North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good morning all!  Welcome newcomers!

Now that I have my "girls" in the coop/run full time, I have a question.  My run is completely secure, but I have been closing the girls in the coop at night and opening the door in the morning.  There is one girl who has been sitting on the roost bar in the run huddling next to the chicken wire. I pick her up and put her in the coop and then close everyone in for the night.  Should I just leave the door open and let them sleep where ever they want, even if it's outside in the run?

 

Morning all--Well I lost a beautiful Cochin Bantam roo last summer to an Owl by letting him stay out in lot-The owl pulled his head through 2X4 welded wire

I once saw a half-grown possum, the size of a medium cat, squeeze through 2 x 4 wire. Totally floored me! I was grooming my angora rabbits one at a time, and where they were then had 2 x 4 wire on the front. I had left the door open between rabbits. When I returned one well after dark, the possum was inside, rooting around. I shut the door, planning to go get something to capture him. He freaked out and went through the wire! I stood there with my mouth open.

 

[CricketR4]

Not the greatest pictures, so I'll see if i can get more later today. I can honestly say, this chicken has never crowed till today. We started with three known roosters, one got eaten by a hawk, the other two were living together nicely till about a month ago when they started fighting and the surviving one (Dick) ripped the wing off Harry and went after the other wing, so we sent Harry to freezer camp. Up till today, Boots has NEVER crowed, unless it's been while I'm gone for one hour every day? Anyway, do y'all think rooster, or hen that's started crowing?

 

[TIN CHICKEN]

I

I once saw a half-grown possum, the size of a medium cat, squeeze through 2 x 4 wire. Totally floored me! I was grooming my angora rabbits one at a time, and where they were then had 2 x 4 wire on the front. I had left the door open between rabbits. When I returned one well after dark, the possum was inside, rooting around. I shut the door, planning to go get something to capture him. He freaked out and went through the wire! I stood there with my mouth open.

I even stopped using standard 1" chicken wire because I was getting black snakes in my coop and runway - they squeeze right through the holes in the wire. I now use what is called hardware cloth. It is heavy gauge galvanized wire with only 1/4" openings. It is a little more expensive but it keeps everything out - birds, snakes, mice, you name it.

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Not the greatest pictures, so I'll see if i can get more later today. I can honestly say, this chicken has never crowed till today. We started with three known roosters, one got eaten by a hawk, the other two were living together nicely till about a month ago when they started fighting and the surviving one (Dick) ripped the wing off Harry and went after the other wing, so we sent Harry to freezer camp. Up till today, Boots has NEVER crowed, unless it's been while I'm gone for one hour every day? Anyway, do y'all think rooster, or hen that's started crowing?

boots is defintely looks like a rooster

 

[KristanB]

What r the pros and cons of using sand in the coops? Thanks!

 

[KBG204]

Hope everyone is having a good day. Chicks are enjoying there first day in the tractor, they are having a good time!

 

[atmaclean]

Quote:
I weighed that egg I got and it was 122 grams! I wonder if anyone else has gotten eggs that big? Anyone know what the biggest one ever from a chicken weighed? (I don't know - just wondering). As for getting the babies (or adults) back up, I can just call mine with the "call" that I use for them and they just come tearing back because they know it means a treat is awaiting. They either get millet or mealworms when I call them in that way. Anytime of day, they will come running if they hear me call them. I've been doing that with them since I got them. Now the new babies have learned it too! LOL! They just learned it from the older ones, I guess. You could always start it anytime, I would think. Just be sure to reward them with a treat and they learn pretty quickly to come when you call.... OTOH, most of them also come running whenever I get home from being gone for a while but that would be a bit of a pain to have to leave and come back just to get them up! LOL! Angela

 

[audra72]

Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful warm day. My hubby and I are at work so I'm sure my birds are TICKED and ready for us to get home so they can get out of the run for a bit. Our 3 newest chicks are at the 5 1/2 week mark. Crossing my fingers that all are pullets. They are feathering out so pretty. Question- These are our first chickens that we've raised since they were hatched. What/When is the best way to integrate them to the rest of our crew in the coop?

 

[Matt A NC]

Right now I believe the world record egg for largest size is 201 grams. That is a tick over 7 ounces.

Matt

 

[atmaclean]

Quote:
I just put a yard of sand in my outer covered pen and thought it would be enough , but it only covered 1/3 of it! I really like the sand because it is easy to keep clean and it doesn't hold water and stays dry. It isn't dusty and doesn't really blow around. I had a lot of dust with the shavings and straw and with the babies this year, I didn't want them breathing all that when they were confined in there at night or whenever. If it gets in the water, it just drops to the bottom and doesn't "dirty" the water. The chickens can dust bathe in it if they want. I made myself a "chicken-poo pick" out of one of the picks I use to clean horse stalls. I got some hardware cloth (rabbit wire) and fastened it to the fork area and now I have a "sifter" that lets the sand drop through and keeps the poop so I can dump it in my manure bucket. I can clean the coups and runs out so quickly and easily and they stay nice and clean. I think I will need maybe 5 more yards of sand to get everything to a depth of 3" in all the covered coups and runs. It is not that expensive. I paid $20 for a ton which is right around a yard. If you look at the cost, it is really a lot cheaper than shavings or straw that must be replaced each week because you only have to replace sand maybe once a year. I am a little OCD about keeping things clean and don't like the poop sitting around on the ground day after day building up. It may not be for everyone but I really like it for my situation. Angela Angela