"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[PrimroseMom1]

Milk Crate Chicken Nest Box (Usually Free, will last a life time)

If your looking for a cheap none expensive nesting box, here is an idea for you...My local feed/grocery store was always overwhelmed with milk crates. I had a brain storm, I  took a few milk crates, cut one side out and stacked them two high, it worked great. I used duct tape through the handles to keep a heavy hen from tipping them over and used a piece of metal or plastic pipe take (with the holes in them, used to brace water lines to wood floor runners). They were glad to see them gone, I was glad to have them. they work great for anything, tool bins, pvc coupling bins, wire, ect.

Cut a square hole out of one side, fill it with hay, then hens do the rest. They are easy to clean, almost never need replacing. I am using the same ones, I used from 2006. Wood will decay, and metal will ozidize.... Good luck..

Foto please. I can't picture what they are.

 

[JennieRD]

Foto please. I can't picture what they are.

I'm away from home, it may be a day or two, but I will post them when I return. Meanwhile, imagine 12 x12 square gallon jug milk crate that holds 4 gallon jugs used to deliver milk to grocery stores and convenience stores, they are usually black or red. The come in hard plastic, like a coke flat used by delivery drivers. They have hand grips on all sides. Cut the front off one with a saws all, sill saw, or what every you have to cut with. Grinders work too. The most I would stack high is three, heavy hens will tip them over if you do not have a wall to fasten them too...You will live them, they are so easy to clean, take them out, bleach and wash. They are ready to go again and the hens love them, they feel safe in the space provided...Here is a milk crate just to give you a picture of what I am referring to. Walmart sells them too, but they are poor quality meant for in home storage bins, and I would not waste my money on them. The dairy crates last a life time, Wal-Mart plastic crates may become fragile and weaken overtime in heat an humidity.

They stack properly and are sturdy if you cut one side out and stack them right, if you attempt to stack them on their sides, they will topple over and your defeating their purpose.. You might also check your local small grocery store, Market Basket, Brookshire Brothers, Dollar General Family Dollar Store, or Dairy Distributer. Sometimes the delivery drivers wont take them back because they are damaged on one side. Those can be used by cutting out the damaged side.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I'm away from home, may be a day or two, but I will post them. Meanwhile, imagine 12 x12 square gallon jug milk crate that holds 4 gallon jugs used to deliver milk to grocery stores and convenience stores, they are usually black or red. The come in hard plastic, like a coke flat used by delivery drivers. They have hand grips on all sides. Cut the front off one with a saws all, sill saw, or what every you have to cut with. Grinders work too. The most I would stack high is three, heavy hens will tip them over if you do not have a wall to fasten them too...You will live them, they are so easy to clean, take them out, bleach and wash. They are ready to go again and the hens love them, they feel safe in the space provided...Here is a milk crate just to give you a picture of what I am referring to.

Why do you have to cut off a side if the top is already open?

 

[JennieRD]

Why do you have to cut off a side if the top is already open?

1st reason, If you are limited on space and need four nesting boxes, but the space you have is say 24"x24" that is a tight space to fit 4 boxes, if you stack one on top of the other, two to a stack. you can fit all four boxes.

2nd reason, if you want to look inside your chicken housing area, and you have to reach in from the front, I want to know if their is a hen in the nest. Otherwise, you might wind up with one very nasty bite from a broody hen. They can really do some damage if they become real broody, I am not sticking my hand into a box I can not see into. If you don't cut out the side, you will not be able to see into the nest to tell whether there is a hen in it or not.

 

[Ron Skekel]

How many of you change your nest boxes bedding weekly?Pam

 

[JennieRD]

How many of you change your nest boxes bedding weekly?Pam

I change as needed or no later than every three or four weeks, depends if they are soiled, dusty, or appear too packed down.

 

[Ron Skekel]

I'm here. So much going on with yoga and my mom. I also reconnected with a couple of High School friends and we have had fun. Planning my 50th High School reunion, man that's hard to believe, but I'm feeling fit and strong, so good. My Primrose has been sick with sour crop. This is the sickest chick I've ever had except cocci when they were a week old. Angel and Pam really hung in there with me in hundreds of tests and research. Angel came over to check her out and to bring me some Sav-A-Chick probiotics and electrolytes. The diagnosis wasn't in doubt, her poop and breath stunk really badly. The only good thing about sour crop is the telltale symptoms and SMELL. As of this afternoon her breath was sweet and the poop smelled better. Christina and I laughed: hey, appreciate your visit and smelling chicken poop together. Only chicken lovers can appreciate that. Cracked also called and we had a great talk on my way to the store for supplies. She almost lost one to crop issues. She also had a BIG mite battle, so she could help the one wanting mite info.
It us so comforting to know our BYC LAyers have each other's backs. This afternoon Prim ate almost a whole egg. She eats and drinks if I pet her head. Christina witnessed it. If I pet, she takes a drink or eats a bite. She wasn't at all if I didn't pet her head, but I was out there petting, so I know she was getting liquids and nutrition. She's my favorite chicken, so I really want to save her. She aspirated a little with I used the syringe and was sounding a little wheezy this afternoon, but it seemed to pass.
So very very glad to see Terri back. Hi, Terri. I miss you when you're gone. Really wish Kuntrygirl would come back. If you are out there Kuntrygirl, please come back.
Love the coops. It makes me want to start building again.
I think i ready for winter. I have to see if the panels I built will do the trick. I always worry on really cold nights and usually set up the heat lamp if it's really cold.
Someone asked about hay. I started getting some from Tractor Supply. It's not eating hay, it's sort of sterile, super clean. I originally got it bec it was all I could find at the time. I buy Timothy hay for the buns to eat. But I have liked this hay. No mites or sticks. Just super clean straw. Doesn't even look like the hay I was using. I use it for the deep litter potty spot for the buns and also in the chicken nesting boxes and floor of the coop.
Well, I'm off now. Best wishes to all.

Good to hear she ate a good bit. Now I'm praying she's on the mend. Pam

 

[Ron Skekel]

I change as needed or no later than every three or four weeks, depends if they are soiled, dusty, or appear too packed down.

Just read an article in the Chicken wisperer magizine that for good chicken Husbandry you should change it weekly. That shocked me . I certinally haven't cleand mine that often. But I will now. The reason besides bacteria is to keep mites away. Etc. That suprised me I bet hardly anyone has done it that often.Pam

 

[JennieRD]

That's new to me too..I always watched and if I saw dust, soil, or if it was compacted, I changed it...Good to know...

 

[JennieRD]

Has anyone had to deal with rickets? I AM ALL EARS even the most absurd remedy will give me some ideas. I never had until now, and this poor little 10 week old splash orpington is soooooooo unhappy away from the flock. I can't blame him, but he would not survive a week or two outside of his cage. He can only walk for a short distance, then down he goes. I've been treating him for going on two weeks with Vitamin C D3 E and K powder supplement, crushed oyster shell, and grit. Nutri-drench for 5 straight days was like giving castor-oil to a 3 year old....Imagine that, I ended up with more on his face/feathers and me, than down his throat.

Guess my question is, DOES ANYONE know a better way to treat Rickets other than Nutri-drench or Water Soluble Powder Vitamin Supplement, and how long did it take for yours to recover, and/or did they recover?

I know this may be a question for the emergency medicine thread, but I found too many people are too opinionated, too critical, too argumentive and its not worth the hassle of dealing with the bickering back and forth of more than one opinion...So I would rather keep it to this thread where we don't have to worry about it...At least on this thread, everyone can speak their mind, give their opinion, and share their experience without argument as to whose right and whose wrong! All opinions count as far as I am concerned...