Ribh's D'Coopage

[RoyalChick]

This is how I set up my roosts...I didn't want to have them too high! When we had our Banty's I had the roost up where the ceiling starts to slope, but I knew these girls would be too heavy for that and I didn't want anyone to get hurt!
View attachment 2371739

Those are nice and low down.
My design issue was the hill the Palace is built on. There is a 2' drop from one side to the other. If I had the roost on the ground at one end it would be 2' high at the other end. Of course I could step it down in the middle - but then I think the chickens would think the lower step was lower even if it was the same distance from the ground.
When I first joined BYC I actually posted this as a question - do chickens decide height by distance from the ground or absolute level. It is unclear. But as soon as I committed to a single roost all at one 'height' then for sure the down-hill end was going to be at least 2' off the ground.
In the end I went with it at a height that was the same as the minimum horizontal distance from a wall - which is what several folk had said chickens need to fly down. @Shadrach's experience is that they need way more horizontal distance.
As it turned out, they just don't jump down at all.
Here is the original thread where I was trying to understand how chickens judge height: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-on-a-hillside-roost-heights.1338548/

 

[MaryJanet]

I was wondering how long it would take before you had to weigh in.

You could probably set a clock by me in such circumstances!

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Oh no and snow around the corner. I've been freaking out that my Hattie won't have but feathers before it goes below freezing. Do you provide supplemental heat when it gets that cold and they still look like this?

No, no heat. I wonder if the feathering process would slow down if you did that? I do feel bad for them, but I don't want to interfere in that way unless I was genuinely concerned about her freezing. Seems right in my brain, anyway. What are your thoughts?

 

[BY Bob]

We get to see it from the other side when they think high 20s C is "hot"

Aurora says that is really hot. Wings out girls! Gotta chill those pits.

 

[BY Bob]

Those are nice and low down.
My design issue was the hill the Palace is built on. There is a 2' drop from one side to the other. If I had the roost on the ground at one end it would be 2' high at the other end. Of course I could step it down in the middle - but then I think the chickens would think the lower step was lower even if it was the same distance from the ground.
When I first joined BYC I actually posted this as a question - do chickens decide height by distance from the ground or absolute level. It is unclear. But as soon as I committed to a single roost all at one 'height' then for sure the down-hill end was going to be at least 2' off the ground.
In the end I went with it at a height that was the same as the minimum horizontal distance from a wall - which is what several folk had said chickens need to fly down. @Shadrach's experience is that they need way more horizontal distance.
As it turned out, they just don't jump down at all.
Here is the original thread where I was trying to understand how chickens judge height: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-on-a-hillside-roost-heights.1338548/

This was very well thought out on your part. You had quite the conundrum. I love that they just use the ladder. Smart girls.

 

[BY Bob]

No, no heat. I wonder if the feathering process would slow down if you did that? I do feel bad for them, but I don't want to interfere in that way unless I was genuinely concerned about her freezing. Seems right in my brain, anyway. What are your thoughts?

I never supply supplemental heat. I could be tempted to bring them in if they were molting badly but it is unlikely that I ever would. I have left them out fully feathered to well below zero. Temps where the eggs freeze in the nest box.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I never supply supplemental heat. I could be tempted to bring them in if they were molting badly but it is unlikely that I ever would. I have left them out fully feathered to well below zero. Temps where the eggs freeze in the nest box.

Yep, wet get lots of those days, unfortunately!

 

[WhoDatChick]

Good morning all!
Here is my pic of Dawn this morning. The haze is really the sea. We look out east on the Indian Ocean, halfway down the South Coast of South Africa, where we can see whales and dolphins romping in winter. IRL it looks much closer. I got the waning crescent moon and morning star as well
ETA the flipping pic!

This is amazing!! ❤

 

[micstrachan]

Yep. Me too. Michelle aka @micstrachan, when you have a moment, what did you feed your girls that they got fat? I have a chook I need to get some weight on & so far I'm not doing so well in this department.

I'm not totally sure, as I'm not big into treats. I did used to provide egg to a sick bird, but it would be a rare treat for the whole flock. Years ago, I did give them live meal worms on occasion, and went through one bag of a dried mealworm/shrimp (?) blend. Anyway, I am pretty confident it is because I threw lots of pasture seed... several 5-pound bags of chicken forage blend, plus a few 7-pound bags of grass seed, plus additional alfalfa, clover, millet and lentils... all for growing pasture for the chickens. But they ate a bunch of the seed. This was over the course of several months.
Will your girl eat baby bird formula? Egg, sunflower seeds, etc. have lots of calories. Animal protein can help build muscle, I believe. Sardines or tunafish without added salt might be good.

 

[micstrachan]

Sorry.

Not your fault, Bob!