Little tykes coop

[wepaws4]

I was putting dustless bedding in my coop but it gets wet when it rains. Do you put anything in the bottom of yours?

 

[AllenK RGV]

I just use hay as it doesn't break down fast and keeps my hens out of the mud. Bedding material doesn't rate to high on my list of things since I am not keeping specialist longtailed breeds. Just my 2 cents FWIW.

I am curious what kind of chicken you keep that would be confined in that run?

Edit- NM I see the free ranger outside of the run now

However if I had your pine needles I would rake those up for the purpose.

 

[wepaws4]

Haha, three 8 week Ameraucanas. They usually run free in our yard. The fence keeps my 8 little dogs from eating their food. I have a scissor beak chick and I mix pear, blueberry and spinach baby food in with her food. It's the only way she can eat without it falling out of her mouth. Anyhow the dogs love it! If her bowl becomes empty she hotfoots it up to the house to let me know!

 

[wepaws4]

I just use hay as it doesn't break down fast and keeps my hens out of the mud. Bedding material doesn't rate to high on my list of things since I am not keeping specialist longtailed breeds. Just my 2 cents FWIW.

I am curious what kind of chicken you keep that would be confined in that run?

Edit- NM I see the free ranger outside of the run now

However if I had your pine needles I would rake those up for the purpose.

Good idea!!

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have a crossbeak as well he is nearing 1.5 years of age now. He does get his beak trimmed on occasion when his success ratio at picking up cat kibble looks too low. I use dog nail trimmers on his beak to better align it. Take it or leave it but my wife does not want him euthanized.

https://oakabode.com/crossbeak-chickens-highly-valuable/ I disagree that they are highly valuable. However, there is good beak trimming info here.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Haha, three 8 week Ameraucanas. They usually run free in our yard. The fence keeps my 8 little dogs from eating their food. I have a scissor beak chick and I mix pear, blueberry and spinach baby food in with her food. It's the only way she can eat without it falling out of her mouth. Anyhow the dogs love it! If her bowl becomes empty she hotfoots it up to the house to let me know!

I feed my cross beaked bird the normal chicken food mixed with water to make a wet mash. It gets her the nutrition she needs while being easy for her to eat. Mine is several years old now.

 

[aart]

I was putting dustless bedding in my coop but it gets wet when it rains.

You'd need a bigger roof to protect from rain getting in thru the windows.

 

[wepaws4]

Well Ava as the grandkids call her is very smart. I dampen her food with water then add pear, blueberry and spinach baby food puree. When her bowl is empty she hot foots it up to the house, will follow me inside while I make her another batch of food. I might add that tragically a stray cay got into the coop last week and killed my largest chick. I am devastated and have keep them in the house nightly since then. They refuse to go back in the coop even though I have cleaned it. They want to sleep in the bird cage where they started out in the house. If I go in early and go out to check on them they are waiting and come running into the house directly into the cage. I know I am not being a good bird mommy but until I trap that feral cat I am a mess myself.