Michigan

[NovaAman]

Some of the bantams have figured out how to follow the cats through their little door.

thats how my chickens took over the garage... would follow the cat in thru her door...

 

[b737drvr]

Quote: That is a great idea! The only problem is that that is one more thing to mow around, but I suppose I'll live.
As far as the windows goes, I already have two "openings on the south side" hadn't figured out what I was going to do to seal them for the winter. I have already been contemplating another vent on the west or north side...should I have vents on all sides??? I do plan to have the run covered (at least w/ poultry netting)...was probably going to put a little lean-to of some sort for some shade on the inside. I have also contemplated running electricity to it so we can keep up egg production in the winter....lots of stuff to do yet. Was also thinking it would be cool to have one of those automatic "pop doors"...Will keep you updated as more steps get completed.

 

[yorkchick]

b737drvr -
RaZ is right! Chickens respond to food! If you keep a treat bucket and use it each day, they will come running when they see it or you! Also if you let your chickens out in the afternoon, they will go to the coop in the evening to their roosts. Since you will be starting them in the coop and run, they will know where to go to roost at night. Just make sure your coop has plenty of ventilation because it looks like your coop will get a lot of sun in the Summer and when your chickens go into the coop to lay eggs during the day you don't want them to roast!

x3 I started with my baby chicks from day one, calling "hey chick-chick-chick-chick" and then scattering some starter crumble in the brooder for them to chase. when they were a little older I did the same with treats like lettuce and veggies. Dried mealworms are also a delicacy. Now I usually don't have a problem getting the ladies to go into the coop early by calling them the same way and tossing treats. (There is one hen who is a little... special... who sometimes can't seem to get with the program. Or maybe she is so smart that she cannot be bribed. Whichever). When I moved my girls out to the big coop from the brooder, I left them locked in the coop for at least a week. When I did let them out, they were good from the first about going back in at dusk without any direction from me. I just have to be there to lock the coop up. If I'm going somewhere before dark I will call them in and close it up early for predator protection. I never worry about them when they're shut in the coop. Free ranging there are dangers but they love it so much and it is so entertaining to watch them that I do let them out when I'm home. I like your coop and run, and it looks spacious. I don't know how many chickens you are planning to start with, but the more room they have the less trouble you'll have. Chicken grandma is right about the ventilation too--and they need ventilation even in the winter. I had my coop made for me but I added a lot more ventilation than it came with (cut right through the coop wals with my Sawzall, that was my excuse for buying a Sawzall, hee hee)--then over all the openings bolted on double thickness 1/2" hardware cloth with a fine mesh screen between the layers of hardware cloth. I made it so I can close down most of the ventilation in the bitter cold--but this winter has been so mild I've left everything unblocked. I have all kinds of latches on the person door and the pop hole as well. So, security and ventilation both. Also, I am fortunate to have a lot of shade over the coop. Still got pretty stinkin' hot last summer but not unbearable. There are definitely things I wish were different about my coop too. If you want to see it in person, I think I am about a half an hour from you, you'd be welcome to learn from my mistakes.

 

[Farmerboy16]

Farmerboy - If you haven't already you might try contacting these folks about Brown Swiss heifers. They're only advertising bull calves, but it doesn't hurt to call and chat with them. If you're polite most people wouldn't mind. They may be able to direct you to someone else with Brown Swiss or may be willing to put you on "the list" for when they have extra heifers, or cull cows in the future.

Thanks for the link. I looked at where they are from, and found that they are 313 miles, 5 hours 48 mins away from my place. I have asked my dad if we can go to the cattle auction on Thursday to see what its like, and maybe find a bred heifer there, and he said yes. http://ravennaauction.com/saleschedule.html

 

[RIRJen]

Alrighty my chicken friends I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with growing Hops? I need something that is fast growing and thick to grow along the east side of my barn to shade it from the sun this summer. That wall gets full sun and the barn heats up quickly...I'm hoping putting up a wall of something will help and a couple people suggested Hops.
Any comments or suggestions? I lost animals last year to the heat because of that wall and I'm not about to let it happen again!

 

[Farmerboy16]

Got the results in the mail today.

Icelandic
Positive

Peacock
Positive

Tomaru Longcrower
Positive

​

 

[chicken grandma]

No doubt about it. They will get lots of sun in the summer. Those pictures are looking at the western exposure. I plan on putting the nest boxes on the east side, which will help, but I will have to be careful to get the eggs before they get hard boiled in the summer. I actually contemplated trying to move the little shed, but I just thought that would be too much of a pain and I might open myself up to more problems than solutions! I had also contemplated trying to raise the shed up on some cinder blocks so the girls could go under the coop for some shade. Once again, I just thought that would be too much of a pain. If this doesn't work after a season or so, I can always modify...

I really think it would be worth your time to put the shed up on cinder blocks. My shed is just like yours and I had two problems. One was that it overheated in Summer and my hens would get heatstroke if they went in to lay an egg. Windows that you could open up to get a cross wind would solve that problem. Second problem I had with that type of coop was that I got mice under my shed. Then my birds got a respiratory infection (spread by mice?) and I had to put the whole flock down. If you put your coop up on cinderblocks your hens will have shade and you won't have mice. Seems like it would be worth doing that. I don't mean raising it just enough for mice, I mean raising it enough so you get some extra space for your chickens! And using some chicken wire dug into the ground to surround it so only the chickens are under there.

 

[swampducks]

Oh gosh, I just realized I just happen to be going grocery shopping tomorrow, I hope this doesn't mean everyone will be out buying bread and milk.

As for being ready bird wise, it's all snow to the coop, so it'll just be crusty snow.

Is everyone whose forecast is calling for 1/4in of ice tomorrow evening/wednesday morning ready?

I am not. LOL. I am almost tempted to salt the path back to the coop, but I don't think I want to salt that for real. Nothing would grow... LOL, but I wouldn't fall down.

 

[b737drvr]

I appreciate the insight and the offer to come take a gander at what your coop setup, Yorkchick. Perhaps one of these days I could wander over there. Are you in Dexter or which direction from it are you? You can PM me w/ specifics if you'd like. Thanks

 

[yorkchick]

Got the results in the mail today.

Icelandic
Positive
Peacock
Positive
Tomaru Longcrower
Positive
​

ooooooh. Horrible, horrible, horrible.

I am so so sorry.

I am thinking a lot of bad words that would get me banned from BYC.

You must be in complete shock.

Words fail.