Issues adjusting to new coop

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I’ve been reading halfway trough. And felt like responding, which I didn’t bc most issues are solved by now probably.

Hope so for you anyway HenriettaPizza.

Had to react on this one:

Chickens do like changes if these are impovements and you give them time to sort it out by themselves.
E.g. years ago I build an extension to my old prefab with roost. Meant to rest in during the day. But they liked it so much that they started to sleep there in the night too. Later I added a poop board and a window to block the wind.

When chickens bully its nice that there is a second option. I added a single chicken too last summer. Not easy but its okay now. She made friends with another hen that got bullied much of her life. Now these two chickens prefer the old prefab and 4 hens prefer the extension.

Callboy is right that new chicks/chickens alway disturb the flock habits.
I’d like to give the chickens a chance to sort out where they want to sleep/stay within safety, conveniences and possibilities. And provide several dishes with feed on different spots to avoid quarrelling on feed.

Integrating chicks at 6-8 weeks is not easy imho and a delicate proces. Same with single hens. More coops, and many hiding places can help a lot.

Btw: first what came up to make 3 cozy laying nest was something like this (temporary from cardboard)

Thanks for your input. That gives me hope that once I make the next improvement to the box (sloping the roof piece and also making it lower), they may adjust to it. I hope to get to doing that this weekend finally, but if not, that triangular cardboard design is really cool!

Many of the other issues have sorted themselves out. Everyone is able to sleep on the roost together at night and there is no blood being drawn during the day, nor chasing down the new hen and biting her. They still give her a good peck to make sure she knows she's the lowest in the order(besides the pullets who the top of my pecking order doesn't even consider to be in the order at all lol), but I'm fine with normal chicken behavior like that so long as it's not aggressive.

I think the egg eating thing has been a calcium deficiency, as I updated in previous comments above. Once my pullets turn 16 weeks and I can return to layer feed, I think that issue will resolve. It's just been hard being on all flock feed and my hens don't want to eat oyster shells.

 

[springvalley123]

I think the egg eating thing has been a calcium deficiency, as I updated in previous comments above. Once my pullets turn 16 weeks and I can return to layer feed, I think that issue will resolve. It's just been hard being on all flock feed and my hens don't want to eat oyster shells.

Everyone I've talked to and read says it takes protein to make eggs (and feathers). That's why they don't do both at the same time. The egg eaters usually eat the contents, not the shell from my understanding, so most people solve egg eating problems by increasing protein.

 

[BDutch]

When I had chicks I started to mix 50% chick feed with 50% when they where 14 weeks old. The miller advised me to do this after I told him the bag with chick feed was almost empty and I just needed a few kilo’s. This way I didn’t have to buy a new bag of chick feed.
But it can help you with the soft shells too.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Everyone I've talked to and read says it takes protein to make eggs (and feathers). That's why they don't do both at the same time. The egg eaters usually eat the contents, not the shell from my understanding, so most people solve egg eating problems by increasing protein.

Maybe this is also true, but my RIR does eat the entire shell, and I have noticed her shells being more brittle lately. I think in her case it's calcium. I wonder if my Barred Rock who is molting comes over and eats the contents of the egg though.

They are all on 18% protein right now as well, but less calcium. I think calcium is the factor causing her egg eating.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

When I had chicks I started to mix 50% chick feed with 50% when they where 14 weeks old. The miller advised me to do this after I told him the bag with chick feed was almost empty and I just needed a few kilo’s. This way I didn’t have to buy a new bag of chick feed.
But it can help you with the soft shells too.

Did you mean 50% chick feed with 50% layer feed? Just want to be sure because I think you forgot a word in your post lol.

That would be great if I could do that! I have about 1/3 bag of the all flock feed left, and open bag of layer feed, and a full bag of layer feed. Would love to start using some of this!

I was also wondering, since someone else has an ongoing thread right now about how chicks and chickens know how to regulate their diet pretty well naturally... if I put out a feeder of the all flock and a feeder of the layer, would they eat the correct ones? Would it be a harmful experiment to try if I monitor them?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I made a nest box out of a planter, since I only have two hens I just have one, but it works really well. Maybe thinking like that, something enclosed and large but easy to find. Here's a video on how to make it: tiktok.com/@littlebarnnextdoor and the video is called DIY nestbox

When I add more chickens I will be making a built in next box that I can access from outdoors but for now this is working great.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did you mean 50% chick feed with 50% layer feed? Just want to be sure because I think you forgot a word in your post lol.

That would be great if I could do that! I have about 1/3 bag of the all flock feed left, and open bag of layer feed, and a full bag of layer feed. Would love to start using some of this!

I routinely feed both grower and layer, though I don't mix them together, and I personally wouldn't feed it if 14 week olds were in the flock (layer doesn't appear on the menu until at least some of the young 'uns are laying). I like being able to make adjustments to how much calcium and protein they get, so by offering varying amounts of both feeds I can skew the diet to more calcium heavy in spring and summer, and more protein heavy/calcium light in fall and winter.

I was also wondering, since someone else has an ongoing thread right now about how chicks and chickens know how to regulate their diet pretty well naturally... if I put out a feeder of the all flock and a feeder of the layer, would they eat the correct ones? Would it be a harmful experiment to try if I monitor them?

Haven't tried that as an experiment - from what I've seen so far (thanks to hubby putting out the wrong feed) the chicks will eat layer as readily as starter/grower.

 

[BDutch]

Did you mean 50% chick feed with 50% layer feed? Just want to be sure because I think you forgot a word in your post lol.

That would be great if I could do that! I have about 1/3 bag of the all flock feed left, and open bag of layer feed, and a full bag of layer feed. Would love to start using some of this!

I was also wondering, since someone else has an ongoing thread right now about how chicks and chickens know how to regulate their diet pretty well naturally... if I put out a feeder of the all flock and a feeder of the layer, would they eat the correct ones? Would it be a harmful experiment to try if I monitor them?

Yes I forgot layer in ‘ 50% chick feed with 50% feed? I mixed it.
We don’t even have all flock here btw.

I’m not sure what happens if you have two seperated bowls. If you have time to watch , you can try of course.

If you have the chick feed behind a fence where only the little ones pass through you can make the adults eat from a feed with more calcium. The chicks might prefer to eat behind the barred area bc its more relaxed to eat away from the bullying types.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Hi everyone! Here with an update.

Ignore the cardboard pieces sticking out. I will be fixing those tomorrow and securing them better. But does this look better? It may be hard to tell but the top piece is slanted now and the opening is also smaller now - 12 inches tall. Do you think my chickens will start laying there?

Taking bets!

 

[BDutch]

Hi everyone! Here with an update.
View attachment 3347174

Ignore the cardboard pieces sticking out. I will be fixing those tomorrow and securing them better. But does this look better? It may be hard to tell but the top piece is slanted now and the opening is also smaller now - 12 inches tall. Do you think my chickens will start laying there?

Taking bets!

Yes, this is a lot better. The slanting isn’t much. So it’s stil possible the chickens like to sit and poop on it. But they will love you for it. Chickens love to look through a window when there’s a cold or nasty weather outside.

You could make draped curtains or (partly )walk through insect curtains at the entrance to make it even more cozy.
Try one and see what they prefer.

Ps., if you lay a newspaper or cardboard/ carton on top its easy to clean.