"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Ron Skekel]

First of all, welcome to BYC CodyA, Jena here, I started with 20 in March and made it to 79 total, I now have about 65, I harvested 11 roosters and lost 3 or 4 along the way, my original plan was to start slow and build up to about 50/60 total by spring 2015/ then the fever hit( chicken math ), 5 here/10 there 20 something rescue, Thankfully, I built my main chicken house to accommodate 50 +, so it was a good move. The roost area of my house Early stages of build I will pm some more photos from my laptop when I get back on it.

You've been busy. Your run looks great. My Legbars have started to lay this week. Only problem is the little buggers are hiding them. I'll be surching today if I don't find them they will be locked up. Pam.

 

[topdog24]

You've been busy. Your run looks great. My Legbars have started to lay this week. Only problem is the little buggers are hiding them. I'll be surching today if I don't find them they will be locked up. Pam.

They can be elusive can't they?

 

[Ron Skekel]

They can be elusive can't they?

Yes they can. I've been reading more about the breed and someone posted they are prone to laying every where but the coop! I might have my pom help me look. First flock I had they weren't laying in the nesting boxes. He found the eggs their was 20 some odd eggs right under my nose but well camoed. Good thing you made your run bigger or your grass would be gone. Pam

 

[Ron Skekel]

Went out to look for eggs. One legbar was waiting for a nest box . They lay in three boxes we have eight in that coop. The other one of laying age is no where to be found. The one in the coop finally picked another box. Please lay that egg. Pam

 

[Ron Skekel]

Touch down!!!! We have landed a Legbar egg. Must be the 2nd one it's a fart egg. The color is turquoise green. Camera didn't pick up how dark the color is. e

I'll try to get a better pic after the game. Happy, Happy, Happy!!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Welcome Cody A.!

We have fond memories of Ruston.  Many years ago my sister lived there while her husband went to La. Tech.  And, one of our boys finished there in architecture, the other in electrical engineering.  Ruston reminds me of my home town - Natchitoches.

Regarding coop design, have you looked at the myriads of sizes and designs in the "Coops" area?  (Button at the top of the page.)  When I was anticipating building my coop a few months ago, I got some really good ideas there.  I think many of them are designed for flocks smaller than what you anticipate having.  Nevertheless, I'm sure you can expand on ideas you get there. I also got some good guiding principles of coop design from an eBook, The Small-Scale Poultry Flock" by Harvey Ussery.  But, this source is one of many books out there that can be of help to you.  I guess being both a teacher of science and computers (retired), I read, read, read on any topic of interest.  I love the combination of using the Internet and books to bone up on things.

As with many others here, my flock is small, only 8 RIR.  I wanted to start off small, but built my coop so that I can get more later, if I so decide.  I don't know if it is practical for a flock the size you plan on having, but I am using leaves to create "deep litter" in the coop for controlling the smell and accumulation of manure, and it really works - no smell of chicken droppings in the coop at all.  In late fall and winter, I make a few trips around Lake Charles residential areas and pick up a bunch of bags of leaves.  The leaves not only go into my coop, they also add to my compost pile for my garden.  Also, one end of my coop is covered with hardware cloth so as to allow for a lot of circulation of air.  Both ideas are from Ussery's book.  Of course, 8 birds don't produce much, and they are out into a tree and grassy area during the day.

Not related to your coop, but FYI, I've surrounded their pen with an electrified fence.  Easy to put up and provides good security.

Hope to see more of your postings here.  Disappointing to not see more of our Louisiana neighbors posting here.  With the surge in the last few years of folks having chickens, you'd think there'd be more.  Maybe they are just too busy tending to and watching their chickens.

Haha. I thought I was the only one picking up bags of leaves on the side of the road. Every fall I get lots of bags. I have a couple of low areas in the chicken yard that would stay damp and green. Been emptying leaf bags for a few years and it is almost nice rich soil. Also use in my flower beds as free mulch. I have lots of clay in my soil and free leaf bags have really made a difference. Also, in the fall, I don't gather my own leaves, I just blow them into my flower beds. Works for me. So nice of all those people to bag up free mulch for me to pick up. A couple of times I've gotten a surprise, but mostly it's just clean dry leaves.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I knew it!!! Sly as a fox you are!!!!!LMAO!!

Hahaha. Yep. I love that family. Blessed that they are just down the street from me. I know someday they will move to fulfill their dream (I can't think about it), but until then, they are near. Yes, Angel, I'm talking about you and your family. Of course, there was talk of building a compound for some of us, self-sustaining, out in the country, helping each other. Fits right into my hippie mentality.

 

[topdog24]

Yes they can. I've been reading more about the breed and someone posted they are prone to laying every where but the coop! I might have my pom help me look. First flock I had they weren't laying in the nesting boxes. He found the eggs their was 20 some odd eggs right under my nose but well camoed. Good thing you made your run bigger or your grass would be gone. Pam

Oh, that was an old picture from may, not a sprig left, but it can be moved to the side and toward the back to have new grass and to allow for the bare ground to recover some growth.

 

[topdog24]

We got 23 eggs today, one super large and Donna says it is between a purple and a brown, probably a freak of nature, the only ones old enough to start laying would be 1 of the 2RSLs that haven't started or BSL or DOM.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Hahaha. Yep. I love that family. Blessed that they are just down the street from me. I know someday they will move to fulfill their dream (I can't think about it), but until then, they are near. Yes, Angel, I'm talking about you and your family. Of course, there was talk of building a compound for some of us, self-sustaining, out in the country, helping each other. Fits right into my hippie mentality.

That would be the best way to solve everyone trying to get angelisi to move by them. Hippies rule lol!!