OH MY GOSH THAT WAS AWESOME

[glendaschicks]

Thanks mithious! Your suggestions make sense to me. I'm out of my league here, but really enjoying the learning process.
Your "continuing saga" amazes me once again! Maybe, at some point, I will be able to replicate a semblance of chicken sounds. We can hope...

And to theoldchick; yes, that is an awesome tractor!

 

[mithious]

Ahh don't thank me yet, until something I said actually works for you

I have been imitating chickens since I was 2. My Daddy and I raised Plymouth Barred Rocks, starting back in the early 60's and on, so as a kid, of course you know, kids imitate everything lol! I had great talks with the chickens back then!! I swear they talked back too!! I went out this morning, to do chores and the two that like climbing up my back, onto my shoulders and head, I always cuddle them in the morning. They are a bit smaller and I think at the bottom of the pecking order, so their feet feel cool to me, so I think they just want to warm up like they would with a mamma chicken.

They are nice and warm when everyone is sleeping in the huddle, they sleep in the middle, but once everyone is up, their little feet get cool, so I stand there and cuddle till they want down, and off they go, all content. By then, the sun is up enough for the window I put on the east side, to warm the coop up nice! We have had a few cool nights, the past few nights. Really weird weather we are having this summer. Even for here, the temps are all over the place.

Glad you are enjoying the saga of our coop

I worked with dogs too, for years and years and my Daddy taught me animal husbandry, so I am using some of that, and some natural instincts, and common sense all put together. Seems to be working so far. My flock is healthy, happy and thriving! Even though they are hatchery chicks. This is my first time with the hatchery ones, so it is a new experience and although a chicken is a chicken, there really is a big difference in a breeders chickens and this hatchery lot. I seem to have to teach them everything! I had expected to do that to some degree, but everything?

I'm not going to do the hatchery chicks again. Next year I am going back to the heritage birds. I love my guys and gals, and this has been a very fun experience, but there is such a huge difference, in so many ways, that I did not realize there would be, that I am going back! I have 10 Plymouth Barred Rocks on order and am on a waiting list for the spring for them and 6 Dominiques I am on a waiting list for also for spring and both are heritage lots. I can't wait. I'm sure most of these current chicks will do fine with eggs for a bit, so they will stay for now, but I will faze them out, over time, and stay with the heritage breeds! This was a good way for me to get back into chickens again though, after quite a few years of not having any!

Yeah I love that tractor. Think I might make one for here, next year. We still have atleast two more buildings and many runs to build, after this one is finished, for next years flock. Plus I am going to try a wired fence too, so I can free range them, but not this year...too much on our plate for this year already

Possibly in the spring, after mud season is done we can start the fence project!

I love all things animal!!!

 

[DallasCriftins]

I move the tractor every two days often several of its own lengths I have had the 28 chicks in there from 6 weeks old and I found 3 days meant the grass was a bit too badly damaged and took a while to recover

at 8 weeks they were let out into the field all day so the grass is not so heavily scratched but I still move it every two - three days

They have never had a homing problem even though they now rome to the other fields and the "big" birds coops but I can normally get them all in by simply walking around behind them. It took about a week for them to learn to use the ramp on their own but now they all are in bed before dusk.

I hang a food tray on the back of the mesh when I close up the TV they like that

I do use the flock principle to my advantage they will come running for food and yes once the door is shut any outside immediately want in

We only have buzzards here and so far never lost a bird to one

The biggest risk to mine is probably being trampled by my sheep as they like growers pellet or having their necks tested by one of the Geese.

 

[Sizhasasilke]

that chicken coop is amazing!!!!!

 

[DallasCriftins]

It is home to 10 Roasters at the moment it did have 17 in there but we have eaten 7.
It seems only a short time ago they were all playing the what are we game.

this was the original pic of some of the known roos we hatched perched on the front door Welsumer Roo on the right



And a few weeks ago.



Now they are almost full grown Roasters

 

[DallasCriftins]

Ps

My latest batch of Hens are in a temporary coop I have made out of my horse box and that really is easy to move about as it has 4 car size wheels on it and is also 100% predator proof as it is mostly made of sheet Metal! and this chap can't pinch the food




As for the tractor above I am going to fit bigger wheels on it next year as my field is too uneven and it bottoms out occasionally.

 

[Sizhasasilke]

Cool