Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[smkchick]

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Works with kids and dogs, too. Although a bribing a 27 year old is beyond my financial means since I lost my job!

 

[magsrags]

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Works with kids and dogs, too. Although a bribing a 27 year old is beyond my financial means since I lost my job!

 

[smkchick]

Was thinking of putting a small low-wattage bulb in the coop to encourage Gladys to head that way when it starts to get dark. The bigger run definitely helps - she's much less agitated inside. I was thinking of trying a lockdown for the next couple of days. There's a hawk in the neighborhood and I'm going to be subbing all day, plus my DP might go to work for his friend. Might be a good time to try it.

The new run added a lot of height and open space. Plus two fun ladders for Her Highness to go up and down. I have a hanging forage cake, half a pumpkin and her regular food and water in there. As my daughter said, "what's next a sauna and big screen tv?"

What do you suppose chickens would watch on tv??

 

[magsrags]

I would for sure do a lock down. It would be for her and your own good and show her "where she lives". Otherwise the consequences can be very be painful.

When I am training new peeps...... I place them manually inside their coop at dusk every nite till they begin to "get it" and then do it themselves. It hasn't failed me yet. Mine free range all day this past summer....and at dusk they walk in a parade line to the coop, preen for a minute or 2 and then mosey on inside. I then lock them down before total dark or else the racoons will surely get them.
I had 4 huge halks this weekend flying overhead. Free range days are now limited while the trees still have leaf cover. Then lockdown in their protected pen unless I am right there with them.


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[smkchick]

Free range days are now limited while the trees still have leaf cover.

Are the chickens safer from hawks when there is no leaf cover?

Gladys had been heading for the trees by around 4pm, so I've been luring her into the coop around 3. She seems to know when dusk is coming and was getting into the tree before then. So I just lured her in early. Do you think she'll go in voluntarily at dusk, especially after a couple of days of lockdown?

I guess if she goes into the tree I can still get her down and put her into the coop.

I will train the chicks as you suggested (when the time comes).

 

[ChickenAl]

Lockdown does work well. Once they know home is the place of safety they will want to go there at dusk. Being Gladys is a rescue it is going to be a bit harder because you have to rehome her. Her instinct is to go in a tree for the night. Coops are what we creat for their home. Sooner or later she will figure it out, but lockdown for up to a week is the best way to get her trained. Likely she is still young enough to make it somewhat easier.

Stress is tough on chickens, and the larger run should lower any she has.

We put our chickens in the coop and run at seven weeks. Took them about a week to get the idea of where to sleep. The first two nights I had to dig them out of the corner of the run and put them in. They slept on the floor for a while too. After a week of them going inside at night I placed them on the Roost by hand. Had to do it in low light or they would fly right off. Now they all have their favorite roosting spots and talk to us from when we close the pop door at night.

Good luck.


Al

 

[smkchick]

Thanks, Al. The chicks are just 2 weeks old now. They've been living in a large plastic bin in a small room off the bedroom under a 100 watt bulb. I regulate the temperature based on how they're acting. When they huddle up under the light, I point it down more into the bin. Otherwise, I keep it off to one side so they have a cool spot and a warm spot to choose from. In another month or so, I'll introduce them to the coop and run.

I think you're right about Gladys. Being in a tree is a safe zone for her because she lived so long on her own. But she's been much better about going into the coop since we added the more open run area. I lured her in this afternoon right after we finished it to see how she would react. She got agitated once or twice and tried the mesh to see if she could get out, but then busied herself exploring what was on the ground and then took the trip "upstairs" to the roosting area. When I went to let her out to visit with my mom (

) she didn't come running out or anything. Later, when I put her in for the night, she came pretty quickly. (God bless those Happy Hen Treats!) Again, a little pacing, a little exploring, then upstairs.

Bobby said he's going to stay home tomorrow. I think he doesn't want her locked down! She keeps him company when he works in the yard, and is keeping the yard bug free. Wait til all 4 of them are out there!

Again, thanks for the advice. Now can you help me decide which job I should take??

 

[magsrags]

The hawks sit in my trees with or without leaves. My concern is when all the leaves fall they have a clearer view and landing strip in my yard where the chickens often cross back and forth. Hawks like to dive while flying high above and hit their prey hard & fast. Often killing on impact. I wish I didn't lose my leaves at all.

Last winter one used to sit not even 15 feet on a low branch outside my kitchen door eyeing up my safely enclosed birds pen.He wasn't one bit afraid of me or my dogs either.LOL
I would often see him eating pigeons and sparrows he'd caught in the front yard and in both neighbors yards. Not a pretty site. Just red snow and a pile of feathers when he was all finished. We seem to have a LOT of them hatched out this season. I've seen upwards 5-6 circling all together the past couple of weeks flying in a grid pattern. Gonna be a long winter.

Yes, put Gladys away early to get her used to her house. she'll feel safe there soon.







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[ChickenAl]

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Haha! So, Bobby has a soft spot for Gladys, huh? I sit out there on a lawn chair and either keep an eye on them when they are out foraging or sit in front of the run and fall asleep in the chair. They are very relaxing pets.

So, what are the job choices?

 

[ChickenAl]

You guys seem to have more hawks than we do up here. Not that we haven't seen them around but not to the extent you have.

I would freak if they swooped down and got one of my girls. The crows do a good job of announcing and scaring off the hawks, though. I love watching the crows scare off hawk in flight. It is like the hawk forgets how to fly away and can't shake them loose. Pretty funny. You need to get some thug crows out there.