Maine

[CoopChick719]

[COLOR=333333]I did more research and other info from others I have gotten I am going to just do shavings,I have not trees on my property thus little to no leaves just what blows from other properties and I use them for my compost....  my roosts are going to be set up ladder style with a removable tarp hung under so it can be taken out scraped off/cleaned. Thought my wife was going to kill me when she got home the other night, I ripped one coop wall down and expanded it so now it is a 12 ft x 8 ft. needed some storage room and area if I need to section off a hen for health or other reasons[/COLOR]

I think you'll love the tarp under the roost. I did that this winter & was able to pull the whole thing out folded like a taco. Fastest coop cleaning evah!

Last fall, I went door to door asking for leaves.  Hit the jack pot with one yard.  A little old lady lived there, and was paying someone to rake and bag her leaves.  Evidently, other folks had taken them away from her yard after bagging (most likely for the same purpose) but, I was the first one to show up, so I told her I'd take them all.  I was hauling leaves into November, and the last 3 loads were heavy and wet.  They were packed in contractor bags. About 100 bags!  I had to ration the dry ones through the winter.  But they made all the difference in my coop for DL w/o ammonia smell compared to trying DL with shavings.
The way I look at it, I'd much rather spend a couple of days hauling bags of leaves than spending money on shavings.  Hubby looked at me like I had 2 heads when I got sick, and asked him to help me fulfill my obligation to that sweet little lady.  Then, I explained to him that each bag would displace the same volume of shavings, which sell for around $6/bale.  The light went on, and we got the job finished!!!

Did the wet ones mold?

I explained the same leaf to shavings principal to DH when I asked for a lawn sweeper. Now I sweep the neighbors lawns too.

been a bad week, lost one chicken to a truck bumper--he never stopped,
then one to a owl a day later, 
THEN as i was sitting outside, my dog lifts it head and sniffs, hackles rising, and stops, staring at one spot,,i look and look, and theres a big ol red fox sitting there watching the chickens,
i get up to get my gun, poof gone,,,it takes off,
then i walk out to the mailbox, a pile of feathers,,it was "stay at home jenny" the one chicken that stays home and doesn't wander, fox tracks,,dang it,,
go back out onto the porch, reading the mail, and the dog tears off the deck charging behind me,--another fox, orange black and white,,,running off with another chicken,
this is in daylight,,,
I'm down to two, there in there coop and within the 6x6 cage

I'm so sorry for your losses. We had a fox attack last week. My neighbors were chatting to the girls when a fox tore out of the brush, grabbed a hen & started to run. The neighbor hollered at the fox and amazingly it dropped the hen. She lost some feathers but not hurt. I saw the same fox an hour later staring at my run. Everybody has been on lockdown ever since and they are not happy! Got some pics of the fox on the game cam Sunday about 4:00 pm right next to the run.

 

[diana507]

I bought 6 barred rock pullets at agway 3 weeks ago. Ordered them as sexed pullets. There is one that i have been really worried that is a cockeral. I don't want a rooster so im hoping its not. Last year with my Isa's i was convinced i had a rooster but turned out to be a really big girl when grown. Can you let me know what you think?

This is face on, has thicker legs and looks like a tiny comb starting. One in the front. Pic dont show the color as well as in person. But you can see the color difference compared to the other in background.

Bad pic of the head but shows feather pattern on wings

Side view

 

[oldfartfarmer]

so i went to go buy a ladder,,saw these guys had to bring them home,

2-buff bramas
2-black giants jersey
2 easter eggers

figure I've got a few weeks to catch my unfriendly fox

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Diana at this point I still think you're fine for a girl.

Unless it gets RED it's a girl. By 3 weeks the boys are pretty obvious, most of the time.

 

[oldfartfarmer]

My new babies Bessy wants to know what there up too

 

[lazy gardener]

I think you'll love the tarp under the roost. I did that this winter & was able to pull the whole thing out folded like a taco. Fastest coop cleaning evah!

Did the wet ones mold?

I explained the same leaf to shavings principal to DH when I asked for a lawn sweeper. Now I sweep the neighbors lawns too.
I'm so sorry for your losses. We had a fox attack last week. My neighbors were chatting to the girls when a fox tore out of the brush, grabbed a hen & started to run. The neighbor hollered at the fox and amazingly it dropped the hen. She lost some feathers but not hurt. I saw the same fox an hour later staring at my run. Everybody has been on lockdown ever since and they are not happy! Got some pics of the fox on the game cam Sunday about 4:00 pm right next to the run.

I stashed all the dry ones, and set the wet ones aside to be used in the yard, around the orchard trees, in the hugelkulture mound, in the garden and green house.. I NEVAH have too many leaves! We also have a bagger for the lawnmower (both the ride on and the push). Hubby prefers to mow without the baggers in place, but I beg him to bag and dump. Every time the lawn gets mowed, I have to prioritize where it is most needed. First priorities are in the hoop coop lower level, and to mulch the potatoes and corn.

Are you in a no shoot zone?

 

[oldfartfarmer]

MY BABYS,,,
Buff Brahmas
Jersey Giants
Easter Eggers

Bessy
Maggie the Guard Mutts and self deciding mothers-----THEY DONT TASTE LIKE BEEF TO ME

 

[MainerChick]

Just discovered a stashed clutch of Easter egger eggs outside the coop today and decided to see if any will hatch in my recently acquired hovabator. There's a good chance some of the eggs could be EE hen crossed with Buff Orp roo, and a much smaller chance a silkie roo got in the mix. So for kicks I tossed some fresh silkie and orp eggs in as well. It will be a colorful hatch no matter how many make it! Of course we don't *need* all the extra birds, but you know chicken math...

 

[oldfartfarmer]

Bessy my Girl, protecting her new Babys,,
they LOVE there new digs,,tons of space to run,
there driving our 4 cats NUTS with the chirping,

 

[oldfartfarmer]

WANTED FOR THE MURDER OF 4 CHICKENS
"DEAD NOT ALIVE"