Michigan

[sj3364]

Raz, I did the same thing. For a couple bucks more I got enough oyster shell to last a year.

 

[chicken grandma]

SJ - funny about your little roo!
And funnier yet about the BO who won't lay!
That is really interesting! All our 11 hens have laid at right abround 24 weeks. But I have never had BO's.
Wishing you eggs!

Does oyster shell go bad?
I have some that is a couple years old. It is in a plastic bag, looks a little dusty.

My bantams have used very little so I have been buying in super small quantities.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I finally had to give my DH the go-ahead to send George, my lone rooster, to the big flock in the sky. His hen had to be integrated into my flock last month due to his meanness toward her, although he had previously been good to her. I still fed him every day, and provided a small shack for him to sleep in. Steadily he has been getting more and more mean, but i thought maybe it was on account of needing hens. Yesterday we saw him in the goat pen and thought it odd, on account of him hating it in there, but didn't really question it too much. Today when we went in there to lay down more bedding for the boys we saw a dead cardinal, with a hole pecked in his head. It just so happens that i had a pretty boy who was always coming over and singing to me all summer when i was sitting with the birds.

I had noticed the quietness, since usually when i get there i have a little crowd who comes to greet me. I had noticed that George was not wanting the food i gave him; but i had never put the two together. It is obvious to me now that George turned cannibal. Now i wonder who else is missing from my little group

All this time i was busting on my Plucky roo for attacking him so hard, when i think he must've sensed it. He never attacked the other roo i had to that extent.

 

[Chickmate]

My heat lamp is slightly higher than the roosts so I don't knock my head on it all the time, but the roosts are 3 feet away from it. It's too high to throw much heat when they are standing under it, but it will hopefully keep the temp just above freezing in the coop. Glad to know it won't mess with their sleep. Kinda gives me a visual of them all sitting around the fireplace drinking hot chocolate in their little house when I look out the window at night and see the red glow coming from their window.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I buried my little singer under the tree he liked to watch me from.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Hi y'all

For some reason...the BYC didn't come up on my new mail today. Maybe the site was down??

Regarding the red light...I've used it for heat years prior in my coop during winter. However...I've read threads of people living in Alaska and they say they don't need heat. I have two winter hardy breeds...the jerseys and the Orps. I'm not heating this year. When they go to my friends in Jan. she won't have heat for them so I didn't want to yank the rug of heat out from under them. This way...they will be prepared.

Windy out today...my flock does not like wind so they hung close to the coop.

 

[RBahmer]

Quote:

that's sad. Sorry about your loss.

 

[chicken grandma]

Oh yes, I think if anyone is going to use a heat lamp it should be secured TWO ways to a place HIGHER than the roosts/perches.
I had a hen once who perched on the cord to the heat lamp. I must have had it too low and too close to the perchs.
Luckily, I keep a pretty close eye on the coop and was able to lift her gently off and then make sure the lamp and cord do not present a temptation to perch on!
Or touch, or peck!

I pretty regularly check all the ties/wires/bulbs and I take a wet cloth and keep the dust off them also (don't touch while hot - very hot!)

I am pretty sure I read on this site that younger chickens (mine are 3 months) need more heat than older birds. I am going to swear that I read that here somewhere.

 

[1muttsfan]

chicken grandma no swearing! And your oyster shell should still be fine

 

[M.sue]

My chickens are 7 months old and after reading all the posts I just might put a red heat light in the coop. They are healthy, fat & all feathered but having a little piece of mind does sound exceptionally comforting. If it doesn't disturb their them then why not....I know I like to be warm & cozy!!
I'm averaging 7-9 eggs a day right now from 10 that lay. Funny, when I do get a full 10 it happens for a few days in a row and then it goes right back to 7, 8, or 9. Little Sparrow(no.11)....I think she has just plain given up. Maybe too much work for her, she's so tiny.