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gonehencrazy said:
Do you guys give your flock hay in the winter? I try to pull up grass and clover every day for my flock currently. The goal is to build a large run and try to get some grass to grow in the "yard".
I'd like to find some clover hay. But I have searched CL and no luck. In KY it would be easy to get clover hay. What is the best option? We buy grass hay for our goat. Is that ok for the chickens? I'm sure they would prefer alfalfa.

Trying to get winter ready since I will likely be in Florida for the season and my dad will be on his own caring for the critters.
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I line the nest boxes with timothy hay and lavender and I like to toss hay into the run to keep the girls off of the bare dirt. I am not sure how much they eat, but they LOVE playing in i, just like they play in leaves or grass clippings.
 
MotorcycleChick said:
The older Rocks are in their own pen now. Now I have a question. When do I add the younger chicks? They are 8 weeks now. The pair is nineteen weeks. I don't know that it matters (not worried about integrating problems) until the babies are 16 or so weeks. But, I'm interested in opinions.
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For the hens it will probably not matter, but if you are debating on which roo (or 2) you will want to keep you may want to add the whole gang now while the youngsters aren't viewed as threatening, that will allow them to settle pecking orders in less confrontational manners. Older roosters seem pretty ok with youngsters being added in but if you wait till they are older they may never get along.
 
fisherlady said:
For the hens it will probably not matter, but if you are debating on which roo (or 2) you will want to keep you may want to add the whole gang now while the youngsters aren't viewed as threatening, that will allow them to settle pecking orders in less confrontational manners. Older roosters seem pretty ok with youngsters being added in but if you wait till they are older they may never get along.
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MCC:

I put my 6wk old in a pen next to the big girls.....a week later moved them into to the main run (at night)...things were 'confused' for a day then the youngin's are roosting and integrated...#2 roo is still a bit testy,,,,#1 roo has settled him down a couple of times...
 
Okay. I'm going to catch the babies, and pick the two boys I like, and all three girls.
Hate to say it. Kenny Rogers ain't making the final cut. Dolly and Kenny survived the raccoon attack. The best ones died. They will stay around a few months anyway. But, the new batch has one good looking pullet (I have not seen brown) and several good looking boys. I'll get it worked out by spring. :oops: I hope to sell off some then. And maybe... Well, I will get it worked out by then. Dolly and Kenny get to breed for now. If I do get a broody, she can have the SPR eggs.
 
gonehencrazy said:
Do you guys give your flock hay in the winter? I try to pull up grass and clover every day for my flock currently. The goal is to build a large run and try to get some grass to grow in the "yard".
I'd like to find some clover hay. But I have searched CL and no luck. In KY it would be easy to get clover hay. What is the best option? We buy grass hay for our goat. Is that ok for the chickens? I'm sure they would prefer alfalfa.

Trying to get winter ready since I will likely be in Florida for the season and my dad will be on his own caring for the critters.
Click to expand...


Mine only get a bale of hay occasionally and is just for them to dig and throw around the run. Usualy, we just throw leaves in there for them lol
 
Auroradream26 said:
Mine only get a bale of hay occasionally and is just for them to dig and throw around the run. Usualy, we just throw leaves in there for them lol
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X2 on the leaves! This is the time of year to collect leaves for the winter. Ask friends and neighbors to give you the leaves they rake. Instead of those expensive paper bags, tell them you want them in plastic bags, packed down and tied shut (saved them money and gives you waterproof storage). Stack them in an out-of-the-way place, like the windward side of your coop (windbreak and insulation !!), Then, whenever you need bedding, or want to provide some entertainment on dreary winter days, open a bag and put it in the coop. Mine spend hours working through them and they end up shredded and mixed with manure, a preemo combination for composting, either on a pile or as mulch around trees and shrubs (no more than an inch or 2 at a time if they are over the root zone of the plant).
 
stake said:
GHC:

In my opinion, pecking order has nothing to do with broody....hiding in the nest box is hiding not broody...I built my second coop/pen to accommodate a girl that my roo just about killed...it took a hatch of young'in to facilitate getting the roo to accept her. imho get you girl a few chicks to hang with then ...integrate them all..with your flock....my two cents...
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She is definitely broody. She has locked herself into that nesting box. Last week her sister sat on her because she wanted to lay in that box. She makes this low clucking noise when I move her. I think I'm struggling to break her broodiness because she gets picked on when I take her out of the box. I think today I'm going to block off her box of choice. Hopefully she just doesn't pick another box.
 

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