else done their roosts like that and gotten along just fine?

 

[jen214]

Talk to me about your roosts. I was planing to do them in 3 levels on the back wall of the coop (like shelves on a wall-if that makes sense), but now I read things about that creating pecking order issues.... Is this a real problem? Or is that just people overthinking and or being overly cautious? I just really wanted to maximize the floor space so I can fit more chickens in there and still give them their own 4 square feet haha. Has anyone else done their roosts like that and gotten along just fine?

My feeling is that they will poop on each other while they are roosting. You will probably have dirty chickens if the roosts are directly under each other. I have seen people make the roosts in a stair step fashion though.

 

[jen214]

I was just at the new RK in Ft. Wayne and got chick fever....I was wondering what people's experiences are with SLW? I have read that they are very docile and lay large brown eggs. I was wondering if they are a high/medium/low production layer. Tell me what you think!

 

[alliejean]

My feeling is that they will poop on each other while they are roosting. You will probably have dirty chickens if the roosts are directly under each other. I have seen people make the roosts in a stair step fashion though.

There would be a poop board under each level. Hoping to avoid poop covered chickens around here

 

[browncow15]

Here are my roosts

We converted an old mini barn that was on the property. The only problem is they have to be cleaned off. We put some laminate flooring on the shelves which makes them much easier to scrape off and then I can either scrape it into an empty feed bag or right into the deep litter depending on my mood.

I've not noticed any pecking order issues with this and when I introduce babies (think 6 week olds) into the flock it gives them a safe place to go during the day because the big girls stay on the floor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jen214]

Quote: Good Plan! No one wants poop covered chickens!

 

[hoosiercheetah]

We have so many members in the Indy area that surely we can come up with six pullets for you. As ChickCrazed said, there should be offers soon since so many members picked up a few chicks each time they went to buy feed!

I have no doubt! I hope my comment didn't sound like I had become hopeless - quite the opposite! What I was trying to say was that I've let go of some preconceived notions, I'm feeling very positive about several breeds; it will be interesting to see what I end up with.

Just going from the breed charts (I've consulted several, including Gale's) I still think the BA would be a really good fit for my needs - but I no longer think it's the only breed for me.

 

[CRSelvey]

So, I've got more questions than answers.  I thought I knew what I wanted, and why, but now I'm not so sure.

I'm in the search for chickens, and there are many different opinions about how to best conduct this search, I'm sure you know.  I've had some people tell me that one should only buy from a reputable local breeder, yet it seems that most of the people on BYC buy chicks from hatcheries or feed stores.  I've read about both good and bad experiences from every possible source.

I thought I wanted Australorps, because of the things I've read about the breed (egg production and heat tolerance, and a friendly disposition were the primary attractors), but the more I read stories about everyone's chickens, I'm coming to realized that chicken breeds are like dog breeds, or horse breeds - there are distinguishing physical features that run true, because there are breed standards, but the personality of an individual animal is it's own.  I've heard that Orps 'tend' to be broody, but I've read posts from owners who say their BO's are never broody at all.  Some RIRs are friendly like lapdogs, some are downright evil.  Some leghorns are flighty, some are calm.

The only thing that seems to run true in breeds is egg production.  Some are bred to lay more than others.  However, there seems to be a very large variety of breeds that are reputed to be great egg producers, so that doesn't really narrow it down. 

I know if I just ask the question, "What's your fave?" I'll get a different answer from each individual, based on their personal experience. It's the same whether you're in a forum for cars or guns or home audio gear or video games or chickens.   Those opinions are very interesting, and I love reading everyone's stories, but they can't help me choose one chicken over another.

My greatest limiting factor is that I'm in no position to raise chicks.  I have to have birds that I can put straight in the coop.  Beyond that, all I need is a little flock of 6 healthy, egg-laying chickens.  So, in the end, I'll probably buy whatever is available from whomever happens to have birds for sale when I finally get the coop finished.  I've been in touch with a few people, and I'll seek out more as I get closer.

I guess I'm not asking any questions in the post, or looking for any answers.  I'm just thinking out loud.  Thank you for indulging my observations!  Have a great snow day!

Hi Hoosiercheetah
I agree that the characteristics are really individual to the chicken too but it's a place to start. I picked my chickens based on egg color and then ended up getting two bantam hens also. My three Cochins are just cranky but lay well, my Wyandotte is nice and lays about 5 eggs per week, my Easter egger won't hug me or anything but she gives me 4-6 eggs per week. The bantam Ameraucana I got from Little Ameraucana Mom is kind of a loner but she lays the most beautiful blue eggs about 4 days per week and my Appenzeller Spitzhauben, while not technically a bantam, is tiny, super friendly and lays small white eggs like a champ. My late red sex-link laid 6 Jumbo eggs per week and was just awesome in every way. None of them stopped for a winter break and some of them actually started laying this winter.

This year from RK I got another bantam OEGB that seems like a hen, a welsummer, a black Australorp, and maybe an Easter Egger (the rest are probably boys). We have not been disappointed by any of the breeds because they are all interesting. As I'm not showing birds or breeding them, we haven't worried much about getting them from a breeder vs a farm store, but I'm sure a breeder is better.

My kids and I really enjoy knowing which hen laid which egg by color and we keep score each week. The bantam eggs are about half the size of my other eggs but they are perfectly sized for my kids and/or a bagel and egg sandwich. It takes two for a recipe but I don't mind at all.

That's just my take on it. I'm typing on my phone so this is probably a little out of order. Sorry ;-)

 

[Mother2Hens]

Talk to me about your roosts. I was planing to do them in 3 levels on the back wall of the coop (like shelves on a wall-if that makes sense), but now I read things about that creating pecking order issues.... Is this a real problem? Or is that just people overthinking and or being overly cautious? I just really wanted to maximize the floor space so I can fit more chickens in there and still give them their own 4 square feet haha. Has anyone else done their roosts like that and gotten along just fine?

alliejean~ I have two roosts in the sleeping box part of the coop that are exactly alike and parallel to each other because I had also read about pecking order issues. Regardless, they've always had a nightly squabble/pecking at each other because there is always a preferred spot no matter what you do. The flock head, my RIR hen Nene, found away to fit up between the door to the box part and the roof, so she can perch at the top of the door ---her special place at the top. The other hens consider the best perch to be the one that's closest to her and the door. My EE Roadrunner, who has always been the lowest in the pecking order of my original 5 hens, has to roost on the second perch, and face the opposite way!!! It's hilarious. I don't know how those bossy hens told her to "Turn Around," but she does. My two Orps that I got after the other flock was established have to perch on the front of the poop tray! Luckily, that portion isn't under any of the others. I put a foam pipe insulation over that "perch" as well as the top of the door where Nene perches since the wood is more narrow.

From what I've heard, the nightly squabbling over who is sleeping where is normal behavior. Sometimes they can be so loud that I have thought of posting their names for assigned seating or putting boards as partitions between each chicken!!

I was just at the new RK in Ft. Wayne and got chick fever....I was wondering what people's experiences are with SLW? I have read that they are very docile and lay large brown eggs. I was wondering if they are a high/medium/low production layer. Tell me what you think!

jen214~ I have one 2 year old SLW hen who is sweet, but a little nervous. I actually got her (and my BR) as a pullet when I traded her for a cockerel, so I didn't raise her from a chick. She lays either every day or every other, but her eggs are medium like my RIR's. My BR lays nice, large longish eggs. According to the Chicken Encyclopedia Table that I just mentioned to hoosiercheetah, Wyandottes are considered Docile, but there are some aggressive individuals; they lay large eggs, 150-200 eggs per year, tolerate cold well because of small rose comb, and some become broody. Just for comparison since I mentioned my BR: The differences in a Plymouth Rock are that they lay 200-250 eggs a year, it says they tolerate both heat and cold well, but they do have a single comb that is more prone to frostbite, and it says they're docile (didn't mention random aggressive ones - lol) I'm sure someone has had an aggressive BR, though, this type of info is generalized.

 

[jen214]

I was just at the new RK in Ft. Wayne and got chick fever....I was wondering what people's experiences are with SLW? I have read that they are very docile and lay large brown eggs. I was wondering if they are a high/medium/low production layer. Tell me what you think!

jen214~ I have one 2 year old SLW hen who is sweet, but a little nervous. I actually got her (and my BR) as a pullet when I traded her for a cockerel, so I didn't raise her from a chick. She lays either every day or every other, but her eggs are medium like my RIR's. My BR lays nice, large longish eggs. According to the Chicken Encyclopedia Table that I just mentioned to hoosiercheetah, Wyandottes are considered Docile, but there are some aggressive individuals; they lay large eggs, 150-200 eggs per year, tolerate cold well because of small rose comb, and some become broody. Just for comparison since I mentioned my BR: The differences in a Plymouth Rock are that they lay 200-250 eggs a year, it says they tolerate both heat and cold well, but they do have a single comb that is more prone to frostbite, and it says they're docile (didn't mention random aggressive ones - lol) I'm sure someone has had an aggressive BR, though, this type of info is generalized.
Thank you so much for the info! Now I just don't know what to do....I really only have room or two more hens and would really like an EE or Ameraucana (colored eggs) but the EEs are usually sold straight run and Ameraucanas are hard to find and expensive. Does anyone have either of these breeds as pullets or hens they would like to sell me at a reasonable price....I can throw in a few friendly Black Jersey Giants!