Submit your ideas on helping beat winter boredom in the coop/run

[cheeptrick]

Very NICE coop LynneP!!

Those birds are LOVED!

Another note on the roosts....separate them out so there is enough room for them to space out if they want. Mine seem to prefer to huddle together in the winter....I stagger my roosts....up into the rafters. I made like a large step ladder with out the toe kick boards heading right up to the rafters. Then they have enough room ro spread out and NOT poop on each others backs. It is a good idea to make sure the roosts are far enough apart so the birds behind them cannot reach their backs....that is when the pecking gets a going......especially when someone is NOT BEING STILL! LOL Mine are about 2-3 feet apart from each other. PLUS being high in the rafters prevents predators from getting them if god forbid any got in my fort knox coop!!

 

[ranchhand]

LynneP and cheeptrick-

I am in awe and newly reinspired. New chicken keepers and old ranchhands like me can learn a lot here.

Thank you!

 

[LynneP]

I like the point you make about the roosts, hadn't thought about that. I find that about 20% of the time the hens use a platform for sleeping, maybe because it feels more secure, and you can get 12 birds on either of them. Then in the morning after laying they are often on the roosts, grooming. They can also see me through the aisleway window from there and Tibet, my alpha girl, alerts the others to my arrival! They are sooo funny.

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
I use 2x4's for this reason...they can sit down on their feet and it prevents frost bite in the winter. Here is an old photo of my roosts when I first built my coop. Today it is covered in ICE...bad storm here.

These metal brackets are found in the lumber section of your hardware store.

 

[LynneP]

I hear you! We had a savage ice storm yesterday and today it's all melting. Then it's supposed to freeze again. They say the jet stream is farther south this winter and will be for another month. We've had 2 massive snow storms, ice storms, rain, rain, rain...ground is very sloppy and nea5r-hurrican force winds expected. I'm relieved we roofed the chicken run. I prefer to have some snow get the ground frozen and cope.

Here are our roosts, also made of 2x4's. When they are on them some can see through the windows into the barn aisleway, I think it amuses them to watch the horse and barn cats. They can reach platform and roosts via a ramp or a hay bale. I'm more concerned about them getting down, they're big girls. I expect you and I will see some extreme weather variables this year. I'm glad the hens are nicely feathered and dry.

 

[ozark hen]

I hang a head of cabbage in the coop once a week. They seem to enjoy "playing" while eating. My dh also splits a pumpkin and puts it in the coop for them, seeds and all. But we only do that a couple times each fall. The seeds are a natural wormer so we are taking care of any problems that might arise from the possibility of worms. Never seen any worms ....so far

I also scatter a bit of cracked corn around the coop floor bedding, gets the girls to do some housework in there for me and save me from turning the bedding daily

 

[Sissy]

Lynn P great coop,
like the large windows.

 

[Sissy]

Giving barley to the flock and cauliflower.
but dont pumpkin seeds have to be baked in order to help with worms??

 

[mksenoj]

I put a TV in the coop and show Chicken Run LOL . I'm only joking. I just add more feed in the wood shavings and it keeps them busy.

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
Hey don't laugh...but old time chicken farmers play classical music in their chicken coops to increase laying...it does work!!

I did get an email back from Dr. Naylor...this is what it said....

"Hi Brandy,

We have never done the tissue residue studies required by the FDA to obtain a claim for Food Producing Animals. Therefore, I cannot tell you it is safe to eat the eggs from your chickens. The product has been around a very long time and we sell the product to many large poultry operations for use. I would suggest you research the internet to come up with your own conclusions.

Thank you for your interest and please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.

Best Regards,

David Lucas
H. W. Naylor Co., Inc.
121 Main Street
Morris, NY 13808
607-263-5145"

I'm testament....that eating them did nothing to me....but I'm only one person in that study group! LOL

Just wanted to follow up....I do love their product...it does work well!!!