"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Ron Skekel]

If you decide you can take the noise, gimme a holler - he's cute as a bug!

He's adorable but they are loud. What breed is the roo?

 

[Melnic]

Hi everyone, checking in from Slidell, Louisiana.  Anyone in the area that is interested in talking chickens send me a message. 

Jennings here...you are in the right spot to talk chickens!

 

[dharmasister]

Quote: He's a black silkie but I think he has a mix of something else because he has some goldish colored feathers on the back of his neck.

 

[Melnic]

Hey guys...talk about throw me right into the frying pan of chicken world! My girls are just starting to lay and the chicken that was given to me, I've discovered she's broody now. I looked up what to do and it says to put her in a wire cage type pen, something she can't get real comfortable in and keep her cool and in bright light. Give her food and water and every few days let her out to see if she tries getting back in the nest box. Does this sound like a reasonable plan of action? She has been my best layer but I noticed she was staying in the box longer and longer after each egg until yesterday she stayed in the box all day. Today I tried getting her out and she went all demon on me she even growled at me I think and tried pecking me...hard! Anyway what has worked for you and/or this sound like a good plan? I can't let her hatch anything because I have no roo and my coop is at a comfortable capacity. Thanks for any help!

 

[forgetful]

He's a black silkie but I think he has a mix of something else because he has some goldish colored feathers on the back of his neck.

Hate to butt in but the gold leakage is common in black silkie roosters. I've had several blacks with it pop up, but luckily I've worked it out of my stock. So he's all silkie!

 

[forgetful]

Hey guys...talk about throw me right into the frying pan of chicken world! My girls are just starting to lay and the chicken that was given to me, I've discovered she's broody now. I looked up what to do and it says to put her in a wire cage type pen, something she can't get real comfortable in and keep her cool and in bright light. Give her food and water and every few days let her out to see if she tries getting back in the nest box. Does this sound like a reasonable plan of action? She has been my best layer but I noticed she was staying in the box longer and longer after each egg until yesterday she stayed in the box all day. Today I tried getting her out and she went all demon on me

she even growled at me I think and tried pecking me...hard! Anyway what has worked for you and/or this sound like a good plan? I can't let her hatch anything because I have no roo and my coop is at a comfortable capacity. Thanks for any help!

If you can get her in one of those wire dog crates, that would be perfect. You could set her outside in the sunshine if possible. They are hard to get cozy in, and have worked for me in the past. Don't add any blankets or straw. Just the cage.

 

[KimmyIsRad]

Remember, I don't know how to build, but I thought a lot about it, I would go look at houses being framed up, I would imagine structure and design, then I spent a lot of time at Lowe's. I am proud of the outcome and I can actually walk in and sit and all my girls can get on one perch with room to spare. I know I posted it before, but here it is again. I built the shelter first then built the coop under it.


The shelter.

The coop under the shelter.
Most people build the nesting boxes in the coop but I used the ones I already had and put in the bottom of the coop. Then, as you know, I recently added the poop sling to protect the nesting boxes. I have had a blast building. It's not all "square" or perfect, but all my stuff looks good and is very sturdy, a lot of it I build as I go. You have to love it to do it.

I love it. You don't put them in a coop? Just a shelter? I'm still learning!

 

[KimmyIsRad]

between you and I and the fence post, I spent more on building my own then I would have on a 4X8 shed. Next time I get a shed, modify it with nesting boxes with an out side access for collecting eggs, roosting bars and chicken door. If there isn't a window, put one in. Full door makes it easy to clean out. Not as much fun as build your own but in the long run cheaper and they work great.

Besides you can spend all you want to on fixing it up. I've seen on with insulation, fished walls (3/8" plywood) and ceiling, Cellini fan, A/C heat pump unit, curtains, framed pictures and living room furniture painted on the walls. The out side was gingerbread trim and shutters. Not sure but I think the chicken door was on a timer. A show place. Not sure if they had "Tour de Coop" were she lived.

Super smart!

 

[forgetful]

I love it. You don't put them in a coop? Just a shelter? I'm still learning!

It is normally recommended to have a closed off coop area when raising chickens, but in our Louisiana climate you can get away with so much less! We use a very similar set up to Primrose. Big wire cages with roofs, roosts, and nest boxes. We will have them one on side of another, with the last wall facing the wind being solid. We've never lost a bird to the rain or cold. We still have to watch the heat though, which is why we try to make our pens as open air as possible. I'll look through my photos and see if I have any of our pens to share.

 

[KimmyIsRad]

It is normally recommended to have a closed off coop area when raising chickens, but in our Louisiana climate you can get away with so much less! We use a very similar set up to Primrose. Big wire cages with roofs, roosts, and nest boxes. We will have them one on side of another, with the last wall facing the wind being solid. We've never lost a bird to the rain or cold. We still have to watch the heat though, which is why we try to make our pens as open air as possible. I'll look through my photos and see if I have any of our pens to share.

Awesome!! I'm still not confident enough to go without a coop in our run, but it will definitely save us some money in the future!