Rules for The Coop that the books don't tell you. My experience as a newbie.

[sunflour]

You cannot fool them with "healthy treats". My flock is fed crumbles layer feed. I thought I could fool them with the pellet layer feed, took some in the container I usually bring with mealie worms, and tossed some of the pellets around….But one taste and they stared me down, until I retreated and came back with the dried mealie worms.

.

 

[perchie.girl]

 

[N F C]

You cannot fool them with "healthy treats". My flock is fed crumbles layer feed. I thought I could fool them with the pellet layer feed, took some in the container I usually bring with mealie worms, and tossed some of the pellets around….But one taste and they stared me down, until I retreated and came back with the dried mealie worms.

.

Those little smarties!

 

[Blooie]

Just when you are totally satisfied with how healthy your birds are, and how well your set up is working, you'll find a mite somewhere and have to practically start over. <sigh>

 

[GitaBooks]

Just when you are totally satisfied with how healthy your birds are, and how well your set up is working, you'll find a mite somewhere and have to practically start over. <sigh>

Yep. They always manage to get sick or injured at the worst of times. Your never prepared for it. You walk outside, planning on seeing happy birds and instead see a hawk. Or you go to collect eggs and find a chicken trying to escape from a skunk. Always be prepared for being unprepared. Or does that not make sense?

 

[Elaine Wright]

Luckily mine don't bother jewelry or toes.  The chicks occasionally check out my orange piggies paint job, but never when walking about, only when I'm out in the lawn chair and they stop moving.  The ROOSTER is a different story.

* NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE ROOSTER! The rooster will have favorites.  No one tells you this. Our rooster, as sweet as he is doesn't bother my husband or teenager. Oh no. ME?  HE HATES my ankles.  He treats them like they aren't even a part of my leg.  He stares them down, and tries to make a flying leap. 

*Egg songs don't always mean there's an egg, anywhere in your coop, your yard, or even on YOUR property.  It simply means that somewhere on planet earth ( and I'm limiting that) some chicken, is laying an egg.  Sometimes I think they just snap some little spring in their head and get stuck with their needle in a groove.  Egg song can go on for a REALLY long time. It doesn't mean there's an egg, it just means they're crazy.

*Chickens are curious and wander everywhere. If you don't want poop everywhere, make sure you shut the doors to the workshop and barn bathroom.

*chickens on a night vision camera look possessed.

* not all chickens make the same bok bok noise.  Some whistle, some hoot, honk, cluck, or bark.  Yup, they're weird.

I have a houdan rooster (Sam) who sounds like the raptors in the 1st Jurassic Park movie. Really creepy coming from under the deck.

 

[WthrLady]

We had an egg song today go on for three hours. I thought the other chicken were going to kill her. Lol.

 

[GitaBooks]

I have a houdan rooster (Sam) who sounds like the raptors in the 1st Jurassic Park movie. Really creepy coming from under the deck.

I'll bet! My roosters walk and attack like dinosaurs to. That's how I spot a rooster when chicks are young. We call it the dinosaur walk.

 

[sunflour]

Just when you are totally satisfied with how healthy your birds are, and how well your set up is working, you'll find a mite somewhere and have to practically start over. <sigh>

Or have the attack of the Pseudo Mites…When my gals started losing bum feathers, I was so convinced they had mites - they got dusted, entire coop and run got treated. Never saw mites, but was so convinced it had to be pests. Turned out just feather picking and the solution was to more than double the run size.

I thought they would freak out with building onto their home, but after the first day they watched with intent interest, inspecting every step of the build. When all was finished and we opened up the two sections, the ran in and explored. I am convinced the gals knew this was all for them.

 

[sunflour]

Those little smarties!

Absolutely, over two years now and they continually surprise me.