New member

[debid]

Welcome to the community!

I wanted to add onto the comment recommending against the treat dispenser.

I use treats to train mine. I toss the treats into the enclosure and ring a (loud) bell that hangs on their coop. Do this fairly regularly (once a day is plenty) and they will associate the noise with a treat.
This way, if I let them out for ranging (whether intentionally or someone else's child opens the door), I can get them to go back in without a chase by ringing the bell. They learn quickly that good things to eat are in their enclosure when that noise sounds and they will come running to get it.
And, some treats are more nutritious than others. Try not to give the chicken equivalent of junk food too often, they'll be plenty excited about things that are better for them.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and a belated welcome to BYC!

We fight high humidity here, and one thing that helps is horse bedding pellets in the coop. Those absorb and dry out the poops. We put stall freshener on the walkways, and that helps a little, too.

We also ferment sometimes using quart jars. You can put what you want in those, scratch and/or feed, fill half full, then fill the rest with water. Keep it covered with cheesecloth or something like it so it can breath but keep dust and bugs out. Stir it every day and keep a layer of water on the top of it. If your water is chlorinated, you can sit it out in buckets for 24/48 hours uncovered and that should get rid of most of it. On the third or fourth day you can serve it. We use silicone dishes to serve. Those can't be tipped over by chickens and are dishwasher safe.