***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[bridget-rdh]

Need a little help here.. How long should I keep the girls penned up in their new coop? I've read anywhere from 2 days to a week. Didn't let them out of the coop/run today and all but 1 used the new nest boxes. Roosting isn't coming so easy. Blocking off the nest boxes but about 10 tried to roost outside. My mistake for not pulling out that roost. I put them in the coop, then up on the roosts. Hopefully they'll get the hang of it after a few days?

 

[mjgigax]

. Yesterday one came in and as they were leaving the grandma said "we have been fighting MRSA with this one for a month now"

I just wanted to thump her at that point because we don't need anything like that in our office!

Joe got MRSA from one of his back surgeries! He almost died! His back doctor does not refer patients to that Surgeon anymore.

 

[mjgigax]

LOL you give me way to much credit, Kurt does bird feeding and watering Monday-Thursday, hubby takes kids to coop classes on Tuesdays, Matthew drives Kurt to classes on Thursday and now takes himself to his practices and that HELPS A TON!!! Kids take turns doing dishes and the older 2 boys each take a night of fixing dinner. No way could I do it all on my own. But my birds are my stress relief I love being outside taking care of them!

You are a master organizer.

 

[NanaKat]

Goodness Mitsi, you have a huge set up!
Fall hatching is not easy...especially when the eggs are not as fertile as I have had.

The hatcher is ready for the first hatch of bantie eggs l. I was able to use a 25 watt bulb and raise one of the windows enough to vent it to 100 degrees. Candled the 2nd hatch and set a third group of eggs. Will add a fourth set onOct 28 when I move the next group to the hatcher. out of 22 eggs in the first batch. Only 6 are going into the hatcher.

Spent time today building bantie nest boxes and prepping the garden for the freeze...picking peppers and moving the tropically to the hot tub room.

Made chow how yesterday. Ended up with 22 pints of hot sweet chow chow.

 

[artsyrobin]

sitting here this cold morning, guineas sleep in the trees, the younger ones have never dealt with icy roofs on mobile homes- so you hear a thud as they land and mad scrambling as they discover there isn't a whole lot of traction this morning on that roof...LOL!

 

[michaeldaugherty]

bridget I have the same prob with some hen's i bot from the peep next door ..Hope they start geting on the roost.. I hate for thim to sat on the cold grown. It was so moon light that they jumpd back down from the roost an wher all bunch up so pickd thim up one by one an put thim back up on ther perch ... Mine all run out with the other bird's i dont have gate on the barn so hopefully they will catch on soon ...Good luck with your's .... Macy had to go take her ats test today hope she do's good,, Gracemont is having a big get together tonight at 6 for all the kid's a spook house an lot's of game's cake walk an bingo ..An bis,around donated stuff to give away just put your name in ,,They have the drawing at 9... Jcat bring your girl's they will have fun...Every one is welcome...

 

[okracefan]

were is the at auction tonight?

 

[Ksane]

Goodness Mitsi, you have a huge set up!
Fall hatching is not easy...especially when the eggs are not as fertile as I have had.
The hatcher is ready for the first hatch of bantie eggs l. I was able to use a 25 watt bulb and raise one of the windows enough to vent it to 100 degrees. Candled the 2nd hatch and set a third group of eggs. Will add a fourth set onOct 28 when I move the next group to the hatcher. out of 22 eggs in the first batch. Only 6 are going into the hatcher.

sitting here this cold morning, guineas sleep in the trees, the younger ones have never dealt with icy roofs on mobile homes- so you hear a thud as they land and mad scrambling as they discover there isn't a whole lot of traction this morning on that roof...LOL!

And none is so deserving than a guinea! OMG you could almost charge admission for that lol

 

[Ksane]

Bridget's post didn't quote for me.
But Bridget, I with any new yard or coop or set up you usually have to physically put the birds into their coops for anywhere from a few days to (in the case of my Brahma girls) 4+ months. The Brahma group went into their new yard with a new coop 3 months ago and every night I have to go out there and shoo them into their coop. There's a nice light in there but it sits up under the 50' spread of a huge tree. The tree branches droop down like a canopy and I think nighttime sneaks up on them. When it starts getting dark they have to go under the darkness of the tree branches to get into the light coop and they're scared to. I'm going to get some walkway lights I guess.
Do your birds have a light in the coop? If there's a light and a clear shot to the coop they'll naturally gravitate to the coop when it starts getting dark. Most all birds only have to be reminded a night or 2 before they get it as long as you make the coop look appealing to them in the dark.

 

[Oakieridge]

Mitzi your set up sounds like ours. We have 2 big dog kennels that are 12' x 40' both those have 1/2 acre runs that are uncovered they can forage during the day. They have a 12x10 enclosed area in that kennel for shelter from wind, rain ect with nesting boxes and roosts. Then we have 2 hoop houses 10' x 10' only one has birds right now. The other is empty until some of the chicks are ready for the ground but that won't be for at least another month or two. Then we have a 10'x20' dog kennel that (hold your hats) has dogs in it! LOL But it normally is for birds. Once we find the momma dog a home it will return to being a bird coop. Then we have two smaller kennels that are 5'x10' that have Kurt's bantam cochins in them. They each have a igloo dog house for shelter in them. Then there is the chicken condos which has 10 pens ranging from 4'x14 to 16'x14'. 6 A-frame pens all with birds, Lastly is our feed house yard that Nathanael's Mr. Red and 2 hens use during the day it is 10'x10' so perfect for 2 OEGB to use during the day. And our rabbit hutches we have 3 that have 4 pens each in them that are 24"x36" each. That is where Nathanael's OEGB's live now but we are thinking of moving them into cages in the feed house now that cooler weather is getting here. It will be easier and cheaper to keep them warm that way. But they will have smaller pens and have wire floors in those pens so I haven't been in a rush to move them in there. We have plans for 2 more pens out of chainlink panels that will be 6'x10' for more of Kurt's bantam cochins. Nathanael and Jackson are still looking for little tykes play houses to convert to chicken pens for their birds, lol.