Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

Hey everybody, how is your nest box attached to your coop? I have seem some use L brackets, but I don't think that would be strong enough to hold it up, because the osb I have used for the nest box is fairly thick and heavy. I am considering just putting legs underneath for support. Ideas?

Anne, I stopped working on a coop in April after I ran into the nest box dilemma...I need this coop up and out there...hope I can figure a way.

 

[rdilbarova]

Hello all! If you are in need of some brief entertainment...............I found this clip amusing..........

Its a dog and chicken feeding moment.................the dog is a sweet young thing..................the chickens are fearless!

enjoy!

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/v...oberman-versus-chickens.brian-blanchette.html

Ha! My boyfriend sent that to me a few hours ago because he knows I want a doberman.

 

[missydcpc]

I know my nest box solution won't work for anyone else. My coop is cinderblock, so therefore attaching nest boxes is not possible. My nest boxes are an old bookcabinet, divided into 6 sections..

 

[stake]

Folks:

I have a friend who has a bird with suspected maraks...she has isolated the bird and is getting the vaccine soon any suggestions are welcome....the bird can not use its legs and is balancing itself with its wings as it lays...he is still eating and drinking well...

 

[rdilbarova]

Folks:

I have a friend who has a bird with suspected maraks...she has isolated the bird and is getting the vaccine soon any suggestions are welcome....the bird can not use its legs and is balancing itself with its wings as it lays...he is still eating and drinking well...

Don't know much about Marek's but I had a chick who did that which had a vitamin deficiency. Tell her to try adding vitamin B and E to the drinking water. (warning- possible to overdose on E, so be careful)

 

[Farmer Mike S]

I noticed a lot of poop in the nesting box of the past few weeks and caught a chicken tonight sleeping in it. My chickens are all 8 months old and 2 use the roosting bar and 3 sleep on the floor near the door. Now I got one sleeping in the box. What do I do to correct this habit and get it out of the box?

 

[fisherlady]

I noticed a lot of poop in the nesting box of the past few weeks and caught a chicken tonight sleeping in it. My chickens are all 8 months old and 2 use the roosting bar and 3 sleep on the floor near the door. Now I got one sleeping in the box. What do I do to correct this habit and get it out of the box?

I would figure out a removable block/door for the nest boxes. It will be a pain for a while to put it in place every evening and remove it in the morning, but should help. Also, how much roost space is available, and is there more than one roost bar available? I have seen aggressive/high ranking hens not allow 'lower' birds to roost on a bar at the same level they are at. To avoid bullying being a problem you can offer a second roosting area at near or the same level on the other side of the coop or at a 90 degree angle from the first.
Some birds don't roost as much as others, and will often nest on the floor or an elevated platform. Our roost are now 2x6's on their side and one is a deck plank (5.5" wide). The silkie mixes and smaller birds definitely seem to like the wide boards. When the birds were younger they liked to sleep in a pile on an elevated 2'x2 foot platform we had in the pen.... they didn't go to the other boards till we removed the platform entirely. That 2x2 platform is now outside in the run and we often find 4 or 5 birds sharing it during the day... just lounging around.

 

[tinychicadees]

Hi everyone. I hope its ok to post this here. I am looking to add to our flock. I am open minded in any type of chicken, but very interested in getting some silkies! I am looking for it to be near the New Castle area. Thanks.

 

[fisherlady]

Hi everyone. I hope its ok to post this here. I am looking to add to our flock. I am open minded in any type of chicken, but very interested in getting some silkies! I am looking for it to be near the New Castle area. Thanks.

Hello,

I don't have any silkies but do have some other young hens/roos I would sell... are you looking for large fowl at all? Or just bantam sizes? Do you want for showing or just for eggs? Do they need to be Broody types? If I don't have what you are looking for I'm sure someone else here does...

I have some Black Giants (the Mt Healthy Hatchery version of Jersey giants, they are about 6 lb black hens) who were hatched the end of March
Some Silver Pencil Rock hens, from good breeder, who were hatched by a Broody in mid May
Some barn yard mixes, should be nice eggers, mostly brown or maybe green eggs, but most likely brown, who were hatched mid June. 2 of our BYx's are roos, one will be about 9 lb as an adult and is silver and black and cream mix, the other is a silkie mix from one of our Broody hens, he should get to about 4 or 5 lbs.
All are intermingled, and the BGs are already laying, they free range a lot through the days here, but would be OK with a decent size run also.

 

[LadyBehir]

So now the Big Guy is on board with me having chickens, do I go with the $400 one at Calico Creek Feed and Pet in Mill Hall or do I try to build a Lake Norman Coop? I have never had chickens before. Closest thing to it was a cockatiel 30 years ago.