Please Help!! No one can figure this out. My flock is in trouble.

[Anime2lover]

Waterers are cleaned and filled daily. I just don't use the larger one when it isn't hot but I can start using that one again.

Food is fresh every day. I only put out what they can finish. There is very little if any left by the end of the day.

I do need to put it in multiple places. Will try that.

This all sounds like good advice to me. We ran into a similar problem because we didn't have enough feeders out. We try to have at least two in each area now.

 

[janiedoe]

There is some ventilation. They get locked in at night, so not in the open run. There are 3 bars which are over 6 ft each long. I need to spread them out more because somehow they got all pushed together yesterday.

There are 11 chickens. I took out the roosting boxes because I was worried that it was some sort of parasite and wanted to remove anything that they could hide in.

You'll need to tack your bars down, so that they don't create a Hazzard.
Do you have enough ventilation?
Inadequate ventilation caused over heating in hot weather and frost bite in cold weather. It leads to a world of difficulties. I'd urge you to read up on this prior to adding anymore chicks. I think you'll be surprised how much healthier a flock can be, with appropriate ventilation.
Also, a breeder that let's people come on their property, to look at their birds, is asking for trouble. Shoes can carry in disease in from other flocks. I'm not a breeder, but when I sell or rehome birds, I meet the buyer elsewhere. It is a pain, but it keeps my flock safe. I never bring in any chickens, other than newly hatched chicks.

 

[South Dakota Chick]

You'll need to tack your bars down, so that they don't create a Hazzard.
Do you have enough ventilation?
Inadequate ventilation caused over heating in hot weather and frost bite in cold weather. It leads to a world of difficulties. I'd urge you to read up on this prior to adding anymore chicks. I think you'll be surprised how much healthier a flock can be, with appropriate ventilation.
Also, a breeder that let's people come on their property, to look at their birds, is asking for trouble. Shoes can carry in disease in from other flocks. I'm not a breeder, but when I sell or rehome birds, I meet the buyer elsewhere. It is a pain, but it keeps my flock safe. I never bring in any chickens, other than newly hatched chicks.

She is very particular about where people can go and has you wear booties over your shoes. I have seen the flock through, not all up close and the cleanliness of the barns. She is very careful but my point was that I have seen where the birds come from unlike ordering them mail order.

 

[South Dakota Chick]

I added 2 feeders and a place for the chickens to hide, at least temporarily. Will need to come up with a permanent solution. They all ran to the new feeder in the hiding spot so I don't know if that will help those lower on the pecking order but I will have to refill when they are in the coop tomorrow so they don't see me put it out. I should have put down the one in the open first, that was a dumb move.

 

[South Dakota Chick]

Looking at ventilation.

 

[South Dakota Chick]

I'm reading about ventilation and it seems that I could put in vents. The walls are metal so I am trying to figure out how I can do that. It has to be simple, my husband might leave me over the chickens, lol. Anyone have ideas?
I'll keep reading, in the meantime.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Waterers are cleaned and filled daily. I just don't use the larger one when it isn't hot but I can start using that one again.

Food is fresh every day. I only put out what they can finish. There is very little if any left by the end of the day.

I do need to put it in multiple places. Will try that.

I make sure my chickens have access to food all day long. They are constantly pecking & looking for food so they need access to food, they should never run out. All birds are not alike, they are not like pigeons, that have a crop to store food & can get away with eating once a day.

Water outside in the sun gets green & nasty slimy fast. Food outside can get wet & moldy & draw rodents. I keep a full fresh waterer & full fresh feeder inside the coop, so they never run out. I never give ice or ice water, that could cause shock.

Hope this helps.

 

[NatJ]

they are not like pigeons, that have a crop to store food & can get away with eating once a day.

But chickens DO have a crop.

I agree with keeping food available all day, but chickens definitely do use their crop to store food in the evening so they can digest it during the night. That is why their crops are usually full at bedtime and empty in the morning.

Food is fresh every day. I only put out what they can finish. There is very little if any left by the end of the day.

I suggest you put out more, so there is always a bit left in the evening.

If they eat every bit of it, there are probably a few chickens getting less than they should have.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Does anyone else think the placement of the roosting bars and that hard-packed (concrete?) floor of the coop might be a contributing problem? I'm just guessing here, but perhaps they're having some injuries --- while trying to go to roost, getting knocked off by others flying up - or falling off when being bullied - or jumping/flying down in the mornings?

It might make sense to install a couple of non-slip ramps. (Mine will line up to scoot along the roosting bar, and single file down the ramps. They prefer it to flying down.) Also install some crossbars so they can safely move from back to front, or to the nearest ramp.

I would also put a heavy layer of wood chips or sand on the floor of that coop. Makes landings softer. I've found wood chips are great for keeping moisture under control and aren't a pain to clean up a few times a year. I haven't tried it, but I've read that sand is very easy to rake and keep clean.

You'll need a reciprocating saw with a metal blade to cut some high "windows" in that metal siding. Wide, but not very tall, and near the top of the walls. Mark out your shape, then drill or punch a hole in each corner of the shape that's big enough for the cutting blade to fit, then cut it out. Cover the window holes with hardware cloth, screwed securely to the metal siding. I'd also configure some kind of awnings to keep direct sun and rain away from the windows in places where they aren't protected already, with plywood or heavy-duty tarp.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm reading about ventilation and it seems that I could put in vents. The walls are metal so I am trying to figure out how I can do that. It has to be simple, my husband might leave me over the chickens, lol. Anyone have ideas?
I'll keep reading, in the meantime.

I feel you! I'm obsessed and think this sometimes too.