Montana

[cicknmama]

Thanks for the welcome! Winnett is approximately 2 hours north of Billings. I have been doing tons of reading on here about heat lamp or not. Mostly what i am finding is that 8ts a personal preference, with alot of folks usuing more just a light to extend the daylight. Figured I would get the expert opinions of Montana folks that know the climate better, and have the experience.

I picked up a few pullets from a lady in Billings earlier this summer and her coop was mostly open. No heat or light. And all her chickens looked great!

 

[cicknmama]

Hello, I'm just checking in, we have been having a few colder days and nights... I feel the dampness in the air at night... we have had over an inch of rain... my 14 Australorps have been so happy, and I have too!! We switched out the 2"X2" and put 2"X4"... they seem to be happy with them so now we have to build the nesting boxes... we also have to put the wire (hardware cloth) around the whole coop and run, on the outside...
I think we need to add another water bucket, we have 2 now with 4 nipples on each, but I don't want them to run out... I want them to be able to go for at least a week before we need to fill them....
one thing I wanted to ask about them foraging, they are out most of the day, they seem to come in if something scares them.... I'm worried if they are getting enough of their food....
well I've rambled on enough... I haven't been able to get on line because everytime we get lightening, I have NO Internet...

Hey there, feeling the damp in the air also. We are going to get started on our run this month. How did you do yours? Any pictures? Still getting ideas. Been having trouble with soft shelled eggs at the moment and a broody ...both of them my 6 month old pullets. Didn't realize chicken keeping could be so frustrating at times. Still a newbie I guess. The soft shelled layer is one of my Australorps, are any of yours doing that? Well post pics of your run if you have them

 

[Granny368W]

Hey there, feeling the damp in the air also. We are going to get started on our run this month. How did you do yours? Any pictures? Still getting ideas. Been having trouble with soft shelled eggs at the moment and a broody ...both of them my 6 month old pullets. Didn't realize chicken keeping could be so frustrating at times. Still a newbie I guess. The soft shelled layer is one of my Australorps, are any of yours doing that? Well post pics of your run if you have them

hey, I will post some of the pictures....we just went to Home Depot and got some 1/2 " X 4' hardware cloth.... they have been out for months..... we have just a bit more of put up,then we will go to the wire all the way around the hen house and run.... we just put up the nesting boxes...I feel like we are close to being finished.... I never thought it would have taken this long or this much money!!!

 

[Granny368W]

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[Granny368W]

 

[Granny368W]

 

[Granny368W]

We have been letting out 14 Australorps out for most of the day but lately I have been hearing cyotes... close by too... so today when we went to town, I didn't let them out....I'm worried about those cyotes because we have a bunch of them in our area....we also have a lot of Bears this year...when hunting season opens they will start hiding...but right now they are out and in sight.... gosh, we have so many preditors.... when we got home tonight, I was hungry so I made oatmeal for myself...there's some left over, I'll take it out to them in the morning... well I'm so tired, I'm thinking I need to get into bed.... good night, all!!!

 

[cicknmama]

hey, I will post some of the pictures....we just went to Home Depot and got some 1/2 " X 4' hardware cloth.... they have been out for months..... we have just a bit more of put up,then we will go to the wire all the way around the hen house and run.... we just put up the nesting boxes...I feel like we are close to being finished.... I never thought it would have taken this long or this much money!!!

great to know home depot has hardware cloth. Going to start pricing that out too. Thanks for the pic, looks great. And I hear ya on the price of things! Yikes! My hubbyvsays we will never break even. Here's a pic of my coop.

 

[Granny368W]

great to know home depot has hardware cloth. Going to start pricing that out too. Thanks for the pic, looks great. And I hear ya on the price of things! Yikes! My hubbyvsays we will never break even. Here's a pic of my coop.

yeah,HOME DEPO had this plywood on special...maybe they still have some, it was right as you enter to the right a bit...over in the wood part entry...lol hope that makes any sense.... I don't see any pictures from you....

 

[cicknmama]

yeah,HOME DEPO had this plywood on special...maybe they still have some, it was right as you enter to the right a bit...over in the wood part entry...lol hope that makes any sense.... I don't see any pictures from you....

thanks, going there today. Tried to post from my phone, but for some reason it wouldn't do it. I'll try again.