NY chicken lover!!!!

[HISIRISHGEM]

Hi Everyone!

It sounds like we've all been busy little bees. I had NO IDEA how much work we'd be doing nor did I have any idea how much money we'd be putting into these girls. lol We're trying to get ready for winter around the house and things have been busy here. We've been shoveling dirt from a pile my husband had sent for fill from the county.

The idea was it was supposed to be great for filling our garden and/or repairing the lawn that is uneven. Our neighbor has joked that it's our very own mountain. I look at it and just shake my head. It's work. It has stones in it and one HUGE bolder on the top

. Lets not even mention the large weeds growing from it.

We're finally making a dent in it but I hope it's gone before snow sets in. It was dumped in my front lawn where had things gone right, would have had more flower beds in it. Instead, I've been shoveling weeds into a bin, he dumps it for composting behind the fence line.

At least he has learned not to do that again. Hahaha

We managed to get the run door squared away. It needs some tweaking but it's great now. We had one roost up for a couple of weeks which we purchased dowels from home depot and those closet shelving thing-a-ma-bobs with the hooks. I couldn't believe all fluffy butts finally jumped up. My husband said they were laying on each other staying warm the other night. We're planning to put the second one up tomorrow, get some work done in the run and I hope we'll have some time to get the plastic tarps you've all mentioned. I would love to see what your using to hold the tarps down with and are you using them just on the roof of your run or are you also using big enough clear plastic to run along the sides as well leaving a small area open?

We'll put some festive tube lights around the coop and run like suggested here and we already have some in the coop. The water issue in the coop. That was an excellent question! I don't know why I didn't think about the heating coil element causing issues with the pine chips. I'm glad that was brought up. I was going to start some fermented feed shortly. We have a tube with regular dry chick feed in it but I thought maybe we should make some fermented feed. Maybe the water and fermented feed should be in the run portion then since they both will need the heated bowls? I had also thought we'd use the bales of straw around the run to keep it insulated a little. I think someone mentioned this earlier. I would love to see your winterized coops and run pictures as you work it out this year.

Welcome to all the new folks! Good to catch up with everyone else and hello to the seasoned folks who I haven't met yet.

I never post without a couple of questions so to keep with what's starting to become tradition, I thought I would ask a couple more.

I'd LOVE to try to let the chickens free range in the yard. I was thinking sometime this afternoon with my husband here. That way if all heck breaks loose, I'm not the only one looking for chickens that may have flown over our 4ft fence to either neighbors house or the back woods (oh goodness, please don't fly to the woods ladies!)

They are still skittish. The Australorps and Wyandottes seem to be very gentle and for the most part easy to work with. My favorite black and white EE is getting used to us but will fly (though she likes to make sure everyone in the coop is safe and taken care of). I think I have one EE molting as under her wing I've noticed some feathers missing and I've observed some new ones trying to come through. As someone mentioned on here, they usually don't molt very much as pullets but the ones that did, trended more egg laying. I'm hoping that will be the same for us as well. Anyways, all the EE's tend to fly away with one (my daughter named her Cinderella) along with (Lady Mary...Think Downton Abbey) flying too close for comfort over the fence.

I'm trying to figure out if we should let them out to free range at this time, separate the Australorps and Wyandottes from the EE and let THEM free range Or just keep all of them in the coop?

Second, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago to my husband that I felt there was a space between the lower bottom of the run fencing where something small could get in. I was right! I opened the door yesterday to find a mole run in there. Luckily I know what they are and have been around them often as a kid. Should I be concerned about this breach? Will it cause disease if it or more got into the wood shavings in the coop? So far we haven't seen anything but that doesn't mean its not there. Anyone have issues with moles? Do you not bother with them, fix the problem and let nature take its worse or do something else?

I hope everyone has a great week!

 

[Glasshen]

Hi Gem, when I first got chickens and let them into the yard I was surprised to find how difficult it was to get them back in. After many Lucille Ball moments, and sometimes enlisting whatever family members I could find to help herd the chickens, I discovered that basic chicken nature could help. If I let them out for a while in the afternoon, as it started to get dark they would all make their way back to the coop on their own! So, now I just plan to free range when I will be around until dark, and it is much easier.
I know very little about moles...but if they can get in other things can.

 

[cutipatooti]

Hi Everyone!  

It sounds like we've all been busy little bees.  I had NO IDEA how much work we'd be doing nor did I have any idea how much money we'd be putting into these girls. lol  We're trying to get ready for winter around the house and things have been busy here.  We've been shoveling  dirt from a pile my husband had sent for fill from the county.    The idea was it was supposed to be great for filling our garden and/or repairing the lawn that is uneven. Our neighbor has joked that it's our very own mountain. I look at it and just shake my head. It's work. It has stones in it and one HUGE bolder on the top  .  Lets not even mention the large weeds growing from it.   We're finally making a dent in it but I hope it's gone before snow sets in. It was dumped in my front lawn where had things gone right, would have had more flower beds in it. Instead, I've been shoveling weeds into a bin, he dumps it for composting behind the fence line.  At least he has learned not to do that again. Hahaha  

We managed to get the run door squared away. It needs some tweaking but it's great now. We had one roost up for a couple of weeks which we purchased dowels from home depot and those closet shelving thing-a-ma-bobs with the hooks. I couldn't believe all fluffy butts finally jumped up. My husband said they were laying on each other staying warm the other night. We're planning to put the second one up tomorrow, get some work done in the run and I hope we'll have some time to get the plastic tarps you've all mentioned.  I would love to see what your using to hold the tarps down with and are you using them just on the roof of your run or are you also using big enough clear plastic to run along the sides as well leaving a small area open?

We'll put some festive tube lights around the coop and run like suggested here and we already have some in the coop.  The water issue in the coop. That was an excellent question! I don't know why I didn't think about the heating coil element causing issues with the pine chips. I'm glad that was brought up. I was going to start some fermented feed shortly. We have a tube with regular dry chick feed in it but I thought maybe we should make some fermented feed. Maybe the water and fermented feed should be in the run portion then since they both will need the heated bowls?  I had also thought we'd use the bales of straw around the run to keep it insulated a little. I think someone mentioned this earlier. I would love to see your winterized coops and run pictures as you work it out this year.   

Welcome to all the new folks! Good to catch up with everyone else and hello to the seasoned folks who I haven't met yet. 

I never post without a couple of questions so to keep with what's starting to become tradition, I thought I would ask a couple more.

I'd LOVE to try to let the chickens free range in the yard. I was thinking sometime this afternoon with my husband here. That way if all heck breaks loose, I'm not the only one looking for chickens that may have flown over our 4ft fence to either neighbors house or the back woods (oh goodness, please don't fly to the woods ladies!)

They are still skittish. The Australorps and Wyandottes seem to be very gentle and for the most part easy to work with. My favorite black and white EE is getting used to us but will fly (though she likes to make sure everyone in the coop is safe and taken care of).  I think I have one EE molting as under her wing I've noticed some feathers missing and I've observed some new ones trying to come through. As someone mentioned on here, they usually don't molt very much as pullets but the ones that did, trended more egg laying. I'm hoping that will be the same for us as well. Anyways, all the EE's tend to fly away with one (my daughter named her Cinderella) along with (Lady Mary...Think Downton Abbey) flying too close for comfort over the fence.

I'm trying to figure out if we should let them out to free range at this time, separate the Australorps and Wyandottes from the EE and let THEM free range Or just keep all of them in the coop?

Second, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago to my husband that I felt there was a space between the lower bottom of the run fencing where something small could get in. I was right! I opened the door yesterday to find a mole run in there.   Luckily I know what they are and have been around them often as a kid.  Should I be concerned about this breach? Will it cause disease if it or more got into the wood shavings in the coop? So far we haven't seen anything but that doesn't mean its not there.  Anyone have issues with moles? Do you not bother with them, fix the problem and let nature take its worse or do something else?

I hope everyone has a great week!

I'm with glasshen, let them out in the late afternoon or early evening. As it starts to get dark they will go back in on their own. As for the moles I have tons in my yard and my chickens had free ranged near them all the time with no problems that I noticed. I would think the mole won't go back once the chickens try to get it. If a mole can get in I would think a weasel could. That would be devestating.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Hi Everyone!  

It sounds like we've all been busy little bees.  I had NO IDEA how much work we'd be doing nor did I have any idea how much money we'd be putting into these girls. lol  We're trying to get ready for winter around the house and things have been busy here.  We've been shoveling  dirt from a pile my husband had sent for fill from the county.    The idea was it was supposed to be great for filling our garden and/or repairing the lawn that is uneven. Our neighbor has joked that it's our very own mountain. I look at it and just shake my head. It's work. It has stones in it and one HUGE bolder on the top  .  Lets not even mention the large weeds growing from it.   We're finally making a dent in it but I hope it's gone before snow sets in. It was dumped in my front lawn where had things gone right, would have had more flower beds in it. Instead, I've been shoveling weeds into a bin, he dumps it for composting behind the fence line.  At least he has learned not to do that again. Hahaha  

We managed to get the run door squared away. It needs some tweaking but it's great now. We had one roost up for a couple of weeks which we purchased dowels from home depot and those closet shelving thing-a-ma-bobs with the hooks. I couldn't believe all fluffy butts finally jumped up. My husband said they were laying on each other staying warm the other night. We're planning to put the second one up tomorrow, get some work done in the run and I hope we'll have some time to get the plastic tarps you've all mentioned.  I would love to see what your using to hold the tarps down with and are you using them just on the roof of your run or are you also using big enough clear plastic to run along the sides as well leaving a small area open?

We'll put some festive tube lights around the coop and run like suggested here and we already have some in the coop.  The water issue in the coop. That was an excellent question! I don't know why I didn't think about the heating coil element causing issues with the pine chips. I'm glad that was brought up. I was going to start some fermented feed shortly. We have a tube with regular dry chick feed in it but I thought maybe we should make some fermented feed. Maybe the water and fermented feed should be in the run portion then since they both will need the heated bowls?  I had also thought we'd use the bales of straw around the run to keep it insulated a little. I think someone mentioned this earlier. I would love to see your winterized coops and run pictures as you work it out this year.   

Welcome to all the new folks! Good to catch up with everyone else and hello to the seasoned folks who I haven't met yet. 

I never post without a couple of questions so to keep with what's starting to become tradition, I thought I would ask a couple more.

I'd LOVE to try to let the chickens free range in the yard. I was thinking sometime this afternoon with my husband here. That way if all heck breaks loose, I'm not the only one looking for chickens that may have flown over our 4ft fence to either neighbors house or the back woods (oh goodness, please don't fly to the woods ladies!)

They are still skittish. The Australorps and Wyandottes seem to be very gentle and for the most part easy to work with. My favorite black and white EE is getting used to us but will fly (though she likes to make sure everyone in the coop is safe and taken care of).  I think I have one EE molting as under her wing I've noticed some feathers missing and I've observed some new ones trying to come through. As someone mentioned on here, they usually don't molt very much as pullets but the ones that did, trended more egg laying. I'm hoping that will be the same for us as well. Anyways, all the EE's tend to fly away with one (my daughter named her Cinderella) along with (Lady Mary...Think Downton Abbey) flying too close for comfort over the fence.

I'm trying to figure out if we should let them out to free range at this time, separate the Australorps and Wyandottes from the EE and let THEM free range Or just keep all of them in the coop?

Second, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago to my husband that I felt there was a space between the lower bottom of the run fencing where something small could get in. I was right! I opened the door yesterday to find a mole run in there.   Luckily I know what they are and have been around them often as a kid.  Should I be concerned about this breach? Will it cause disease if it or more got into the wood shavings in the coop? So far we haven't seen anything but that doesn't mean its not there.  Anyone have issues with moles? Do you not bother with them, fix the problem and let nature take its worse or do something else?

I hope everyone has a great week!

my monsters free range most of the day and as mentioned, come bed time they are all accounted for and snuggled in happy. The mole issue is good and bad. Good since chickens eat them and they provide protien , bad because if a mole can breach so can others.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

No clue if it's normal or not but I have 8 production reds about 6 months old. They lay really well, about 5 a day, but for the last week I have got a huge double yolk every day. I don't have a clue who it's from . Is that normal or even safe?? The poor girl laying then deserves a prize those things are HUGE. On a slightly smaller note my 5 month old leghorn (5 of them) are all laying now. As well as my Astrolorp girls started today with a tiny little dark brown egg. So out of 18 girls I'm getting between 7 and 10 eggs a day .

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Just figured if I could get some eggs to hatch I could add legbars to my EE blood. I just keep EE crosses for egg color. Lately I'm hoping to increase the egg size. medium is not big enough. My lavender EE's don't lay large enough eggs. My Oliver eggs does though. 

The only reason I keep my EE roo is he's big. Though he's black but his dad was pure Amer Lavender. 

I have reds mated to spitzhauben. Not sure how it will turn out but the eggs are good and fertile. If your interested let me know.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Watched the weather this morning and it looks like today is going to be the last dry day for a while. I have a bunch that I need to get done today, but I promised the kids that we would go get the rest of the stuff to make their costumes and then go out to lunch. I warned them that as soon as we get home we have a LOT of work to get done..and did I mention that on the weekend it looks like there may be a flurry in the forecast?

.I'M NOT READY..I'M NOT READY...I'M NOT READY!!!


Mole are like mice and I'm sure that they carry the same things. I have one that is living under the car ramp that I use for the ducks into their big water tub. The kids call it "Moley" It will be evicted this afternoon. It is cute, but it needs to build it's house elsewhere.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hi everyone,

On the lights around the coops and runs I offer this advice to buy after Christmas and stock up in cheap white lights. Colors are nice and I do use them when I can get them cheap. I just replaced quite a few lines with some I bought last year.

As for winterizing, I've posted lots of pics of my coops and runs so won't bother folks with more of those.

As for mice/voles/moles they carry disease and should be dispatched asap. The past problems hathceries and commercial farms run into with disease is due to poor cleaning conditions and rodents. Too give them an inch and they will take a foot. They breed quickly. I won't take that risk. Try to clean up and remove anywhere they can get a foothold. 1/4 hardware cloth a foot or two up the side should prevent them from getting in.

As for going in at night, I usually keep them in for a week or two and then let them out. Though most of mine are with the older folks so they follow suit. I did have a couple incidences where the door got blown closed and then it's chicken hunt with a flashlight. Once I found a C. Rock on top of the coop, Another time I found the Marsh roo on the hood of the van and last week found a marans hen face first in the weeds next to the coop. As a rule I go out at dusk and if necessary toss scratch to bring them closer to the coop. I've learned to "lead" chickens, not chase them.

Chicken girl thanks for the offer but I'll pass for now. Perhaps another time. I've got the incu full.

Now it seems Birchen Marans hatching eggs are not so easy to get. I've contacted a few people and two replies are they don't have them anymore, or so that is my understanding.

Buckwheat is sitting on an egg and I think it's good and should hatch any day. I fear as has happened that it's mispresenting and won't be able to hatch. I'm not sure who I'll feel more sorry for Buckwheat or me. Buckwheat is nearly 6 years old and I can't give her more eggs and let her sit another three weeks.

Gem, good luck with that pile of dirt. As Scarlet O'Hara would say,

"Oh, I can't think about this now! I'll go crazy if I do! I'll think about it tomorrow. But I must think about it. I must think about it. What is there to do? I'll think of some way to get it done. After all... tomorrow is another day! (edited for effect)

Love ya all,

Rancher

 

[Stuffedcritter]

thank you

 

[HISIRISHGEM]

Great! Thank you so much everyone. We'll try and let the girls out tonight. I think they're board and will go stir crazy this winter if I don't let them out. I've been picking them up and showing them what's beyond the coop and they look with interest. I'm sure they're probably thinking in swear words "why doesn't she let us out". I see where the moles are going in. We have the 1/4 in hardware cloth going from underneath the coop floor all the way up and over the roof part. I noticed the opening's on the corners of each side where it "looks" like he cloth is working, however there is a tiny space between it that either needs another fencing staple of another line of hardware cloth. This will get done today. I'll go in again today and check the coop out. I was turning the wood chips to see if anything has been burrowing in corners just in case.

Today we do the lawn (oh how I wish we could have some goats), I have to finish the other roost, repair the run so the little critters don't get in, get that pile-a-dirt down and start putting away some summer items for the winter. Speaking of which, I wonder what kind of winter we'll have. I keep hearing a possibility of an El Nino. Anything is better than last year. I'm nervous about this being the chickens first winter and us having not prepared in some way. I think we are doing well enough. Just nervous we'll forget something. Rancher, I love the winter pics you and Gramma put up there. It really has been fun to see how you've done things.


Glasshen, Lucille Ball is exactly who I was thinking of when thinking how silly it will get if these hens book it over the fence line. Hahaha


Thank you Cutiepatootie! I've heard that weasels are awful. I certainly wouldn't want one getting in after the hard work we put in building everything. We'll get to patching the area today.

Thanks again Chickengrl!

Luvmychicks I agree. The darn moles! I also agree that we're rushing to get things done in the nice weather.


Well, have a great day everyone. I'll update tonight with everything!