Michigan

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Mrs. ChickenDad - your inbox is full and I have some info for you!

 

[keyt1969]

I'm perfectly safe. I've been working with pigs since I was 7 or 8. Training like that was an absolute must for her safety and our sanity. It would have been nice if I was asked why it was done instead of lecturing me.

 

[RIRJen]

Play nice Michiganders! No need to have someone new come on here and see unnecessary squabbling...

So now that the rabbits are situated I am trying to figure out the new chicken coop.

Seeing as I've never built anything bigger then a rabbit hutch this should be interesting. I've tried before and the glorious structure I see in my head starts looking like a team of 5yr olds got ahold of wood and screws.

I'm half tempted to wait until a structure comes for sale on CL and move it to my house. I've got it planned out in my head, now I just need to make it happen!

OH! I keep forgetting to ask...I feed my birds twice a day...I keep seeing coop designs with free-feeders on it. Does anyone use this method? Do the birds tend to over-eat that way? I hate to waste a bunch of feed.

 

[chickflick]

You just feed them Layena twice a day?? Most people I know have food out 24/7. They are constant eaters and thought they needed the food at their beck and call. Of course when they free range, they don't eat as much pellets as during the winter. I would let them access to their food all day.

 

[RIRJen]

Quote:
Yes, I fill thier feeder twice a day with a mix of layer, scratch and a handful of oystershells. I used to let my chickens out whenever I was outside but ever since the incident where a few took off and had me worried all night I leave them cooped.

My chickens aren't by any means skinny and are healthy...I've shown lots of pictures of them to show that...but I just wondered because when researching coop designs I noticed quite a few free feeder systems hanging from peoples coops. (the ones that hold a whole bag of feed)

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:

Jen

If you need advice on building a structure, you can email Aric at [email protected]. He can either build you one if you buy the supplies and probably a VERY minimal cost for time or he can advise you making one yourself. He's pretty amazing at making structures with supplies you would have laying around the house too. He jokes he can't make anything else because he's used up 10 years worth of piles of wood lol

Food doesn't last around here to just sit around. Both the chickens and ducks have it gone in 5 minutes! It cracks us up when we feed the ducks because even though I may have just fed the chickens, they will pile up against the duck fence like water in a bowl when you tilt it. It's not as if they don't get enough to eat, they're just pigs. Not even my real pig gets that crazy over food!! lol

 

[Opa]

Advice is always welcome and sharing from our experience is always worthwhile. Not feeding animals from your hand is good advice, but I guess people could kiss snakes without any misfortune until you find one that doesn't like it.

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
Advice is wonderful, lecturing and talking down is uncalled for. People do what they know and what works. What works for one isn't always right for another. I guess I should have continued letting Bella hurt herself, that might have made this whole conversation non-existent. Might wanna tell that to the Amish too.


I've kissed all sorts of reptiles when I bred, raised and rescued them for a large pet store. Never got told off by any of the experts there!

 

[RIRJen]

Quote:

well put!

I take my rabbits to shows and I have some that are not too overly friendly...and I've told people many times not to poke my rabbits. Well, I got tired of telling them so now I put the mean ones on top and one quick bite from a 10lb rabbit usually gets the point across

My earlier post wasn't me picking sides on this arguement, it was me saying "Just drop it"

 

[RIRJen]

for some reason my smileys aren't working...hmmmm