Montana

[DuginMT]

The chicks breezed through their first night in the coop! They were all on the floor at 7:00 this morning and when we opened the pop door four came out pretty fast, then four took their time and we had to shoo the last five out.

Happy with the performance of the coop. Had the vents open just over half way last night and it never got below 50 in there (low of 40 outside) and I checked for condensation this morning and there was none. It was a damp night too. The Nite Guard red blinking lights arrive today so we are looking forward to putting them on. Happy Derby Day!

 

[midasmychicken]

I haven't posted for a really long time , does anyone know where I can get a nice, still air, cheap incubator?

 

[karlamaria]

Hi all, been busy with mom as she was put in rehab and was going down hill so it has been very hard to deal with, prayers are working, mom is much better, still can not walk on her own but can get up with a lift and help. She is still in much pain but. Today she is actually coherent . She has been out of it for quit a while and though I worried she may not make it back, she is doing better today.

Bonny, I'm so sorry about the mess with the chickens and coop and all that. I guess I should have listened to that still small voice , but instead went full force ahead any ways. Beings I bought the chickens I felt lead to get them instead of backing out. Mom wanted chickens so badly, but she kept failing and. I kept thinking she would get better enough to have what she so desired. We all want to please those we love, mom is my best friend, and in these last days I wanted her to es happy as I could make her. Your babies are doing very well, there having fun with all the other young birds she purchased and and is the favorite of the family.

My girl Henry penny had 6 leghorn mixes that are almost one month old now, and man are they bold. I believe I have only one, possibly 2 pullets out of the six, the roosters combs are pink and big. They have from almost the beginning taken the reigns of there own fate, they forage amazingly well, they are front and center when treats are given, even taking out of the mouths of the adults ! There bold, and mix well amonghst the whole flock. Mom does not have to fight for them, it's amazing ! There bold little fellows to be sure. The other girl with her two babies is not the best mom, oh she knows she has those chicks, but she tends to leave them to go eat with out taking them with her. They stand there crying and peeping away. There the tiniest chicks I have seen ! Maybe bantams? There so sweet and cute, black and yellow. There nine days old today.
All my chickens spent the day in the yard. Foraging, eating grass and eating goodies I threw out to them , next week we will be redoing the pen and adding more sand. That is the best stuff ever.
I contacted a gal who will be processing my little roosters, not sure how long you wait until there good eating but. I'm assuming before they crow. One of them is so funny, he is strutting, and. Posturing big time. Not yet a month old and crowing his little crow and posturing lol. I said I would never process my chickens, but. Again I have to eat and want to eat organic.
Dug, so glad your chickens are doing so well, can not wait to see them laying for ya!
It was a beautiful day here today, it's only going to get better now. I'm glad I got tired of the cold. Hoping soon to get my tomatoes out and ready to plant.
Have a good night all

 

[DuginMT]

Karlamaria, sounds like you have a great flock of youngsters coming up there. I think if I ever add or replace to my flock it will be with leghorns, or more RIR's.

How long does it take the 7-8 week olds to learn to go in the coop at dusk and come out in the morning? I have a few that come out in the morning, but the rest just stay in there and we have to go in and herd them out. And they never go in there during the day, and at 7 each night we go out there and none of them are in there yet, so we have to round them up and put them in the coop, one by one. They have only been out of the brooder for three days now. I thought about just not worrying about it but I don't want them out in the cold of the run at night where they have minimal protection from weasels, etc., and I want them to come pouring out of the coop when I open the chicken door to start enjoying being chickens in the morning! Do I have mentally challenged birds or is this normal?

We put three of the Nite Guard solar predator lights on the coop Saturday and they worked the first night after taking them out of the box.. They are brighter than I thought they would be for being so small. Looks like a disco-tek down by the coop!

 

[FlySammyJ]

I was talking to the old folks in the family about my chickens, and they have so many tips and stories, I think they're almost more excited than I am. They told me that when I start training them to go in the coop at night, I should take a bucket of scratch grains with me and shake it. Once they learn that sound and associate it with yummy food, they will follow it anywhere. Of course this is my first round of chicks, so I'm just repeating what I've been told.

Do report back on those Nite Guard lights, DouginMT! I saw an ad for them in the Mother Earth News and was wondering how well they work.

Karlamaria, you have my sympathy. Please don't beat yourself up over the decision to get your Mom her chickens. I'm sure she has enjoyed them immensely, and I know if a little bit of trouble over chicken arrangements on my part brought any joy to my Mom, I would think it was worth it.

 

[karlamaria]

Dug and Sammy, it's the smartest thing to do now what I learned on my own, teach them as there soooo smart. Dug does your coop have windows? My know night and day as there are windows on all 4 sides. I taught mine to come by my voice and goodies. Every time I wanted them in the coop or out I in a high pitched voice said .. ' where's my girls' where's my girls and then dropped goodies. They learned that my voice in that pitch means goodies. When I wanted to put them back in te pen at night I shook a pill bottle and again dropped catch in the pen and they went in to get it. Over a few days they learned these tricks. My girls come to me when I call and go into the pen very easy now also. Dug , they will get the hang of it when the see the light in the morning and dusk at night. Feed them out side only until they et it down pat. If food is in the coop there is no reason to go out side. Also if the coop is dark they may not know night from day.my month olds are out and about real early and are now up on the top roost with mom. So cute.

 

[montanachicks]

Hope everyone is doing well -- beautiful weather we had today!

I had my first tragedy occur this morning......... went out about 530 this morning to unlock the chickens & found one of my BO's dead on the floor.

She had been acting a little strange yesterday & so I have been wondering all day if possibly she was egg bound. When I say 'strange", I mean she was being very quiet but never acted like she was in pain. She hung out in one nest all day long, so I was thinking maybe she was getting ready to go broody. (Altho she never carried on when I reached into the nest to pet her) As much as I hate to say this, I hope that it was that, and not something else, because I can't afford to lose half my flock. Everyone else is acting fine -- absolutely no problems of any kind.

So as soon as I got home from work, after I went to check on everyone, I get online here & read alot of different things about egg bound hens. I really think that is what was wrong with her, and I feel sssooooo guilty that I didn't pick up on something yesterday, or to be honest, to even think about something like that. She was only 14 months old.

Believe me, I learned a hard lesson, unfortunately at her expense. I know that alot of regulars on this site are seasoned chicken raisers & have probably seen alot of different issues with their chickens. For those of you who are new to this, please take the time to read up on this so you will know what to do & what to look for if this happens in your coop. I started with my hens last April & this is the first time I've lost one.

 

[DuginMT]

MontanaChicks, so sorry you lost a BO. They are such sweet chickens. Karla, I do have three windows in my coop. Things are improving, now 11 of the 13 will fly up to the roosts at night and the same two (a BO and a black Australorp) want to snuggle on the floor till I put them up; Great idea about training them to follow the scratch shaker. I think tomorrow we will not herd any of them out of the coop and see where they all end up by afternoon. Such nice weather right now. There is food and water in the coop but they really seem to enjoy their time outside. Tomorrow night I might not put them in the coop until after 9 to see if maybe I am pushing them too hard. It isn't even close to dark at 7 now. Have a great week all!

Doug

 

[montanachicks]

MontanaChicks, so sorry you lost a BO. They are such sweet chickens. Karla, I do have three windows in my coop. Things are improving, now 11 of the 13 will fly up to the roosts at night and the same two (a BO and a black Australorp) want to snuggle on the floor till I put them up; Great idea about training them to follow the scratch shaker. I think tomorrow we will not herd any of them out of the coop and see where they all end up by afternoon. Such nice weather right now. There is food and water in the coop but they really seem to enjoy their time outside. Tomorrow night I might not put them in the coop until after 9 to see if maybe I am pushing them too hard. It isn't even close to dark at 7 now. Have a great week all!

Doug

Last night at 5 til 9, I had to chase the last of mine into the coop. My Leghorns are always ready for bed while the sun is still shining -- usually about 6 these days -- but there are others, usually the younger ones, that want to stay out til the last minute. Dug, I also keep their water (in the shade) outside, along with their feed when the weather is nice. I got 5 pullets & a roo from Azriel close to 2 months ago, and it's just been in the last couple of weeks that they come outside in the mornings with everyone else. Occasionally I see one or two of them on the roost, but mostly they are still huddling together on the floor. Seems like it takes forever, but eventually they get the hang of things.

 

[DuginMT]

I am so proud of my chicks today - opened the chicken door at 6:45 and they were all in the run when I got back at 9! I am waiting until last light tonight before putting them in the coop, to see if any of them start going in there on their own.