AbbyFabby
In the Brooder
Hi y'alls, I'm Abby!
My husband and I got 4 hens last October, and we're trying to provide space that ensures they're as healthy and happy as possible. We have 3 buff Orpingtons and 1 Rhode Island Red. In shades of orange, they're named after famous (fictional) redheads...the RIR is Scully, and the Orpingtons are Lucy, Leeloo and Banzai (my friend, twitch.tv/BanzaiBaby ).
We inherited a very sturdy/secure pen from the landlord...which is good, because we're in mountain lion country. We're reasonably afraid for their safety (we're near a road, and there are plenty of predators), so at this point, they're not free range. That said, we'd love input on how we can safely give them more freedom.
We've just doubled the available space within their coop. They have access to four nesting boxes, but still seem to want the whole coop to themselves to lay eggs. One of them has already laid today, and she's just hanging out in the nesting box (is that a sign that we've made it really comfortable, or that she doesn't like the pen?).
In our spare time, I'm a quilter, and the hubs makes bacon and handles our gardening.
We've been reading all y'all's advice up to this point, but may need to post our own questions, thus the new account. And so I say THANK YOU to all of you for your continued support of us newbies!!
My husband and I got 4 hens last October, and we're trying to provide space that ensures they're as healthy and happy as possible. We have 3 buff Orpingtons and 1 Rhode Island Red. In shades of orange, they're named after famous (fictional) redheads...the RIR is Scully, and the Orpingtons are Lucy, Leeloo and Banzai (my friend, twitch.tv/BanzaiBaby ).
We inherited a very sturdy/secure pen from the landlord...which is good, because we're in mountain lion country. We're reasonably afraid for their safety (we're near a road, and there are plenty of predators), so at this point, they're not free range. That said, we'd love input on how we can safely give them more freedom.
We've just doubled the available space within their coop. They have access to four nesting boxes, but still seem to want the whole coop to themselves to lay eggs. One of them has already laid today, and she's just hanging out in the nesting box (is that a sign that we've made it really comfortable, or that she doesn't like the pen?).
In our spare time, I'm a quilter, and the hubs makes bacon and handles our gardening.
We've been reading all y'all's advice up to this point, but may need to post our own questions, thus the new account. And so I say THANK YOU to all of you for your continued support of us newbies!!
I love the names, too cute. Putting fake eggs or golf balls in the nests can encourage them to lay there. The hen who's hanging out might just take her sweet time laying or may be heading down broody lane.
I tend to go a little crazy
