Michigan

[Water Pixie]

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I am planning on going just for the fun of it : )
Dawn

 

[Water Pixie]

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How close to the roost are your nesting boxes? I have found that my birds that like to sleep at or neer the ground like to be as close as possible to the roost. So I put my nesting boxes on the other side of my coop. I also have a short bord in my roost that is a foot off the ground that some of my ground sleepers have taken to.

 

[gallinamama]

Top O' the mornin' to you all in Michigan!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

 

[harryof47]

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A new one isn't that much more, depending on which one you get. Check at www.GOFmfg.com.

Blessings

Harold

The model incubator that was for sale costs about $600

OK, now it doesn't sound so bad, I didn't realize it was one of those big ones.

Blessings

Harold

 

[Olive Hill]

Ours don't move for anything. And if you slow down they'll stand right in front of you forEVER! I figured out that the plow on the front of the quad in the winter is a wonderful teaching tool however, so now most of the ones who have had a lesson or two do move out of the way... eventually.... if you don't slow down.

*note to any readers who may have the wrong mental picture: no chickens have been harmed in the learnin' process. I go very slow, it just bumps them so they will move on.

 

[bjengel]

Quick question for all you chicken veterans out there:

What do you have on the floor inside your coop?


- as I stated previously, I currently have (8) 1-week old chicks in my brooder and this is the first time I've ever had chickens. There is a 6'-0" x 12'-0" addition onto the back of my shed that I am turning into a coop for the chickens. Right now the interior walls are faced with OSB and the floor is treated plywood.

From reading the "coops and run" section on the message board, I am for sure putting sand in my run, but am I stupid in thinking of putting sand for the floor inside the coop as well? I am thinking of putting linoleum over the entire floor (and up the walls a couple inches) and then putting sand down.

Everybody says that sand is less dusty and doesn't have to be changed out as often as straw does and doesn't stink as bad.

It's just that it would be a pain in the butt to haul sand into the coop because to access the addition for the coop, I have to go through the shed (no door from exterior directly into the coop area - the door to access the coop area is inside my shed).

Does anybody use sand inside their coop? If so, what are your thoughts?

How does the sand hold up inside the coop during the winter - I'm assuming that inside the shed, it wouldn't get as cold and turn into "concrete" like it does outside in the winter.

If anybody has some insight / suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

Like I said, I'm 100% certain I'm putting sand in their run, I'm just debating on if I should put it in their coop as well.

- Brian

 

[Olive Hill]

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Chicken sh.... poop.

OH! You meant as bedding?

Straw.

I would make your decision based on your cleaning style. Some people are "scoop all the little poos into a bucket every morning" people. Some people are all in/all out people. Leave it down till it's soiled then take all the old out and put all new in. Some fall somewhere in between those two. The material you use for bedding will make your job easier or harder depending on what method you use.

Straw is not fit, imo, for the "every morning" cleaning. The poo kind of gets all in and through it and it's not easy to just scoop poo off the top with straw. It is easy to turn over and fluff however, and is great for all in/all out cleaning methods. I'm an all in/all out type. Just makes the most sense for our setup and my schedule/style.

Shavings and sand on the other hand are great for the "every morning" people as they're easy to sift the individual poos out of, but not great for all in/all out. Sand being worse than shavings for all in/ all out.

As far as the sand as bedding itself, all I would say is not to count on it not freezing. I think that'll depend on your shed's insulation, number of birds in there compared with the overall size of the shed and it's position on your property relative to winter's prevailing winds. We have a sand floor in a shed here -- not a coop, but just a shed -- and it does freeze.

 

[SillyChicken]

I know what I need to put down... a sheet of linoleum to protect the wood from moisture!!! Then add the straw and POOP!!


Oh yeah.. and Happy St. Patricks Day!

 

[brkuk]

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Try brkuk, he's in SE Mi and has great birds.

Also I have bantams, standards and a pair of ducks that do fine together. They are all less than 2 months different in age and were raised in 2 groups (1. bantams were hatched first week in April & 2. ducks and standard size chicks in mid May). The fast-growing ducklings protected "their" chicks from bullying from the older Bantams until the Standards outgrew them. Ducks are MUCH messier by the way.

Thanks for the kind words Mish. I am booked on BCM chicks and hatching eggs. I will have chicks available in June. Thanks again Mish. See you soon. Take care

 

[lindah2226]

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Thanks for the good info Jen. I looked high and low for a hygrometer and couldn't find one. I didn't want to order from the internet because I like instant kharma too much,.... but I called Twin Cities Poultry and they are sending one right out. Cheaper too. thanks ,this site is just the best