NY chicken lover!!!!

[Cass]

Is it just my girls or are all chickens directionally challanged? I had to rescue 3 hens from their stopping spot along the way toward the coop. Come on...keep walking...all paths lead to the coop, it's planned that way on purpose.

And does one bag of feed taste different from another bag of feed? 5 of my birds come waltzing out of the small side of the coop, crops full, when I walked down to shut the coop up tonight. I serve the same thing on both sides. Crumbles. Layer crumbles, to be exact. Why do they think that the ones on the small side are better tasting then the ones on their side?

14 eggs today. I am liking the egg counts, not so fond of the power bill. But I think the increase in power bill is more the heated water bowls than the lights.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Is it just my girls or are all chickens directionally challanged? I had to rescue 3 hens from their stopping spot along the way toward the coop. Come on...keep walking...all paths lead to the coop, it's planned that way on purpose.

And does one bag of feed taste different from another bag of feed? 5 of my birds come waltzing out of the small side of the coop, crops full, when I walked down to shut the coop up tonight. I serve the same thing on both sides. Crumbles. Layer crumbles, to be exact. Why do they think that the ones on the small side are better tasting then the ones on their side?

14 eggs today. I am liking the egg counts, not so fond of the power bill. But I think the increase in power bill is more the heated water bowls than the lights.

Maybe the chickens get snow blind, LOL!

How many birds do you have, Cass?

14 eggs -- very nice!

TOB

 

[Gramma Chick]

Evening all! So it took dh and I two hours to shovel 9 inches of snow out of the driveway and to all the coops and the runs. Not the whole driveway as I had to leave to go to work so he finished up. I told him I am saving up for a snow blower. Kids are grown and out now so its just us and neither of us have a good back so its time. Anyways, the terrorists stood in front of their big window and watched us impatiently as we shoveled out their run. Of course the first one out the pop door was one of the red sexlinks to check out the job we had done. Her approval led to everyone else piling out. The next run was the "big girls" run(the originals who are now 3). Holy cow, what a racket! Mean Marge and her sister nellie would not shut up while we were contorted trying to shovel out their run. They were up on the roost looking out the top vents and bawked at us the whole time. Mouthy barred rocks they are and always have been. Got an opinion on everything. I'm going to find them their own shovels and they can clean out their own runs while I stand there and nag at them. See how they like it.

My bareback hen downstairs is coming along nicely. Her back is healing up well. I have to dig around and make her an apron so I can get her back into the terrorist coop. She is not happy being caged and alone. I shall come up with something one way or another. Have to make a few for the favorite hens the boys are always on. Poor girls arent bare but getting there.

Rancher--I have found that if I feed too much scratch, egg production does drop. I have been buying more discounted greens lately to back off on the scratch. I always get more eggs when I do that. Not sure why. Good luck with your hatching. I am hoping to start at the end of the month. I like my 3 year olds but am not particularily attached to any of them except elanor. She is a glw with a crooked leg but she is a good hen with a nice personality who will be a good broody i think. The rest will go to freezer camp.

I have found this too ...Too much scratch ..less eggs ..Greens have calcium dont they ? they may still be getting some calcium from the greens ..Definitely getting more nutrients

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
I think they do . .get snow blindness ...especially in new snow ..they tend to fly more as they cant figure out the way ..
Rancher mentioned sand ..I shovel down to grass...helps them find their way ...
I think they secretly mark the path with poop / chicken pies so they can find their way back

This is next to our deck ...it looks like this under the deck too ..as they have got it all scratched up .
I tried to send a video my phone says not enough storage ?

 

[Cass]

I think they do . .get snow blindness ...especially in new snow ..they tend to fly more as they cant figure out the way ..
Rancher mentioned sand ..I shovel down to grass...helps them find their way ...
I think they secretly mark the path with poop / chicken pies so they can find their way back

This is next to our deck ...it looks like this under the deck too ..as they have got it all scratched up .
I tried to send a video my phone says not enough storage ?

I, too, shovel down to the grass. And most of them make it back to the coop, just 3 of 27 don't. Bird brains. LOL

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Any one here have Welsummer hatching eggs ??

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
When they were passing out brains ..they didnt stand in line !
I think there is a chance I might get a broody ..
The hens will cover all the eggs with their feathers while waiting to lay their own eggs ..

Mine like to lay them all in the same place ..
sometimes it causes problems ..when they all want it at the same time ..

3rd hen " I dont like this nesting Box "

" Hey ...I want the 1st Nesting Box "

" Let Me in There ! OOPPPSSS ! "

2 Hens " She went That-away --> "

" Okay...I guess I will take the 3rd one if I have TO ! "
So Funny to see ! Cant believe I caught it all on my phone ! LOL

 

[ChickPrincess]

I ran into someone at TSC who said he has 60 chickens and only getting about 4 eggs a day. Poor guy. He said he has supplemental light. I didn't know what else to suggest.

Yikes... I was reading how important both calcium and grit are, especially this time of year. I have been giving them oyster shell, but had no idea about the grit. I bought a big 10 lb bag of it yesterday. I'm sure they will be happy!

 

[marquisella]

I ran into someone at TSC who said he has 60 chickens and only getting about 4 eggs a day. Poor guy. He said he has supplemental light. I didn't know what else to suggest.

Yikes... I was reading how important both calcium and grit are, especially this time of year. I have been giving them oyster shell, but had no idea about the grit. I bought a big 10 lb bag of it yesterday. I'm sure they will be happy!

If you are only feeding pellets or crumbles they don't need grit...but if you are feeding scratch or any whole grains, then they do need it. Chickens gizzards are like grinders. The grit is the stone. The muscles move the grit around to pulverize the solid food. Pellets & crumbles will easily fall apart in the chicken so it doesh't need grit. Whole or part of grans are hard, and the chicken needs the grit to break the hard stuff down so It passes through to the area where it is absorbed. A gizzard will become stronger the longer it has grit in it. So, if you are not feeding anything that is hard, and suddenly feed hard grain, the chicken will have a hard time breaking the grain down. So, one should introduce grains gradually to a chicken that has not had grit before, or has been eating pellets or crumbles. It takes a couple of weeks with the grit for the chicken to get to its strongest point in the gizzard.

 

[rancher hicks]

I, too, shovel down to the grass. And most of them make it back to the coop, just 3 of 27 don't. Bird brains. LOL

I had a BR pullet who didn't have enough brains to go into the nearest coop. She hid under it and I was lucky enough to push her out with a stick and get her. I put her back where she belonged, but was worried I would have to leave her there for the night.