NY chicken lover!!!!

[AQHAchick22]

I have a question

Why do poeple lock up their chickens during the winter? I figure they will decide whether or not to go outside. Extreme weather conditions i can understand why you would lock them up, but all winter?

I only keep the door closed at night. First thing in the morning their coop doors get opened so they have the option to go outside. I also try to keep a path shoveled from their door to under the coop since they like to spend time out there. They refuse to step foot in the snow though haha so they optionally stay inside most of the time. I figure at least they get extra fresh air

at least they have the option to go outside...

 

[marquisella]

Miquid have you trying putting gold or ping pong balls in the nesting boxes? When my new tots,started laying they layer in the DL a couple times so I put the balls in the nesting box and they started laying in the boxes.

I wonder if you put a nesting box on the floor with balls in it if it would work for the silkies to?
Just a thought

Where do you get the gold balls? LOL sorry, couldn't resist...

 

[rancher hicks]

Miquid have you trying putting gold or ping pong balls in the nesting boxes? When my new tots,started laying they layer in the DL a couple times so I put the balls in the nesting box and they started laying in the boxes.

I wonder if you put a nesting box on the floor with balls in it if it would work for the silkies to?
Just a thought

Well I don't know if the chickens will be motivated by the "gold" but I sure would be. Just how much money you got?

 

[rancher hicks]

Morning all. Raining pretty good here and warmer today. Had to open up the plastic on legolas coop to let the air circulate better. This weather is driving my body crazy. I can't adjust to these changes in temp so fast.

Rancher...I want pics if you get those spiked collars on those punk chickens of yours!

After reading back on everyones feed posts and laying issues I will just say this. After processing my 3 1/2 year old hens I am definately feeding a little differently. Those hens were done laying (examined thei ovaries to determine that) and found quite a bit of fat on them inside their gut. Granted they were older and a bit spoiled but it was a wakeup call for me. Now everyone is on gmo free layer feed with supplemental venison (last years slightly freezerburnt stuff) and occasional boss. Fruits and veges when I can get them cheap and freerange time. I have found that laying drops if I give my birds too much scratch so I may hold off on it this year and provide other stuff likr kelp. I think its a matter off trial and error as to what works best for your birds.

I like the heavy black water bowls for my outside waterers. I have a two gallon one in the big run and gallon ones in the other runs. The black color soaks up the sun in the winter keeping the water just warm enough not to freeze unless its really cold. Its also easy to flip over and stomp on to knock the ice out without breaking the bowl.

Ok...off to work. Have a nice day!

I can't figure out where to put the studded ear rings.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: 8- 9 cups of fermented feed for my 16 chickens a day ...sometimes they finish it sometimes they dont .
If you are overfeeding them they wont lay ..the fat blocks the vent I believe .
But as you werent feeding them layer ..they may have not had enough calcium .
You can increase their protein other ways ...
Add some milk or yogurt , cheese or fish or meat to their diet
I give them bread cubes as a treat & moisten it with a little yogurt & milk in it
or try the fermented feed that increases the protein






I decided to do the fermented feed again for a while to see if it boosts them into production. So far, no increase in eggs, but huge solid poops, that is just as good...I don't know how long I'll be able to do it before its just too cold for anything to ferment in the barn.

Keep in mind, if your fermenting isnt done long enough, it won't increase the protein, actually decrease it because whole grains, if that is what you are using, are usually between 10 to 14 percent protein. Light is the biggest factor in egg production, along with sufficient protein. Anything you add that is less protein to their feed, reduces the % of protein, so its important to actually know your percent of protein in whatever you are feeding.

And water is important. I've always suspected that the chickens don't drink enough from the nipples because its true, when you take them away and they have access to a bucket, they drink like crazy. Also, it drives me nuts when I have good clean water in a bucket with the nipples, and they are outside drinking water out of dirty puddles....grrrrr.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have a question

Why do poeple lock up their chickens during the winter? I figure they will decide whether or not to go outside. Extreme weather conditions i can understand why you would lock them up, but all winter?

I don't lock up my chickens during the winter. I do cover the runs with plastic so they have a snow free area to be. Those that don't have runs I just snow blow the area some and let them decide if they want to go out and play. I might toss some straw in front of the coop for them though.

The hoops have an over hang that keeps the snow out some too. I redid one hoop so it has about a four foot overhang. The girls in the wheel barrow kept squawking , "we want a ride, we want a ride, we want a ride". They didn't realize the tire was flat.

 

[miquwid]

Lock them up? Like not even allow them the option to venture out of the coop? IDK why one would do that....last year my Orps didn't want anything to do with the snow. The only time they ventured out was that one day I went up there to open the door and they flew out and landed right smack in the snow-stuck! I'm thinking this year they're going to do the same because even last week when we had that little but of snow, the only stepped out on the one piece of grass that wasn't covered.

my definition of locked up is dependent on what I have ... meaning - I have my birds in a 3 hoop coop for winter - no other anything (no smaller house/coop) ... so when they are locked up - they are locked up in a very large 3 hoop coop with open wire on the front and along one big side to the south .... I open the door of this hoop coop when I am around to watch over them as I find hawks and fox more insistent to get my birds in the winter - so less casual free ranging.

In the summer - locked up is locked up in snap lock coop - which is a true coop - and all they have are their roost, floor and next boxes ! When I open the door they come out to a fenced in netted area which I often open up in the afternoon for full free ranging. I would never leave them locked up in that - - jail - - unless I had some sort of emergency.

So - my birds are locked up in their big hoop coop now (which is more like a run) because I have to jet off to town to get some shopping done. I'll let them out for about 3 hours of true free ranging this afternoon.

Did I just OVER explain !

I only keep the door closed at night. First thing in the morning their coop doors get opened so they have the option to go outside. I also try to keep a path shoveled from their door to under the coop since they like to spend time out there. They refuse to step foot in the snow though haha so they optionally stay inside most of the time. I figure at least they get extra fresh air

at least they have the option to go outside...

Okay thanks People tell me that I have to lock them up in the coop in winter, which didn't make sense to me I figure I will let them out and who ever goes out will go. I have a very large hoop coop as well plus a run the same size. I lock the coop up at night when they go in but I figure they can play in the snow and come in for warmth when needed, during the day and those who don't want snow have the run to hang out in and scratch around. I figure the most important thing is ventilation, no drafts, dryness, food n water.

Okay I feel better it's a stressful time and I'm letting people get in my head.

 

[rancher hicks]

I decided to do the fermented feed again for a while to see if it boosts them into production. So far, no increase in eggs, but huge solid poops, that is just as good...I don't know how long I'll be able to do it before its just too cold for anything to ferment in the barn.

Keep in mind, if your fermenting isnt done long enough, it won't increase the protein, actually decrease it because whole grains, if that is what you are using, are usually between 10 to 14 percent protein. Light is the biggest factor in egg production, along with sufficient protein. Anything you add that is less protein to their feed, reduces the % of protein, so its important to actually know your percent of protein in whatever you are feeding.

And water is important. I've always suspected that the chickens don't drink enough from the nipples because its true, when you take them away and they have access to a bucket, they drink like crazy. Also, it drives me nuts when I have good clean water in a bucket with the nipples, and they are outside drinking water out of dirty puddles....grrrrr.

Mine do this even after I've filled the rubber pans.

Which is why I worm with Exprinex, just in case. Oh and put ACV in their water on occasion too. They don't have the sense the good lord gave them.

 

[miquwid]

Well I don't know if the chickens will be motivated by the "gold" but I sure would be. Just how much money you got?

Remember there are silkies involved you never know!!!!!

I don't lock up my chickens during the winter. I do cover the runs with plastic so they have a snow free area to be. Those that don't have runs I just snow blow the area some and let them decide if they want to go out and play. I might toss some straw in front of the coop for them though.

The hoops have an over hang that keeps the snow out some too. I redid one hoop so it has about a four foot overhang. The girls in the wheel barrow kept squawking , "we want a ride, we want a ride, we want a ride". They didn't realize the tire was flat.

Good to know I was thinking about covering the run for a snow free area and I put a little shelter in the yard so they would have a little something extra, and partially since I can't contact the owner to take it back I might as well use it.

 

[JLaw]

HELP I'M BEING ATTACKED BY CHICKENS!!!! Man I let them out late today and they was hungry. I still aint feed them I want the little ones to learn to eat some grass since they been huddling inside the coop still and they are like 2-3 months old now I think. I couldn't walk really due to chicks/chickens under my feet. My RIR I got last month flew up into my arms and sat there for a min until I held my arm out and she desided she didn't want o perch in open air on my arm. So I took a bowl of scratch out for them and tossed it around the yard some man do they love it. Then again they are hungry would probably eat my fingers if I let them.

Here they are eating scratch the two turkeys are mad they are locked up in the coop but I don't trust them with my smaller chickens.



Well wife cant count yet again. Went to let the chickens out and one little chick was outside the coop waiting to get in. I'm going to have to build roosts outside I think to try and make them a little safer for when she miscounts.

Think I have a chicken with a broken toe or foot it's walking around with its toes stretched out not putting on toe on the ground picked up and looked fast and didn't see bumble foot so looks like it might come in later today wanted to let it walk around some and see if maybe it's a sleep for being in coop.