Just finished the new roost.......

[dakotafig]

I'll have to out again and take more of the rest. I know at least one off the buffs is laying brown eggs, suppose I can't speak for the other 2.

To answer your question about turning the ramp, it would hit my current nest boxes. Some day I might move them and then I could turn the ramp.

So when I went out tonight they made it a little closer, they were roosting on the edge of the catch tray, but that is one step better than last night. Hopefully I only need to move them a couple of nights.

 

[aart]

I'll have to out again and take more of the rest. I know at least one off the buffs is laying brown eggs, suppose I can't speak for the other 2.

To answer your question about turning the ramp, it would hit my current nest boxes. Some day I might move them and then I could turn the ramp.

So when I went out tonight they made it a little closer, they were roosting on the edge of the catch tray, but that is one step better than last night. Hopefully I only need to move them a couple of nights.

Some of mine roost on the edge of the board all the time, doesn't seem to be a problem.

You might be able to shorten the ramp and prop the end up on a concrete block or something about 12-18" high.

 

[dakotafig]

I like your second ramp up to the nest boxes. Eventually I hope to get my nest boxes (or buckets in my case

) raised off the floor a bit and maybe I could incorporate that and a landing for the roost ramp together.

Here is a few pictures this morning of the hens.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I am at a loss on your egg colors and birds pictured - they "appear" to be what they have been stated to be - brahma and buff orp, but both breeds, if pure, lay brown eggs. Is there any chance someone is trying to pull your leg? Where were your birds sourced from?

 

[dakotafig]

Well, the orpingtons were purchased from a guy who gets them from Cackle Hatchery in Mo. The Brahma's were purchased from a guy at a local swap meet. So it could be very possible they have something else in them that just doesn't show up in the physical traits.

After I have thought about it I'm only getting 2 blue/green eggs a day, so out of the 6 (the banty egg is easy to spot) only 2 are doing the colored eggs. The rest are light brown.

Are easter eggers the only ones that lay the colored eggs like that?

Regardless of the color, they are still very good!

 

[XxMingirlxX]

No, they aren't the only ones, EEs is a generalised term for a mixed breed hen that has the blue egg gene. Blue eggs came from mutations in different parts of the world, Araucanas, Ameraucanas, Cream Legbars and a couple of other breeds also lay blue eggs.

Truly Bizarre; your hens look like the breeds you stated to the T but that means they wouldn't lay that colour egg. I don't know, they must have some blue egg gene in there somewhere, that's why the eggs are green, they have the blue egg gene but also have the light brown gene, this produces a green egg. Either way you have definitely got lucky with those chooks

 

[aart]

Man, they all look like their breeds should.....who knows which are carrying the blue egg gene?!!?<SHRUGS>

A little gel food coloring on their vents would tell the tale if you really want to know.

 

[Renee97038]

So, I just finished the new roost for my 7 hens. I thought I would share a couple of pictures. It was kind of funny, they must have been confused for the first night. I went out there just after dark and they were all lined up on the ramp.

Hopefully since I put them up on the roost board tonight they will get the hint tomorrow.

For me the purpose of building this was so I could have a contained area of stall dry right below them to help make cleaning easier. The ramp I put on a hinge so I can raise it up and easily have it off the floor for when I clean that bedding.

Started out with a couple chickens and a store bought tiny coop, and as about everyone on here knows, that doesn't last long till you are expanding.

I like your idea of the poop board area below the roost. I see in the finished picture you have a 1X2 board around the edges of the poop board. Is that nailed on, or just sitting there to remove when your scrape the poo off? Or will you use a kitty letter scoop each day to clean it?

 

[dakotafig]

Actually they are 1.5 x 1.5 actual dimensions and they are screwed on from underneath. If you look at the second picture close you will see where I have it filled with stall dry from orscheln's.

It is kind of like kitty litter and my purpose was to help make clean up easier. I was having to dispose of so much shavings so often and now I can just sift the poo out from the stall dry every few days.

Tonight they didn't make it all the way up to the roost board, they were perched on the edge of the tray. When they have their butts hanging off the edge it defeats the purpose of the tray. So I moved them again. If they don't get it eventually I might just have to move the ramp up to the roost board.

 

[PapaChaz]

as mentioned, you can cut that ramp board off shorter and prop it on a block or even frame legs for it, they won't have any problems getting up on it, that would help alleviate blocking your nesting area

you need to put a video camera in the nest and see which of those are laying those green eggs! enquiring minds want to know!!