Michigan

[DaughterOfEve]

Here is another idea... a "Nella Brooder" box that we built and put in the coop for the very young chicks or the broody hen. I have also used it for the occasional chicken that was injured and needed a place to recuperate. I can hang heat lamps in there too.

LOVE this design and saves space with the double stack. Now the wheels are turning. Where is that squeaking coming from.

 

[b737drvr]

Here is another idea... a "Nella Brooder" box that we built and put in the coop for the very young chicks or the broody hen. I have also used it for the occasional chicken that was injured and needed a place to recuperate. I can hang heat lamps in there too.

Is that two brooders at top and bottom? This may be a stupid question...What do you do about roosts? Something like that might work in my situation...

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

LOVE this design and saves space with the double stack. Now the wheels are turning. Where is that squeaking coming from.

Notice that the chickens like to use it as a nest box too. I will see if I can find the link with the instructions on how to build it. I got lucky and my son brought the big wooden box home from work.

Here is the link to my coop if you want to see more pics. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/386902/we-gave-the-chickens-our-bedroom-pic-heavy

 

[Chickmate]

Here is another idea... a "Nella Brooder" box that we built and put in the coop for the very young chicks or the broody hen. I have also used it for the occasional chicken that was injured and needed a place to recuperate. I can hang heat lamps in there too.

Oh HH, that is very nice! Just what I need. It would fit in my coop perfectly. Now to get someone to make it for me!

 

[Juise]

Nova - Thanks for having us over, that was fun! Uh.. I don't get out a lot, unless you count running errands, so talking to real live human beings over the age of 4 is kind of exciting.

Kaia keeps talking about Aiden, (if I am spelling this correctly,) we'll have to get together again soon.

RaZ - I'm sure there are plenty of very nice hens out there who would snap you up in a minute. Problem is, you're looking for pullets!

OK, now seriously, I have a composting question. How long does all this straw, pine shavings and poop have to sit before it can be added to a garden? I know nothing about composting. I have been dumping all of it behind the coop and when it gets warmer I'm going to turn it over and mix it up a bit, but is it still too "new" to put in a garden?

Mom - Those chicks are too cute! Also, glad to hear you're having the surgery done!

On compost - Straw takes quite awhile to break down, years, but that is okay. You can put it under a good layer of soil in your garden and let it compost there. Pine shavings break down much faster. The chicken poop will be what you need to wait for. It is a "hot" poop, so it will burn your plant roots if you turn it in right away. It needs to break down for at least a year before you add it to your garden, I think some people wait 2. Same with horse and, I believe, cow manure. I know bunny nuggets you can add right away. Anyway, turning your compost regularly will help it break down, and also adding things that break down quickly, like grass clippings.

 

[Chickmate]

Is that two brooders at top and bottom? This may be a stupid question...What do you do about roosts? Something like that might work in my situation...

b737 - You don't need roosts in a brooder. Broody hens don't roost, they sit on eggs.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Is that two brooders at top and bottom? This may be a stupid question...What do you do about roosts? Something like that might work in my situation...

Yes, it is two levels. They don't really need roosts if they are little or if the bigger ones are broody. If you want a roost it is as simple as an old towel bar. We did this so that I would never have to have chicks in a broody box in the house. Can't believe the amount of dust!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Info, instructions on the Nella Brooders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/kathyinmos-brooders

 

[taprock]

I forgot to click multi so we'll see how much I remember.

Mom - adorable chick pictures

DaughterofEve - I have a hen that has a liquid filled cyst about pea size above her eye. It gets bigger, bursts and then goes down. It has done this several times. I haven't tried to do anything with it because it is so close to her eye. I'm not sure if it's anything like that or not.

Raz - You seem to know your plants, what is the trick to growing Freesia?

All the talk about African Violets, I used to have beautiful plants, B.C. Before Child. My son has Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Oral Apraxia, and was the kid who put everything in his mouth. I discovered him one day munching them. He would get them part way swallowed, gag them back up and then take another bite. Interesting phone call to poison center. He managed to decimate 4 huge beautiful plants, 4 different colors. I haven't had any nice ones since.

 

[M.sue]

On compost - Straw takes quite awhile to break down, years, but that is okay. You can put it under a good layer of soil in your garden and let it compost there. Pine shavings break down much faster. The chicken poop will be what you need to wait for. It is a "hot" poop, so it will burn your plant roots if you turn it in right away. It needs to break down for at least a year before you add it to your garden, I think some people wait 2. Same with horse and, I believe, cow manure. I know bunny nuggets you can add right away. Anyway, turning your compost regularly will help it break down, and also adding things that break down quickly, like grass clippings.

This is good to know because I was just asking my DH....what or where are gonna put the straw from the pen?