Our Mixed Flock Journey!

[drstratton]

It all honesty it just depends. Some moult hard & fast. Some go slow & steady. I'm sure someone in the States will have a better idea of how it works out in your area. Some of mine have been nearly naked. Others you would never know.

Thank you for sharing this information with me! I hope mine are the type that you can hardly tell...wishful thinking I'm sure!

 

[N F C]

So after chatting with @Ribh and having her mention a mini coop, I had an epiphany...lol!

I spoke with my husband and told him that right now I needed to temporarily set up a place of confinement for our broody girl! I just brought home some dog kennels from my son's place that I used to farmer together a confined area, that will give her access to the water system and it already has one of our feeders in place! When we have time time will will set this up to be a permanent mini coop! My husband said that he will frame it in and use the chicken wire that we have and he will build me a door! We will also extend the waterer in there for them to use! This will be a great place for broody's or possibly a sick hen, it will also work well for any little's that we get as a safe place for flock introduction! The sheltered area in the pen is where we will have the waterer set up for the flock during the winter, so it will be left open most of the time! If anyone gets sick during the winter, I will probably bring them in and use the dog crate that I have for them. Hopefully that won't occur, but it's best to have a plan!

She has access to the water bar behind the feed bag on the left and the 4" pipe feeder in the middle! It looks pretty sketch right now, but it is safe and should do the trick! After I unblocked the door to the free range pen several of the girls and Little Roo came in to say hi and see what was going on! I might just leave her in there overnight, I set up the mini roost for her, so hopefully she will utilize it! If she seems to stressed I will place her on the roost in the main coop overnight and then put her back in the confinement pen first thing in the morning!
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I need to clean the weeds off of it...oops!
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Looks like a nice set up Rene!

 

[BY Bob]

Good morning Bob! Thank you...when I was choosing my flock I was looking for friendly & egg color, but I also made sure to throw in good layers! I have not been disappointed!


Not as far as I have to go to get caught up on your thread...

That is true but yours is moving quickly as well. I did have quite a headstart on yours.

 

[BY Bob]

Yesterday I got zero eggs and had to buy some at the grocery store. I miss my flock's eggs when they take their winter break. But I guess that just makes them all the more special when they start up in the spring again!

I know the feeling. However I also know that the break makes them more likely to live longer and the thought that we will have more time together helps me to smile at the empty nest.

 

[BY Bob]

A panorama picture of my flock & a video of them following me...silly chickens!

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What a wonderful run you have given them. That has turned out beautifully.

 

[BY Bob]

Oh yes! I def think so!!

I don't know what else they could want.

 

[N F C]

I know the feeling. However I also know that the break makes them more likely to live longer and the thought that we will have more time together helps me to smile at the empty nest.

I agree!

 

[BY Bob]

I blocked the other chickens out of the pen this morning and removed Spazzy from the nesting box as she grumbled at me! The first thing she did was go for some water and then she ate some of the corn I had thrown down for her...next time I won't give her corn, I would prefer she eat some of her feed...she did eat some of it! She spent the bulk of her time having a dust bath...such a fluffy butt!

I will now admit what I think many that read my thread probably suspect. Because Sydney was so far down the pecking order the witches give her lots of greif when she got off the nest to eat. So everyday I would meet her as she got off and hand fed her corn. It was the only way I could assure that she ate and I figured for the amount of time she was sitting a diet of corn was better than nothing. She did quite well with no visible loss of weight which was all I wanted.

 

[BY Bob]

Hopefully her broodyness will break quickly! I need to figure out something better than my dog kennel, I'm afraid she would just think it's a different nesting box & I can definitely put her back on the roosting bars at night. I think I can block off the sheltered area of the enclosed pen to confine her away from the nesting boxes! Thank you Jehane!

I have used a dog crate with great success. What trouble are you having with yours? Here is a link to when Maleficent was broody last October. You can see in a couple of posts how I used the crate.

 

[BY Bob]

It all honesty it just depends. Some moult hard & fast. Some go slow & steady. I'm sure someone in the States will have a better idea of how it works out in your area. Some of mine have been nearly naked. Others you would never know.

I have one hen, Hattie, who molts hard. It appears the rest will be slow molders. Not all hens do a full molt the first year. You may not see it until this time next year.