Ribh's D'Coopage

[BY Bob]

Oh! Elf ears. Of course.
Stupid me.

It is a great passage and so glad it influenced your parenting.

You know the other thing that occurred about the same time is that girls were finally allowed to play little league baseball. I played on a team with the only girl in the league and we won the league championship. She played shortstop and I played second base and if you know baseball, those 2 positions have to work together closely. I believe that it was all very formative me. These things are important.

Chicken tax

 

[Shadrach]

Some time ago I ordered new feeders. The old feeder is a treadle feeder & it worked just fine when all I had was 5 chooks. It no longer works fine & I have been putting down extra feeding tubs to accommodate everyone. Unfortunately all my little ones can get in both the treadle & the tubs & poop over everything so I have been looking for an alternative ~ & healthier option! This is what I have opted for. I got 5~ 4 for feed, 1 for grit.​

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This leaves me with extra run space.
Yes, the feeders are @ different heights to accommodate my bantams as well as my standards. I always leave food available as well as doing a feed time. The feed time will now go & hopefully the tribes will stagger themselves so everyone gets a fair go @ the feeders.
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Have the chickens worked out how to use them? I had tube feeders for a while and some of the hens in particular seemed to think they were guillotines by their reaction.
The other problem I found with them was the rats got in them. Yours look rather better than what I had.

 

[Shadrach]

Tribe 3 at roost time. Myth didn't quite fit in the picture.

 

[MaryJanet]

Do they keep wild birds and mice out?

In my experience, pigeons are kept out but not sparrows. Mice haven't a chance.

 

[Ribh]

I pulled Gloriana last night.
She seemed really off. I put her friend Mausie in with her.

I am seeing nasty diarrhoea in Gloriana. I was worried when I found her quietly napping when there were treats on offer so brought her in for the night. She is very quiet again this morning but she has been wormed, & treated for lice & cocci. Hoping I have spotted the problem in time. I didn't like the feel of her crop either last night but it was empty this morning & she had a good feed & water 1st thing.​

 

[Ribh]

In my experience, pigeons are kept out but not sparrows. Mice haven't a chance.

We don't have sparrows & the wild birds don't get in the coop run where the feeders are.

 

[Ribh]

Have the chickens worked out how to use them? I had tube feeders for a while and some of the hens in particular seemed to think they were guillotines by their reaction.
The other problem I found with them was the rats got in them. Yours look rather better than what I had.

Everyone seems to like them. They've worked them out & everyone seems to have chosen a favourite feeder. The only problems so far is Ha'penny has figured out how to scrape the feed out & scatter it everywhere ~ but she's the only one. Oh & the Vorwerks think they are extra roosts! The Japs are small enough to roost on the cross beams we put in to support the feeders. They are thrilled to bits with this arrangement.

 

[BY Bob]

I pulled Gloriana last night.
She seemed really off. I put her friend Mausie in with her.

I am seeing nasty diarrhoea in Gloriana. I was worried when I found her quietly napping when there were treats on offer so brought her in for the night. She is very quiet again this morning but she has been wormed, & treated for lice & cocci. Hoping I have spotted the problem in time. I didn't like the feel of her crop either last night but it was empty this morning & she had a good feed & water 1st thing.​

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Good catch!

 

[MaryJanet]

I pulled Gloriana last night.
She seemed really off. I put her friend Mausie in with her.

I am seeing nasty diarrhoea in Gloriana. I was worried when I found her quietly napping when there were treats on offer so brought her in for the night. She is very quiet again this morning but she has been wormed, & treated for lice & cocci. Hoping I have spotted the problem in time. I didn't like the feel of her crop either last night but it was empty this morning & she had a good feed & water 1st thing.​

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I hope she comes good of her own accord

 

[Ribh]

I get some odd pairings.