MJ's little flock

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Thats really cool, they must love that. Do they roost in there overnight?

Duh! you did say 'roosting box' lol

 

[MaryJanet]

Thats really cool, they must love that. Do they roost in there overnight?

Last night was their first night sleeping in there. I carried them in after dark.

Tonight (it's 7pm and dark outside where I live) they are sleeping in there for the second time. Again, I carried them in after dark.

Tomorrow night perhaps they'll go to roost in the new roosting box. Maybe the night after. I've only kept chickens for a few years, so I'm not very experienced, but in that limited experience, I've noticed it can take a few nights for hens to habituate to a new roost.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I described it a few pages back in this post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mjs-little-flock.1334809/post-27098946

Thank you!!! Your log ladder puts mine to shame! (I'm obsessed with logs in my chicken run. I would use logs as a ramp, but, i value the ground space under the ramp.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thank you!!! Your log ladder puts mine to shame! (I'm obsessed with logs in my chicken run. I would use logs as a ramp, but, i value the ground space under the ramp.

The hens at my house love standing on logs. They seem to appreciate being that little bit higher up.

Logs are also handy for me to stand on if I need extra reach and handy to sit on too.

 

[LozzyR]

Hey @Sussex19 , how are holding up? Here’s another hug if you need it.

 

[MaryJanet]

Hey @Sussex19 , how are holding up? Here’s another hug if you need it.

x2

(good on ya Loz)

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

It looks wonderful, and carefully thought. Can I move in with them ?

Too late, I already am! Lol

 

[BY Bob]

Just incredible. I love the props as well. It gives the pictures a contemporary painting jungle feeling, Frida Kahlo or Douanier Rousseau ? (My knowledge of art is very limited, trying to describe the impression).

I think you are lucky or your car is more confortable than ours ! Rides here have been going from barely bearable to utter nightmare.

I have a big issue with the ramp/stair/ladder thing to reach their roost. We made a ramp because the old ladder seemed to be dreadful for the older hens. Turns out they hate the ramp as well even though it's a very slight inclination and there are steps every 10 cm. And now four of my chickens have bumblefeet.
I’m thinking about either piling logs or making a stair, but the roost height is 1.30 m / 4feet2, which is a bit high for piling logs. I tried putting two chairs with different heights and the chickens didn't understood what it was for.

I’m hesitant to try to make stairs, because i’m not certain that would be better than the ramp, and if we have to make them the same inclination as the ramp it will take a huge amount of place. Maybe I should just try to make a better ladder ? I don't want to make again something that they won't use or that will be unconfortable for them.

Sorry for ranting on your thread MJ. Now you know why I want to move in your coop .

Have you considered just lowering the roosts?

 

[MaryJanet]

The last couple of nights I've been so grateful for learning
how to pick up a chicken from Shad. All five hens are so easy to carry like that, although I prefer to keep a stabilising hand over Katie's wings as she finds being carried rather scary.

The first hen carried in (Peggy or Ivy) gets down and runs back to the big coop while I'm fetching the second hen. The second hen is not as worried and stays put, the first hen becomes the third hen and stays put. That's Peggy and Ivy settled. Fourth and fifth are usually Mary, who's so heavy and wide and long, I struggle to carry her and I'd rather not put her through it twice, and Katie who finds it so reassuring to join the others after the "terror" of being carried that she immediately makes herself as comfy as possible on the perch. Last of all is Edie who's a peach to carry and who also settles down immediately.

Tonight I'm going to serve the dinners in the run and sit on the bench in there and see if anyone goes up the ramp of her own accord. I suspect it's too soon and they'll go to roost in the old coop as usual, but perhaps they'll prove me wrong!

 

[BY Bob]

The last couple of nights I've been so grateful for learning
how to pick up a chicken from Shad. All five hens are so easy to carry like that, although I prefer to keep a stabilising hand over Katie's wings as she finds being carried rather scary.

The first hen carried in (Peggy or Ivy) gets down and runs back to the big coop while I'm fetching the second hen. The second hen is not as worried and stays put, the first hen becomes the third hen and stays put. That's Peggy and Ivy settled. Fourth and fifth are usually Mary, who's so heavy and wide and long, I struggle to carry her and I'd rather not put her through it twice, and Katie who finds it so reassuring to join the others after the "terror" of being carried that she immediately makes herself as comfy as possible on the perch. Last of all is Edie who's a peach to carry and who also settles down immediately.

Tonight I'm going to serve the dinners in the run and sit on the bench in there and see if anyone goes up the ramp of her own accord. I suspect it's too soon and they'll go to roost in the old coop as usual, but perhaps they'll prove me wrong!

Try to relax and enjoy the opportunity to carry them. I never touch mine unless necessary so carrying them around like I did with Phyllis on Saturday is a real treat. You are doing great.