OMG they are going outside!!!!!!!!!!

[eggcetra_farms]

I try to pack the nesting boxes as full and tightly as possible. Otherwise, when the ladies go to lay an egg they end up knocking a lot out. As for the floor, I just do enough to cover it. After all, they're just using it to poop on! Also, I live in Texas and it doesn't get very cold here (in San Antonio at least), so I'm not using it for them to stay warm. If it were cold you might want to add some additional hay to "trap" in the warmth. When I first started I know I was using a lot more hay than I am now. More hay = more trips to the feed store = more money. You'll find what's right for you once you've been doing it a little while.

 

[szy.cpr]

OK panick over, so they are out and have been for 2 nights (first of which i didnt sleep) and seem to be really enjoying it, i go on holiday tommorow and im quite happy that they seem ok, when i put them in the coop at dusk they go really quiet and settle down real quickly.......thanks for all your support and wish them luck!

 

[motherhen]

About the hay i leave it in the coop for a while. I haven't cleaned my coop for at least a month and it doesn't smell. I believe its called the deep litter method and I just keep adding and throwing bread crumbs every once in a while to get the hens to scratch it up.
Glad to hear you hens are okay. I will be going on vacation in a few weeks and I have both older 3-hens and young chicks 4 mixed together. I started introducing them together earlier hoping that they will be fine when I leave. Also, my pen is mostly enclosed and I normally allow them out at night I just hope they will be fine when we go. I hope my neighbour will be able to allow them time in the pen they love it in their, plus the coop is really large. I just hope all is well when its time for our vacation.

 

[szy.cpr]

OK, so we came home yesterday and all the chicks are fine, they have grown so much! they really seem to be loving their new home, before i went away i was having to get into the run and place the chicks in the coop one by one at night time, but now they just go in when they are ready and i go and shut the door. I do feel like i have missed them grow up a little bit but they still come when i call and it looks like they still remember me, just hope they missed me as much as i missed them!!!!! Thanks for all of your support