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- #11
- Feb 23, 2016
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OK, I took her today to see the local "eggspert", and she thinks part of the problem is sunburn and suggested safe sunscreen, which I don't know which is safe, ideas on that? She also thinks part of the problem is that this particular hen is very headstrong and stubborn. The others follow the rooster and she won't, so the lady today thinks it's also a domination issue, him trying to make her do like he wants, like the rest do. We are in Central Texas and it is getting hot. This hen and her sister, the 2 that wandered up my driveway are likely 2-3 years old. The rooster and 2 others are just over a year old.
As far as space goes, the coop itself is pretty large, but they only use the inside area for the nesting boxes; they prefer the outside roost, which is covered and enclosed. We leave the door open at night so they can come and go into the run, which is 16x16 and covered with landscaping wire. We also dug all around the outside of the run and put the landscaping wire in the trough, then covered it with dirt and rocks. We also have a smaller run with a very small coop, and that run is 18x6. Normally I have it open and available if they want to go in there, but right now, I've got this hen separated in there. I'm going to add in her sister this evening, up the protein (boiling eggs right now) and give them a day or two in there, alone. I'll reintroduce both at the same time, and Lord help me, I'm separating the rooster into the smaller run/coop for a couple weeks.
I did check for mites and lice-everyone is clean. I need to get a couple, maybe 3 more hens, but can't do that until I can let the roo back into the flock, and use the smaller area to quarantine the new hens. I'm trying everything possible that has been suggested. Thanks so much for your helpful feedback. Feel free to offer any other ideas!
As far as space goes, the coop itself is pretty large, but they only use the inside area for the nesting boxes; they prefer the outside roost, which is covered and enclosed. We leave the door open at night so they can come and go into the run, which is 16x16 and covered with landscaping wire. We also dug all around the outside of the run and put the landscaping wire in the trough, then covered it with dirt and rocks. We also have a smaller run with a very small coop, and that run is 18x6. Normally I have it open and available if they want to go in there, but right now, I've got this hen separated in there. I'm going to add in her sister this evening, up the protein (boiling eggs right now) and give them a day or two in there, alone. I'll reintroduce both at the same time, and Lord help me, I'm separating the rooster into the smaller run/coop for a couple weeks.
I did check for mites and lice-everyone is clean. I need to get a couple, maybe 3 more hens, but can't do that until I can let the roo back into the flock, and use the smaller area to quarantine the new hens. I'm trying everything possible that has been suggested. Thanks so much for your helpful feedback. Feel free to offer any other ideas!
