Michigan

[hickchick55]

Quote:
Thanks for the advice. My neighbors think I am a total whack job because I don't let them walk in my coop with the shoes they use in their coop.

 

[Henny Penny04]

Quote:
Got it now. Thanks. This make me wonder if my roosts are too low. They wouldn't be able to walk under a tray. I guess I have ANOTHER project for my husband. He's probably seriously reconsidering chickens by now! Winter seems to be when the droppings really pile up, as they like to just hang out in the coop instead of brave the snow. Thanks for the pictures, this will be a summer project, for sure.

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

My 3month old nubian keeps breaking into the chicken coop and eating the chicken feed and sometimes their poo.....

what a little stinker. I need to figure something out to still let my fatty hens in and out and keep the little toddler under control. Any tips?

 

[bt2000]

Quote:
The dinner plate would solve that...

.. kidding..

Had a problem with the dog going in and out of the coop. Solved it with a rod that made the entrance just wide enough so the hens could get through, but the dog could not. Only took a couple of times trying without success and no more problem.

 

[RaZ]

Regarding good hygiene practice...You can keep a 10% solution of bleach/water in a spray bottle. Just squirt your shoes to reduce transmitting any pathogens. Of course they should be waterproof and something that won't fade from the bleach.

I learned that in biology field labs where we moved from one sensitive area to another. And I started spraying my landscape tools when I go from one client property to another. I figure it can't hurt and I don't want to be the guy moving pathgens around.

 

[Opa]

Quote:
I like to have roosts higher than my nest boxes. Since the bottom of the lower nests are 14" from the floor and a 2nd set of nests set on top it required that my roosts be placed 4'
from the ground. To fascilitate the birds getting to the roosts I constructed a 3' wide ladder.

 

[Opa]

Quote:
If you were to post some pictures it might make offering a solution a little easier. Without seeing it I can only assume that you have the door too large.

 

[hickchick55]

Quote:
Great idea. I can do that. Thanks.

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
I like to have roosts higher than my nest boxes. Since the bottom of the lower nests are 14" from the floor and a 2nd set of nests set on top it required that my roosts be placed 4'
from the ground. To fascilitate the birds getting to the roosts I constructed a 3' wide ladder.

Thanks for the poop tray pics Opa. My builder is ready to start some easy projects since he got out of the hospital, so I'm going to ask him to build me some like yours. Now I would like to see your ladder. My roosts are about 5' high and I used an old 10' wooden ladder with a strip of wooden latice running the length of it across the rungs. It's leaning on a slant the width of the coop so it is easy to walk up. Problem is they won't use it for some reason. Maybe because of the holes in the latice? They still jump up on the brooder and fly from there to the roost. When I take the brooder down they won't be able to get up there, or maybe that will force them to use the ladder. Anyway, I would like to see how you made yours. Count on one ISA for you at Chickenstock!

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

Quote:
If you were to post some pictures it might make offering a solution a little easier. Without seeing it I can only assume that you have the door too large.

I would love to post pictures but I cant find my camera chord. I like the idea someone else had about putting a rod up..that may work!! I have a pull string coop door opener so the rope pulls the door up (slides it) and I hook it to the fence so I dont have to walk all the way into the hen yard to open it and close it. The nubian (her name is rosie by the way) learned that if she pushes hard enough with her noggin that she can lift the door up higher (I only open the door about half way because little stinker pants kept walking right in like it was her own personal doggie door)

Im going to have the hubby put a rod up tonight, that way even if the door is open all the way, she cant get through.

praying it works

does anyone know if goats will get sick off of chicken feed and chicken poop? I sure hope not! Shes already stressed from moving to our house (just got her on Monday)

Thanks you guys!

ps. still selling some bantam golden sebrights, three hens and a rooster. laying small white eggs.