My hubby is working on getting it set up so it’s not freezing during winter. We are lucky enough to have their coop connected/hooked up to our heating so once we turn the heat on in the house, the coop will get heat. Use to be my dads work shed. He put all the bells & whistles in it. We shall see how it goes. It has its own thermostat so we can regulate the coop temp.
So it has it's own furnace too?
Hi there! This is about the rooster. I was wondering how you are doing with him and how he is with the hens. I have a similar flock with 15 hens and 1 rooster. Some of the hens have started laying. I don't have plans to hatch any chicks (if that is the proper terminology) and the rooster does make me a bit nervous. Sometimes he is fine and sometimes he gets rambunctious and comes at me. I watched a great video on training a rooster and it has been helpful but I am still wondering if I need the rooster, if he is stressing the hens or what I should do with him. Just sharing and wanted to know how you are making out with yours. Thanks.
We have 11 hens & our 1 rooster. He has been a little temperamental lately but we’ve learned what his “triggers” are so to speak. He gets very agitated when any of the hens get out of the fence & he HATES the color red. We’ve noticed he will pace around & make squealing noises when he’s agitated. We know to stay away. Since we’ve figured that out, we haven’t had any issues with him. We have learned how to deter unwanted behavior. We pick him up & carry him around. The more we do that, the less he has an attitude with us.
Thank you! I think our rooster doesn't like plaid! I am trying to 'read' him because he only jumps at me on occasion but never my husband. Go figure, maybe it's the testosterone . lol! I am hoping to keep him but we will see how it goes because I really enjoy all of the chickens but he can make things unpleasant for sure. Thanks for responding.
It really doesn't matter what one makes what gets called nest boxes out of, or how many one provides. Ime hens will lay their eggs where other hens have laid theirs. 2 or 3 should be fine but I would bet you'll find they will all want to use the same box, usually when another hen is already laying an egg in it.
That is possible. My daughter has a pair of plaid pants and my husband has a plaid shirt that terrified our hens. They stopped wearing them before we got our rooster, but we know that our rooster hates my daughter's black boots. He has no issue with her wearing my flowered boots though.
To update myself: A few of my girls moved their favorite nest and started laying in the small coop again... in front of the pop door...We have 3 nest boxes made of wood and 4 made of dishpans separated by wood. All are filled with pine shavings. The favorite nest box rotates every few weeks to a different location. Currently, the favorite nest is a hole in the shavings beside the dishpan nest boxes
. I should be grateful. They do free range and at least they always return to the coop 
My older 2 have made some nesting boxes. I think they made a total of 3. ALL the hens lay in the same one. Very rarely do we find eggs on the other boxes. We might find eggs in the others at the most, twice a week.It really doesn't matter what one makes what gets called nest boxes out of, or how many one provides. Ime hens will lay their eggs where other hens have laid theirs. 2 or 3 should be fine but I would bet you'll find they will all want to use the same box, usually when another hen is already laying an egg in it.
Nest boxes where a hen will lay, sit and hatch are a completely different matter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...e-make-a-sitting-hens-job-so-difficult.74389/
