Michigan

[sarah92480]

The BSL is a pullet. The SLWs look like my 3 and I'm 99% sure 2 are pullets and about 85% on the other.
Here is a year old BSL. I'm pretty sure she is a rooster because he lays brown eggs.

Oh good. And he's/she's very pretty LOL! That was too funny...Oh I'm so hoping they are both pullets, that would make my day!

 

[chicken grandma]

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[sarah92480]

I was thinking that you could make your roof an A frame or pitch it up to a point because then your chickens could get up higher to roost. And you could add more ventilation on the ends if you wanted to. I know chain link will not keep predators out. I don't know if the chicken wire alone will keep predators out, you might need some 1/2 inch welded wire. That way you can sleep easy at night and not worry that something will get through the wire and eat your babies.

I am not sure about the nest box size either. My hens usually made their own nests in the pine shavings or under a bush! Once they used an old milk crate and once one of the bantys claimed an old tool box! Someone with nest boxes can probably tell you the recommended size.

That is a really good idea, however I actually already made the roof, it's just angled & I hadnt attached it yet so I could paint. I had planned to put a few roosts in there but haven't gotten to it yet I want to finish it! Hopefully this weekend, and it better be nicer outside. I was thinking of putting straw in there, what do you think?

 

[chicken grandma]

Dont worry though, those rooster eggs will lighten up as they get age...

 

[NovaAman]

I don't know Raz, that one SLW sure looks rooish to me. Wattles already. Unfortunetly it is hatchery quality having that single comb. Not saying it doesn't happen, but its not SOP. SO, the comb throws me off a bit.. My girls did not get wattles at all till they were getting closer to point of lay, about 15 weeks. The other SLW looks like she has the proper comb, and no wattle development yet...

 

[NovaAman]

If you like straw. I prefer pine shavings. Smells much better.

 

[chicken grandma]

That is a really good idea, however I actually already made the roof, it's just angled & I hadnt attached it yet so I could paint. I had planned to put a few roosts in there but haven't gotten to it yet I want to finish it! Hopefully this weekend, and it better be nicer outside. I was thinking of putting straw in there, what do you think?

I have heard that the roosts have to be higher than the nest boxes because the chickens like to be as high as possible when they sleep, for safety. So since your nest boxes are pretty high I am thinking they might sleep in the nest boxes unless the roosts are higher. And that is not so good because at night chickens poop a lot. So most folks have the roosts high and then 'poop boards' under the chickens and you can scrape those down in the morning and that way start out with a pretty clean coop every day. Also I think someone said recently that they used one foot of roost space for each chicken. So if you have 6 chicks then you need 6 feet of roost space.
About the bedding, we were told at Michigan State that if you want to use straw then get chopped straw because it is easier to scoop up and it is more absorbent too. I have always used pine shavings and been happy with that. It is very absorbant and it is easy to spot clean with a scoop.

 

[sarah92480]

Thanks for the bedding advice. I do like the smell of the pine way better too, just seemed like its a lot more expensive?? Do you know where I can buy it in bulk, rather than at like meijer or TSC or something? How often do you change it out, and how deep should it be?

 

[chicken grandma]

Guess I can be thankful that it wasn't as graphic as the pics I showed DH. Hopefully she wasn't in pain.

M.Sue, my hen did not seem to have pain in her prolapse.

Thanks for the bedding advice. I do like the smell of the pine way better too, just seemed like its a lot more expensive?? Do you know where I can buy it in bulk, rather than at like meijer or TSC or something? How often do you change it out, and how deep should it be?

Sarah, I get mine in a bale size plastic bag at the TSC or Family Farm and Home. You could cover the floor about 4 inches deep with the shavings and then use the poop boards below your roosts. By scaping off the poop boards every a.m. and replacing them under the roosts every p.m. you will remove a lot of poop each day from your coop. Most of the year your chickens will be outside pooping so your coop wil stay clean in the day. On those Winter days when they are stuck in the coop, you will have to pick up the soiled pine shavings and replace them or you can just keep putting fresh pine shavings on top of the soiled ones. That is called the deep litter method. You can research that a bit on this BYC site by typing the 'deep litter' method into the search box.
I used to just use a kitty litter scoop and replace the soiled pine shavings myself but there are different opinions on that. One concern is that if your coop as an ammonia smell from the feces, the chickens lungs can be adversely affected.

Good nite all!

 

[1muttsfan]

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Thanks! That outside fence is actually just chain link at this point, but I will also be covering it with chicken wire, just haven't gotten to it yet. There's 2 "windows" above the next boxes which I put chicken wire on also. Think that is enough ventilation? They are pretty big. I made the next boxes to be like 15x12, I had hoped that was big enough.  But maybe I'm totally wrong?? I can probably alter that pretty easily if I need to. I appreciate the info and that others are helping me worry about everything Im missing

hardware cloth would be better than chicken wire for the lowest 2-3 feet of the run, and for the window covering.
Straw does not absorb moisture as well as kiln-dried pine shavings.

Yeah, I showed DH pics on the site of other prolapsed hens and he said it looked nothing like the those pics....just bulging. 

Msue, that is not a prolapse, probably just post-mortem change.

The BSL is a pullet. The SLWs look like my 3 and I'm 99% sure 2 are pullets and about 85% on the other.
Here is a year old BSL. I'm pretty sure she is a rooster because he lays brown eggs. 


 

Hee hee!


Taprock, leave your hen in the sin bin until she is eating and drinking well and exudes a sense of outrage. If you let her out and she heads back to brood, just put her back in for another few days.