We've had an epiphany here today/this evening/tonight.
Epiphany nothing! It's a whole new world.
The pullets hatched in June, twelve weeks ago last Friday. Four weeks ago a very handsome and commodious three-step roost was provided for their use and comfort.
The darlings were ecstatic with the installation. But, until yesterday, it was little more than a jungle gym for them. They'd been using it and the rungs had accumulated some poop. As late as last night, they were still sleeping in a huddle in the litter on the floor.
So today was coop cleaning day. I knocked the crust off the roost with a stiff broom before scooping out the shavings that hadn't begun to stink but, just the last couple of days, were starting to seem a little damp. Time and necessity (lack of planning and resources on my part) dictated, when they first moved into the Pullet Palace, that they share their space, partitioned off from the meat birds that went to freezer camp four weeks ago. They have since had run of the whole place.
Cleaning out today . . . all the expected kerfuffle as I worked all the litter from my usual entrance to the other door in the back corner that I built for a cleanout. And the expected discomfiture as I shoveled the pile out the back door into the wheelbarrow.
Fresh shavings all over. A good scrubbing to get the slimy feeling off that the waterer had begun to have, and a dumping/scraping out of mash at the bottom of their crumbles that had caked up. All fresh as a daisy.
Took a driveby with the flashlight past the window of the coop a short while ago. All birds roosted and snoozing on the top rung. Not a temp thing. Their backs are about level with the vents on the low end of the roof. But they're all on one roost, snuggled right up.
First night on the roost, and doing it like pros. No muss, no fuss. No instruction.
Had begun to think they wouldn't get the hang of it.
I'm pleased.
Epiphany nothing! It's a whole new world.
The pullets hatched in June, twelve weeks ago last Friday. Four weeks ago a very handsome and commodious three-step roost was provided for their use and comfort.
The darlings were ecstatic with the installation. But, until yesterday, it was little more than a jungle gym for them. They'd been using it and the rungs had accumulated some poop. As late as last night, they were still sleeping in a huddle in the litter on the floor.
So today was coop cleaning day. I knocked the crust off the roost with a stiff broom before scooping out the shavings that hadn't begun to stink but, just the last couple of days, were starting to seem a little damp. Time and necessity (lack of planning and resources on my part) dictated, when they first moved into the Pullet Palace, that they share their space, partitioned off from the meat birds that went to freezer camp four weeks ago. They have since had run of the whole place.
Cleaning out today . . . all the expected kerfuffle as I worked all the litter from my usual entrance to the other door in the back corner that I built for a cleanout. And the expected discomfiture as I shoveled the pile out the back door into the wheelbarrow.
Fresh shavings all over. A good scrubbing to get the slimy feeling off that the waterer had begun to have, and a dumping/scraping out of mash at the bottom of their crumbles that had caked up. All fresh as a daisy.
Took a driveby with the flashlight past the window of the coop a short while ago. All birds roosted and snoozing on the top rung. Not a temp thing. Their backs are about level with the vents on the low end of the roof. But they're all on one roost, snuggled right up.
First night on the roost, and doing it like pros. No muss, no fuss. No instruction.
Had begun to think they wouldn't get the hang of it.
I'm pleased.
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