MJ's little flock

[BDutch]

The henhouse is custom-built, and I didn’t think to give the builder specific measurements when it came to the roosts. He made them out of quite thin wood, so I took a leaf out of @micstrachan ’s book and wrapped old towels around them to make them comfy. I just reused the lower roost for the new one, so kept the towel. No feet issues, just for comfort.

Great you made it to add an extra roost. Your girls seem very happy but to me it looks like you need to clean more than necessary.

Never thought about replacing the thin wood as roost? If you buy a piece of construction wood that has a good size (like 4x4 cm for normal sized chickens or 2x3 cm for bantams). Scrape and sand the edges to make it comfy, and you have a perfect roost.
No towels needed, probably easier to clean and not very difficult to make.

 

[GodofPecking]

I’m also going to get the soil in the chook run tested for contaminants.

hi there, where / how may i ask?

 

[LozzyR]

Great you made it to add an extra roost. Your girls seem very happy but to me it looks like you need to clean more than necessary.

Never thought about replacing the thin wood as roost? If you buy a piece of construction wood that has a good size (like 4x4 cm for normal sized chickens or 2x3 cm for bantams). Scrape and sand the edges to make it comfy, and you have a perfect roost.
No towels needed, probably easier to clean and not very difficult to make.

I might think about it at some point. This will do for now.

 

[LozzyR]

hi there, where / how may i ask?

The Environmental Analysis Lab at Southern Cross Uni.

 

[GodofPecking]

I have a question for everyone.

The hens at my house definitely eat less in winter, but I've not measured it.

I've already done the googling and AI-ing.

Trouble is, you never really know if those are reliable sources of information, so I'm asking if your flock eats less in winter.

you can rely on their lies, which also goes for people trying to sell you stuff.

I haven't noticed in mine as they are fed on demand mostly.

MOST IMPORTANT THING which I is why I replied, they need a variety of foods in winter so they can pick out the food that keeps them warm, like drinking brandy keeps people warm (thats why st Bernard dogs, which are rescue dogs, carry a mini barrel on their collar in pictures, they are also a heated blanket for said found lost person who fat rescuers cannot reach as fast as dog)

Now people who do everything to get your money (advertisers lie -NO!! say it's not so!) will put a label saying this is everything your chicken needs and basically it's a bagged equivalent of bread and water for death camp prisoners, would you eat the same thing every day for life ?

in winter they cannot separate the no longer needed other stuff out and away from any heating food, so they eat themselves to starvation in the attempt and fall off perches and die. Stupid people say 'oh all chickens sometimes die in winter' and epic stupid 'chickens don't lay in winter' despite endless pictures and video and evidence to the contrary.

give chickens scraps from the kitchen, Don't do this at home, do it at your friends house as well, and at the local shops too if you can.

the variety is better for them, they lay through winter, don't die through winter, and if they are like mine, they bloody well raise chicks through winter. More than usual it seems. I think they like the warmth coming inside.

more I'm not sure, but I think you aren't aware of the right question.

 

[GodofPecking]

The Environmental Analysis Lab at Southern Cross Uni.

sounds perhaps not for public, but can people ask ?
thanks for your reply

 

[GodofPecking]

all the hens and chicks are lap chickens if you feed them a treat, but lap roosters ? they have too much pride and need to STRUT ! (but if no hens are watching...)

 

[BDutch]

like drinking brandy keeps people warm (thats why st Bernard dogs, which are rescue dogs, carry a mini barrel on their collar in pictures, they are also a heated blanket for said found lost person who fat rescuers cannot reach as fast as dog)

About the brandy or whiskey is a myth. A lie speaking with your words:
https://www.petful.com/working-dogs/st-bernard-barrel/

 

[GodofPecking]

About the brandy or whiskey is a myth. A lie speaking with your words:
https://www.petful.com/working-dogs/st-bernard-barrel/

I'm unconvinced and still believe that brandy or some other alcohol would have been most useful, even the reference says 'food and drink'.

Still the internet is full of things and people including non drinkers.

If I was freezing to death and a bernard came to me and there were just some rice crackers and soda, I think I'd prefer to die. I woundnt want to live in a world that made no sense in that way.

It's like australia where they kill people deliberately like bushwalkers and yachtsmen who when they call to say they're lost or sinking they can't 'give a street address' and the emergency services refuse to send any help unless they're given a street address.