betsycam
Chirping
- Oct 9, 2013
- 35
- 10
- 97
So, I probably went about everything the wrong way, but here's the outline:
I bought 6 pullet chicks of unknown breed from TSC in March, raised them up indoors with a lamp, and then my husband built them a nice coop that has about 12 "boxes" for them to lay, basically dividers that form spaces for them to lay. Kept them locked in there until I felt they were old and big enough to free range. One thing we did wrong is that we built the coop free-standing on stilts with no run. So surprise, when let out, they chose to roost in a small Sequoia tree near the coop!
Turns out they are white leghorns. When it came time to start laying, we found a few eggs, but then I went on my vacation and my DH, left behind to watch over things, said they weren't laying much. Turns out the girls were going into the shop and hiding their eggs in communal nests! When I got home I found 80 eggs stashed in four different locations! After I collected the eggs they seemed to try to find new spots to lay, apparently upset that I had disrupted the current locations. They are quite prolific: each lays an egg every day!
So, we closed them out of the shop, and I put some duck eggs inside the coop to give them the idea. They did start laying in the coop, one nest! But, then I was gone for 10 days and my DH said they had quit laying in the coop. It may be that he was collecting all the eggs at once and they didn't like that. When I got back, I found a nest they had formed in one of the Sequoias next to their roosting tree - a perfect platform formed by lower branches, quite a lovely, hidden spot!
So, on recommendation from a friend, I locked them up in the coop for about a week. They got laying in one nest again, and I tried to leave behind eggs when collecting them so that they wouldn't feel the need to change things up again.
Yesterday I let them out after they laid their eggs, so they could forage, since those are the tastiest eggs
They went for the roost tree at bedtime, but I managed to get them into the coop and gave them a nice reward of mealworms inside. Today, same thing - they went for the roost tree.
We are fenced in so the usual threats, coyotes or foxes, can't come in, and our dogs partrol the area they cruise. We don't seem to have raccoons, the biggest foe my fowl have encountered when I lived elsewhere. Should I let them roost in the tree? Or should I clip their wings so they have no choice but to use the coop? I'd like to build a run around the coop but that may take some time, and since I want them to free-range for forage, I'd be letting them out anyway. Winter is coming and I fear for their health and comfort roosting in that tree. How do I get these girls to get with my program?
I bought 6 pullet chicks of unknown breed from TSC in March, raised them up indoors with a lamp, and then my husband built them a nice coop that has about 12 "boxes" for them to lay, basically dividers that form spaces for them to lay. Kept them locked in there until I felt they were old and big enough to free range. One thing we did wrong is that we built the coop free-standing on stilts with no run. So surprise, when let out, they chose to roost in a small Sequoia tree near the coop!
Turns out they are white leghorns. When it came time to start laying, we found a few eggs, but then I went on my vacation and my DH, left behind to watch over things, said they weren't laying much. Turns out the girls were going into the shop and hiding their eggs in communal nests! When I got home I found 80 eggs stashed in four different locations! After I collected the eggs they seemed to try to find new spots to lay, apparently upset that I had disrupted the current locations. They are quite prolific: each lays an egg every day!
So, we closed them out of the shop, and I put some duck eggs inside the coop to give them the idea. They did start laying in the coop, one nest! But, then I was gone for 10 days and my DH said they had quit laying in the coop. It may be that he was collecting all the eggs at once and they didn't like that. When I got back, I found a nest they had formed in one of the Sequoias next to their roosting tree - a perfect platform formed by lower branches, quite a lovely, hidden spot!
So, on recommendation from a friend, I locked them up in the coop for about a week. They got laying in one nest again, and I tried to leave behind eggs when collecting them so that they wouldn't feel the need to change things up again.
Yesterday I let them out after they laid their eggs, so they could forage, since those are the tastiest eggs
They went for the roost tree at bedtime, but I managed to get them into the coop and gave them a nice reward of mealworms inside. Today, same thing - they went for the roost tree.We are fenced in so the usual threats, coyotes or foxes, can't come in, and our dogs partrol the area they cruise. We don't seem to have raccoons, the biggest foe my fowl have encountered when I lived elsewhere. Should I let them roost in the tree? Or should I clip their wings so they have no choice but to use the coop? I'd like to build a run around the coop but that may take some time, and since I want them to free-range for forage, I'd be letting them out anyway. Winter is coming and I fear for their health and comfort roosting in that tree. How do I get these girls to get with my program?
