Newbie - Looking to fix up old coop and add run

[3KillerBs]

Haha yes.. this blasted heat wave. We worked on the chicken coop/run all day Saturday and Sunday through the heat advisory. It's been averaging 92 all week lately.

Plan is to use the deep litter method with wood chips from the local tree trimming companies in the chicken run and pine shavings in the coop. They just dropped off a very large pile yesterday, which I now have to haul out to the coop. From what I read, that seems to work well overall.

If those are fresh wood chips you'll want to let them age for a while -- green, wet chips can cause mold blooms.

I have masses of pine straw free for the raking so I used it heavily with my in-town chickens.

I discovered that a mix of pine shavings and pine straw is almost completely immune to packing or matting.

 

[bvallang]

If those are fresh wood chips you'll want to let them age for a while -- green, wet chips can cause mold blooms.

I have masses of pine straw free for the raking so I used it heavily with my in-town chickens.

I discovered that a mix of pine shavings and pine straw is almost completely immune to packing or matting.

Yep, the chips are just going to sit for a couple weeks. Chicks aren't even going to be using the run for a while yet, so I have time to let them dry and also to haul them over. I also have nearly 4 acres of land with a good bit wooded, so can probably scrounge up all kinds of leaves and other organic material to toss in there.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yep, the chips are just going to sit for a couple weeks. Chicks aren't even going to be using the run for a while yet, so I have time to let them dry and also to haul them over. I also have nearly 4 acres of land with a good bit wooded, so can probably scrounge up all kinds of leaves and other organic material to toss in there.

You'll find that your chickens LOVE those piles of yard debris -- like little kids digging and tossing them around.

 

[bvallang]

You'll find that your chickens LOVE those piles of yard debris -- like little kids digging and tossing them around.

Haha, I've heard that might be the case!

 

[bvallang]

Picked up the momma hen and six chicks from a friend this past weekend, so thought I'd share a photo of them in their new home. Momma is very protective and doesn't want me anywhere near them - she will puff up and charge me. So it is a slow process of going in the coop, sitting and tossing chick feed to get them used to me. I am open to any and all suggestions to help speed up the process.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

She's got a lot of change going on there. New babies, new coop, new owner. They look adorable! I'd guess it will take her a while to settle in herself, and her protecting her babies may just be natural, even if she was used to you. I can't say, I've never had a mother with littles before, but I'd sure think it would vary from bird to bird. Might try mealworms. In my flock, they're the great equalizer. Specifically for her, probably not the little chicks yet until they can handle some grit. Just thoughts.

 

[bvallang]

She's got a lot of change going on there. New babies, new coop, new owner. They look adorable! I'd guess it will take her a while to settle in herself, and her protecting her babies may just be natural, even if she was used to you. I can't say, I've never had a mother with littles before, but I'd sure think it would vary from bird to bird. Might try mealworms. In my flock, they're the great equalizer. Specifically for her, probably not the little chicks yet until they can handle some grit. Just thoughts.

Absolutely, which is why I'm not pushing things with her. Though, she does make changing their food and water a little difficult sometimes...

I actually picked up some mealworms today to try with her. I put the suet cage up a bit higher to provide greens and some apple, but she hasn't seemed very interested. I've tossed some grass to them which they enjoy though. They are almost 2 weeks old, so was planning to put out some chick grit for them as I'm going to let them in the run.

 

[aart]

I am open to any and all suggestions to help speed up the process.

Frequent visits with no interaction, just get her used to you being around.

 

[Hidrainja4]

Take a chair a beverage and a book or cell phone. Spend some quality time with your chickens. They will get use to you quite quickly meal worms will make you very popular. Doesn't have to be hours ten or fifteen minutes if that is all you have will do fine. The fastest way to speed up the process is to not try and speed up the process.

 

[aart]

The fastest way to speed up the process is to not try and speed up the process.

This is great!