Something you wish had been invented in chicken keeping.

[NatJ]

I have to clean the shavings in my coop with a broom and a tub, sweeping out all the shavings.

Would a rake help? Long handle, a little better than a broom at dragging things toward you.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Lol, our rake is quite large, 2 large for the coop.

 

[Fishychix]

Haha... You see. I don't get an allowance, I'm broke! I'm in the process of scrapping up BD money. Don't get me wrong, I do chores, but its my role in the family, so I don't need money for it I guess.

I need to introduce you to my kid. Lol! He stopped doing chores in elementary school, even for an allowance.

 

[Fishychix]

All I want is for somebody to invent an actual, real, effective, crow-stopping device. Not some choker that MAY "reduce the volume". No, something to just stop all crowing altogether, forever. So many roosters would get to actually live out their lives if such a thing existed...

By the way, you can use a kids' snow shovel for the coop. Short handle that won't hit the walls as you turn around, narrow enough to go around and between things but wide enough for you to get a good scoop with.

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I also have a kids' rake, and a kids' push broom, for use in the coop. All are very convenient to use in a small space, and are not expensive.

I actually keep one my car during winter.

 

[Fishychix]

It exists. Years ago a show breeder told me he uses Frontline Spray for Puppies and Kittens. For a bantam one spray under each wing and one on the vent every few months.

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You might want to check with a veterinarian, just to be safe.

 

[Fishychix]

I’ve seen a few people post that article on here, and I can say for sure it isn’t factual. That whole blog is full of stuff you would hear around Facebook. I wouldn’t trust them ever, not for anything that requires basic scientific knowledge that is. Just another homesteader wishing to share the things they heard around town, nothing new. All of the blogs are a bit annoying when you are trying to find sources, but you can’t stop someone who thinks they uncovered whether or not the world exists.

Edit: there was someone else who posted that same article awhile back, and it turned into us laughing about hatching crocs from chicken eggs. And giving birth to zebras by living in a climate controlled room for all of your pregnancy. Long story short, that blog post is like someone saying you can grow money by planting a tomato in 35 degree Celsius dirt.

Too true! These make it so much more difficult get real information.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

This thread has taught me a few things.

1. I’m lucky I have a rather strong stature ( for reasons I’m not going to discuss).
2. I’m lucky I can transport feed bags ( though being real, I just order my feed from TSC because they are cool like that and deliver).
3. People want pitchforks. I’ve always been terrified of them, especially when I was young. The look like medieval torture devices, being real.

 

[Fishychix]

I wouldn't use shavings, I tried several different shavings from various places, which were intended for coups, and yet they would still mat up, weren't particularly great at wicking moisture, and always created an inane amount of dust. Straw is an incredibly good option for bedding because it allows for easier moisture wicking (due to being hallow), less dust, and its also not terribly hard to remove poops from them, prolonging bedding use. My coup always smelled least ammonia-y with straw, or even better yet, sand.

Get some play sand, and use it for bedding (obviously not in nesting areas tho) and just use a cat poop scooper to remove their poops. Also, play sand (as long as there isn't dirt involved) is great for low dust, and dries up moisture quick since its just granulated stones, they don't absorb the moisture into the material, it simply dries off once poops are removed.

I haven’t had any issues using pine shavings. Their waterer was leaking and I didn’t even know because the bedding was dry! I only found out when I refilled it. Bucket with nipples.

 

[Fishychix]

An actual thing to catch them with. We had a big storm blow thru our area and I had to chase them down to lock them up

What about a fishing net? You can modify the handle to make it longer. Or a bat catcher they have a drawstring too.

 

[Fishychix]

Exactly. There is no "womens work" or "mens work"...theres only hard work. I may not be able to construct a coop on my own but I can paint and decorate it. I will say though that I'm not sure how it happened but I ended up on all "poop patrol" duties: picking up dog and cat poop and cleaning the coop

We had the opposite. I built it, he painted it. Mostly. We switched a little here and there, but he sucks at building. Lol!