Texas

[Tjack101]

Mine are 17 weeks and also spend 80% or more in the coop. They have lots of room in the run, 6 chickens in a 10'x16' run. If I go out there they will come out every time. My wife says I am there mother figure.

Maybe I made there coop too nice.

That IS a nice coop!

 

[deepeasttexas]

That IS a nice coop!

Thanks, I did plenty of research on this site before I did it.

 

[RitrosLadies]

Im late to the party! Granbury Tx here.
We are about 45 min south west of Fort Worth

 

[SlipsWife]

Mine are spending 80% of their time in the coop and not foraging around the run. Weird right? They are 13 weeks

Do they have food/water in the coop? Maybe move the food/water out in the run during the day, or have it in both places if possible. I keep a small amount of feed in the run, with all of their water. I do move their water into the coop if the weather is going to be extremely bad, but that's rare here. I use to only feed in the run but I think the wild birds were eating more than the chickens. Without seeing your set up, its hard to know. They might not feel protected from predators, they might be to hot, they might not like the wind...or they might just like their coop!

Our younger group spends more time in the coop than the older group.

Sometimes you have to get them to come out by throwing down scratch and other things to get them to be interested in the outside. If they think inside is more interesting, they will stay inside. There is a reasons why we eat chickens...they aren't always the brightest bulbs in the light fixture and sometimes have to be shown what to do.

Mine are 17 weeks and also spend 80% or more in the coop. They have lots of room in the run, 6 chickens in a 10'x16' run. If I go out there they will come out every time. My wife says I am there mother figure.

Maybe I made there coop too nice.

I would hang out in the coop all day too if I were them! We need to agree now to never show these pictures to my chickens...then they won't know how much we've slacked on theirs!

 

[Tjack101]

Do they have food/water in the coop? Maybe move the food/water out in the run during the day, or have it in both places if possible. I keep a small amount of feed in the run, with all of their water. I do move their water into the coop if the weather is going to be extremely bad, but that's rare here. I use to only feed in the run but I think the wild birds were eating more than the chickens. Without seeing your set up, its hard to know. They might not feel protected from predators, they might be to hot, they might not like the wind...or they might just like their coop!

Our younger group spends more time in the coop than the older group.

Nope, nothing in the coop at all.

 

[srosales1996]

Very nice! Did you cut the bottom off the bucket or just drill holes? Also, what did you use as the water bowl?

I got the bowl from tractor supply because I didn't have the right size of what I needed. The bottom of the bucket has holes drilled in it. It is not cut off. It acts like a soda straw with your finger over then end. I'll get you the link I use and paste it in. In a bit. Sorry I have been a slacker I have been busy at work and forgot to reply until now.

http://bitmaps-misc.blogspot.com/2009/08/easy-fill-chicken-waterer.html?m=1

There is the link to the concept. I havnt made the PVC fill and not sure I will simp ally because I currently have ducks in this pen and have to wash the bucket out when I refill it anyway.

 

[Starfire669]

Yeah...they made my day.    Thanks again!

- TieDyeMommy

So I let everyone out at 6:30 this morning, which is 2 hours earlier than usual. The ducks were out first, flapping and quacking. They spent an hour at the catnip bush foraging, Howard tried to mate with Ivory but couldn't climb on. And they are now all settled in for a nice nap. So I guess they didn't sleep well last night. When they wake up I will take them to the coop for a bite to eat and to show them their permanent home once the geese and ducks get along. It should not take too long, today things seem calmer. The geese and ducks got close to each other, I think the geese wanted the catnip bush too, and just kinda looked and both parties backed off. The ducks got the catnip bush and the geese got the pools and wisteria to sit under. Lol. They seem to be working things out.

 

[Starfire669]

I got the bowl from tractor supply because I didn't have the right size of what I needed. The bottom of the bucket has holes drilled in it. It is not cut off. It acts like a soda straw with your finger over then end. I'll get you the link I use and paste it in. In a bit. Sorry I have been a slacker I have been busy at work and forgot to reply until now.

No problem. Thanks for getting the link, I like that waterer and would like to make 1 for my flock, maybe 2.

 

[lisaterrell88]

Im late to the party! Granbury Tx here.
We are about 45 min south west of Fort Worth

Welcome to byc from gustine tx.

 

[Starfire669]

Im late to the party! Granbury Tx here.
We are about 45 min south west of Fort Worth

from south San Antonio!
Beware the enablers of Chicken Math!