406Jen
Chirping
- Mar 22, 2015
- 35
- 4
- 67
Lots of various questions - I've looked through old posts but wasn't able to pinpoint exactly what I need, so I hope you can help me here. Background - 3 hens (Jersey Giant, Black Star, and Buff Orpington) not laying yet but due around the first week in August:
1) Squatting: I know this is a sign that laying is imminent, and many pat a back or shake the hen in response. Does the squat happen even if the hens are not lap-tame? My girls tolerate my presence, but are never close than 2-3 feet from me. They've never voluntarily touched me - and really I'm fine with it. I prefer just watching them wander around. Will an un-tame hen still squat for me?
2) I'm going to prep the nesting boxes with straw rather than the shavings that are in the coop. Would you recommend straight straw (It would be wheat straw) or alfalfa or a mix of grass/alfalfa? My gut is telling me grass/alfalfa or alfalfa because they'll snack on it, but I'm pretty new to chicken world.
3) Snow. Yes, snow. I'm in SW Montana, and a couple of days ago we got first snow. Just rain at this elevation so far, but it's coming. 34 degrees last night right outside of the coop. Do I have to winterize already, or are the girls going to be ok in their coop until it gets below freezing? They still sleep all piled on one another. I built the Garden Coop from the website plans (thegardencoop.com), but haven't placed the sheet insulation or floating internal walls yet BECAUSE IT'S JULY AND DARNIT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO SNOW IN JULY.
Sigh.
1) Squatting: I know this is a sign that laying is imminent, and many pat a back or shake the hen in response. Does the squat happen even if the hens are not lap-tame? My girls tolerate my presence, but are never close than 2-3 feet from me. They've never voluntarily touched me - and really I'm fine with it. I prefer just watching them wander around. Will an un-tame hen still squat for me?
2) I'm going to prep the nesting boxes with straw rather than the shavings that are in the coop. Would you recommend straight straw (It would be wheat straw) or alfalfa or a mix of grass/alfalfa? My gut is telling me grass/alfalfa or alfalfa because they'll snack on it, but I'm pretty new to chicken world.
3) Snow. Yes, snow. I'm in SW Montana, and a couple of days ago we got first snow. Just rain at this elevation so far, but it's coming. 34 degrees last night right outside of the coop. Do I have to winterize already, or are the girls going to be ok in their coop until it gets below freezing? They still sleep all piled on one another. I built the Garden Coop from the website plans (thegardencoop.com), but haven't placed the sheet insulation or floating internal walls yet BECAUSE IT'S JULY AND DARNIT IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO SNOW IN JULY.
Sigh.
