New to Chickens - Question(s)

[Enchanted1s]

Sorry - I don't have all the terms down yet. By Coop - I mean the 8 foot square, walk-in coop that I just built, the entire fenced in area that contains their 'Nest' (the wooden, enclosed box where they are sleeping) and the red box that I added as a laying box. There is also a laying box on the side of their nesting / sleeping box - but she decided to use it for sleeping. The fenced area surrounding the coop is the pen - 20 foot square or so.

I did add a perch to make it easier to get into the red box - still working on it

I will see if I can figure out how to update my profile. We are in New Mexico, days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder.

I am happy to report that they are going to the coop on their own at night AND going into their nest box I have already opened up their access to the rest of the property and they are happy to be back to roaming free during the day. All I have to do is show him the net and he runs to the coop!

 

[TexasSam]

So - our pair is going to the coop on their own AND into the nest box at night. HOWEVER - she has not laid a single egg since the walk-in coop was completed. Her last egg was the last day of construction, while they were out in the pen. I kept them in the coop - letting them in and out of the nest at dusk and dawn, for a week. Yesterday was their first day out in the pen and today I let the roam free for the first time since the storms - and being in the tiny coop.

Do they stop laying when it gets colder? Should I start a new thread with new questions?? I forget who warned me about her using the laying box for sleeping and pooping... that is exactly what she did. I built her a separate laying box - but it was about 2 days before I got it up for her. Thanks all for the tips, advise and encouragement. Oh yes... I did buy her some Laying food and they (or the squirrels, ground hogs) are eating it. I have added some perches since the picture.
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It is completely normal for her not to lay.
It took over a month for my leghorn to start laying after I brought her home chickens don't like change and sometimes they stop laying for a while until they get comfortable again

 

[21hens-incharge]

It sounds like things are going well!
Being winter is on the verge of being here she may stop laying for a while.

I am a little north of you and my older girls have already started molting so are not laying.

Really great that they are coming around to the new home!

 

[TexasSam]

Mine show no signs of molting I wonder why

 

[Enchanted1s]

Looks like she is molting. There are a lot of feathers in her nesting box (where she is sleeping). BUT - yesterday - there was one small, but almost white egg! Her eggs were much darker before.

And there is more news - today we went out to check on the chickens and we have two ?? visitors?? I think they are two more of the neighbors, but they seem to really like the coop! LOL They are much smaller than our two. Anybody know what they are? They seemed very scared when our Rooster went in the His coop with them.

Not the best pic as I couldn't get too close.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Your visitors are quite young looking. Perhaps more cast offs/gifts from the neighbors.

I would keep a watch for even more visitors.

The egg may have been from a hen having heard your rooster calling and came over the fence. It looks like you have made them a happy home and the others are seeing it.

I do hope it is not that your neighbors are going to toss all their unwanted birds over to you.

 

[Enchanted1s]

They are the smaller than any of the others. They look so different, I wondered for a minute if they were even chickens. LOL

Haven't seen the neighbors today. Not sure if he will want these two back or not - but I bet they will be difficult to catch. They seemed very happy inside the coop this morning - but I leave it open and let our roam, so these visitors were out roaming too.

If they stay - do I lock them in with my big birds? I have been closing my two inside their nest box at night and opening the door in the morning. I don't know about putting two strangers in there with them? I was thinking about leaving everything open tonight?? Predators do not seem to be a problem. It is going to be close to freezing tonight.??

 

[Enchanted1s]

Your visitors are quite young looking. Perhaps more cast offs/gifts from the neighbors.

I would keep a watch for even more visitors.

The egg may have been from a hen having heard your rooster calling and came over the fence. It looks like you have made them a happy home and the others are seeing it.

I do hope it is not that your neighbors are going to toss all their unwanted birds over to you.

Forgot to mention - the egg had to be from our hen because there was no other hen in the pen, coop, or yard yesterday. AND, it was inside her nest box (where she sleeps)

 

[21hens-incharge]

I think so long as they are not fighting when out and about it is likely fine to close them in the coop with yours.
Are they getting close to each other while they are out without arguing?
If they are frightened of your birds I would perhaps not close them in. They do look young and I know you would not like finding them dead in the morning......

Ultimately it is up to you.

Weird about the egg. I do know that a hen that lays brown will always lay brown, green layers will always lay green. The depth of color can vary egg to egg BUT not a whole lot.

I am not sure what breed your visitors are. The one on the right looks a bit thin though.

 

[TexasSam]

Golden comets? Just a guess