post your chicken coop pictures here!

[vader]

 

[TJordan]

its about time for molt in some places....  they dont lay much during molt....  just a thought.

deb

I live in Mobile Alabama. Are they really old enough to molt and am I in the area for them to?

 

[iwiw60]

Ok guys... I'm not sure if I've got a problem or not.... It's now day 3 and I've not gotten a single egg.... My girls are right at 25 weeks old... Have been laying for a few weeks now.... But suddenly I've had a drastic drop in eggs.... I've cleaned the coop and dusted it to ensure no bugs, I've added a second feeder.... They already have 2 waterers that I change every morning.... I'm out of scratch but that seems unrelated... Do I have a thief?! My dog doesn't allergy to anything.... I'm home almost every day, all day... I've even started doing a sweep of the whole yard each evening to make sure no eggs are hiding.... In, under, around, behind... No eggs found anywhere... No shell fragments or anything... It's to early for a molt right? They are still to young right? ....... I would check for egg bound but all 9 hens at once? Not likely....

First of all you have new layers that are still getting their systems in order...you may get eggs one day, none the next two, then get them again. They are just ironing out the "kinks" so-to-speak. Plus add to that the fact that the days are getting shorter and thus the slowing down of egg production for the winter months coming up. One thing you did say, however, has me a little concerned..."I'm out of scratch" .. are you referring to a daily treat for scratch or is this what you are feeding them? They need a good layer feed. I use Purina Layena layer crumbles...my girls love it. Now onto molting...no, it is NOT too early for a molt, in fact this is the time of year when our girls do molt. Have you noticed any feather loss...feathers laying in the coop/run? If your girls were truly egg bound you'd know it by the weird behavior that goes along with it.

I think it just may very well be 1) you've got new laying ladies getting adjusted to their new lot in life, and 2) they may very well be getting ready to go into molt.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: I may be wrong... but I believe by the amount of daylight that drives the molt.... Days get shorter time to switch out the summer jacket for the winter jacket.... Days get longer Time to switch again....

One year I brooded up some Guinea Fowl.. About the time that they would have been Point of lay the days started getting short....Over night I though one guinea had exploded..... I could have stuffed a pillowcase. I didnt get an egg till the next spring AFTER the next molt.

And I am in a very mild climate.... San Diego high desert. It does get cold but only rarely snow and rain.

deb

 

[Sylvester017]

You're right. I didn't know when I got mine. 2 Amercaunas, 2 black sex link and 2 RIR. Fortunately one of the Amercaunas is fiesty and the two stay together. One RIR is grumpy and one Black sex link is the boss. They have a large chicken yard with a bunny hutch 2' off the ground, benches, chairs and coops and the yard is an "L" shape around the house, so they can be in different areas and not even see the others. They can always get away. Also, mine don't chase down each other, they just peck if one is on their area and they feel like it. I've heard about chickens that hunt down and peck one to death, but not mine so far.

Ameraucanas and their EE cousins are slow to mature and when younger people think they are scared or crazy or dumb because they run into things. These birds only fight as a last resort. They are high-strung and non-combative which is what makes them skittish, jittery, alert, jumpy, and quick so sometimes they will run into things trying to get away. These very actions are what make them so very predator-savvy and the wary sentinels of the flock. They aren't interested in flock politics but they will be great guardians watching for predators. They are also very sweet and non-combative and accept orphaned chicks or injured birds without incidents where other breeds are not so willing. My friend put an EE with two new hens and it was a peaceful transition - no pecking order squabbles and these birds had never seen each other before.

People assume they can add EEs/Amers to mixed flocks because they think they are LF. However tall and statuesque they stand, they are a lighter-weight bird. All their fluffy downy feathers just make them look heavier then they really are. They average about 5 to 5.5 lbs only whereas the dual-purpose breeds weigh from 6 to 7.5 lbs.

Sexlinks can become assertive as they get older. RIRs are usually bossy from their youth and want to be in charge. It will be interesting to see if a Sexlink or a RIR turns out to be your alpha hen.

 

[jasonquinnryan]

Our coop!

 

[KingKongChicken]

Getting there. I agree better to spend the money upfront than to have a dead flock

I did the same built a bottom skirt or 'apron' 2 feet back from the run fence line and buried it, unfortunately all I had was the 2 inch mesh Chicken wire so I did what I could at the time and doubled layered it. There have been many attempts at digging and they cant get in.
I understand the wire skirt along the bottom of the run is better off tighter mesh to prevent anything from reaching in and grabbing them such as racoons but like Deb said "they are protected in the coop when they are locked up for the night..." so I don't see any immediate threats or dangers as they are protected in the coop at night. Not to mention they are Australorps and they seem to be very perceptive on spotting any dangers quickly.

Famous last words. Your chickens will be killed. JS

I strongly disagree with PrimroseMom1 but only the future will tell. I have taken every precautionary defensive measure to prevent predator entry. Besides the tighter mesh wire. Hopefully soon when I can afford it and will build a skirt with a tighter mesh wire to stop predators from reaching in. But I did what I could with what I had and as of now feel they are safe and protected.

 

[TJordan]

First of all you have new layers that are still getting their systems in order...you may get eggs one day, none the next two, then get them again. They are just ironing out the "kinks" so-to-speak. Plus add to that the fact that the days are getting shorter and thus the slowing down of egg production for the winter months coming up. One thing you did say, however, has me a little concerned..."I'm out of scratch" .. are you referring to a daily treat for scratch or is this what you are feeding them? They need a good layer feed. I use Purina Layena layer crumbles...my girls love it. Now onto molting...no, it is NOT too early for a molt, in fact this is the time of year when our girls do molt. Have you noticed any feather loss...feathers laying in the coop/run? If your girls were truly egg bound you'd know it by the weird behavior that goes along with it.

I think it just may very well be 1) you've got new laying ladies getting adjusted to their new lot in life, and 2) they may very well be getting ready to go into molt.

Thanks... And as per the 'no scratch', yes I mean the treats... We use the Purena layer pellets as well... Get a nice 25 or 50 lb bag every other week... I will monitor them this weekend and report Monday... Thanks again

 

[Sylvester017]

I may be wrong... but I believe by the amount of daylight that drives the molt.... Days get shorter time to switch out the summer jacket for the winter jacket.... Days get longer Time to switch again....

One year I brooded up some Guinea Fowl.. About the time that they would have been Point of lay the days started getting short....Over night I though one guinea had exploded..... I could have stuffed a pillowcase. I didnt get an egg till the next spring AFTER the next molt.

And I am in a very mild climate.... San Diego high desert. It does get cold but only rarely snow and rain.

deb

I have chicken breeds that moult whenever they feel like it! Some in Spring, some in Summer, and some in Winter. Daylight doesn't seem to matter with them. I have one that is coming out of moult right now, one that just started moult, and one that went broody. I'm not getting eggs from anyone right now!

 

[TJordan]

I may be wrong... but I believe by the amount of daylight that drives the molt....  Days get shorter time to switch out the summer jacket for the winter jacket....  Days get longer Time to switch again....

One year I brooded up some Guinea Fowl.. About the time that they would have been Point of lay the days started getting short....Over night I though one guinea had exploded..... I could have stuffed a pillowcase.  I didnt get an egg till the next spring AFTER the next molt.

And I am in a very mild climate....  San Diego high desert.  It does get cold but only rarely snow and rain.

deb

Thanks for the info... Being new to the whole chicken raising scene I might ask a question here or there to make sure I'm taking the best care of my flock as I can... Btw... 'Stuff a pillow case'
Hopefully without the live bird in it lol....