***OKIES in the BYC III ***

My hubby, 6 kids and I just recently moved to Northwest Oklahoma from Northwest Arkansas and are trying to kick start our little homestead. We have a 10.5 acre spot with a creek, springs, and a pond. It is apparently the wildlife and rogue domestic animal oasis out here-we have ALL the predators! Plus, tons of turkeys and deer. I'm super interested in what winter will be like here in the armpit of the panhandle. Our winters in Northwest Arkansas were very wet and lots of freezing stuff, but here it seems less humid in general and tons of wind. Just wondering how that plays out during wintertime.
 
Broody is still at it, sort of. She's been staying out of the coop pretty well on her own during the day, but I'm still using the ice pack because she wants to sleep in the nest at night. I'm certain she slept on that frozen block two nights in a row. This morning I noticed her feet were especially red. I didn't see open sores or anything, but worry it could be the beginnings of frostbite. I'm guessing I should block off the nestboxes at night, so I don't have to keep using the ice pack on her. I'm wondering how long it will take her hormones to calm down.
 
Broody is still at it, sort of. She's been staying out of the coop pretty well on her own during the day, but I'm still using the ice pack because she wants to sleep in the nest at night. I'm certain she slept on that frozen block two nights in a row. This morning I noticed her feet were especially red. I didn't see open sores or anything, but worry it could be the beginnings of frostbite. I'm guessing I should block off the nestboxes at night, so I don't have to keep using the ice pack on her. I'm wondering how long it will take her hormones to calm down.
Put her in a cage suspended from the wall...better if suspended from the ceiling so her cage has a little swing. Leave the poop tray off so air can circulate around her feet and belly. Give her food and water but no bedding. A couple of days should break her.
 
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Put her in a cage suspended from the wall...better if suspended from the ceiling so her cage has a little swing. Leave the poop tray off so air can circulate around her feet and belly. Give her food and water but no bedding. A couple of days should break her.
This is what I ended up doing with her this afternoon. I set it on a pallet, gave her water and a little yogurt. She hated being in there and sprayed a few projectile stress poops. At about 7:30, I blocked off the nest boxes and put her back in with her sisters for the night. I'll put her back in again tomorrow morning when I go to open up the nest boxes and feed and water them. I'm getting a first hand education at how tenacious a broody can be. Lol!
 
I think my broody is no longer broody, but she sustained an injury in the broody breaker. I knew her foot went through the bottom of the cage at least once. It caused her leg band to twist, made it too tight and the ends poked through her skin. It's seeping. I discovered the cause of yesterdays limp today. I should have caught it sooner, but I was so thrilled she wasn't hanging out in the coop yesterday, that I left her alone. As soon as I have help holding her, I'll hopefully be able to get the band off without causing any further injury and clean and dress her leg. Maybe a few days of antibiotics will help her heal. Now I just feel extra bad about breaking her broodiness. Gah! Poor baby!
 
So, I'm new to owning chickens, have two hens and a Rooster that I've had for a couple of weeks. I'm using an old coop that the previous owners of the land had, but I'm not really happy with it and want to build something the chickens can be happy in.

I live in Jones, OK. Anybody nearby my wife and I can visit and see how to avoid costly mistakes in building a coop? I've started reading the coop and educational sections of this wonderful website, but there's no substitute for a good old-fashioned recon!
 

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