The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[speckledhen]

Mine are 100% free range and I've never seen a single worm, nor have I ever wormed them, so I think you are correct. Your chicken schedule sounds busy with all the rotating.

My shed is finally getting a side put back on, I will share some pictures later, unless they mess it up, my husband and two brothers are working on it.

I'm going to make more of an effort to allow extended free range time, though it's not always easy getting them to come back and rounding them up. Right now, June's group is out digging around among a row of Leylands and Hemlocks with dense cover. They don't have a rooster to look out for them after losing Xander and I can't give them a LF rooster because they are so old and some are showing signs of bad arthritis. So, that is partly why I make them stay in the pen most of the time. I know the worms are due to less time out on forage, more time in a dirt pen and inside pens. They are not eating natural wormers in the forage as much as they used to get.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those bantam roosters make good look outs. If they are under cover they should be okay. They sound like smart old ladies who are happy to be out.



Here's our starting point, the roof looks terrible I know, that will be replaced last in another year or two. The shed dips in the middle from frost heave. It is driving my husband nuts because he wants things level, but I said you will have to eyeball everything.

There are hens right out in front trying to lay eggs right through construction. When you got an egg coming nothing matters. They could go use the two other blocks of nestboxes, but they are creatures of habit.



Due to my husband being busy we bought some premade cheap boxes which the chickens actually like, and so far they are holding together.

 

[speckledhen]

Lisa, it looks great! At least, improvements are underway. We're always tweaking stuff. Right now, I want to rework the roost in Bash's area because we took the entire roost from Isaac's old coop and just moved it over, but it really needs to be redone in there.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Plywood on, apparently we don't have enough siding to cover it all today. That's not my husband but a brother. Notice the goofy chickens right in there at his feet.


Goats aren't impressed being fenced out for the day.

 

[speckledhen]

Plywood on, apparently we don't have enough siding to cover it all today. That's not my husband but a brother. Notice the goofy chickens right in there at his feet.

Well, of course, you need project managers! One of Hector's sons is mine, always has to see what I'm doing.

Oh, Atlas having a luxurious dustbath with his ladies. I put Lizzie back with him for ease of management. She was more relaxed going back in there than with Hector. I'm not hatching anything from Rocks until spring, if then, so it really didn't matter.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well that's it for the day, weird, now my shed looks surprised.

 

[holm25]

Cyn I'm sorry to hear about Big Ida. She was such a beautiful hen but had a longer life than most chickens.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@oldhenlikesdogs
You must see things like I do because I also see that your shed looks surprised - and would have even if you didn't mention it!!

(Perhaps it's shocked that the large door is now small.)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@oldhenlikesdogs
You must see things like I do because I also see that your shed looks surprised - and would have even if you didn't mention it!!

View attachment 1132535

Hopefully tomorrow it looks more relaxed, though I got a feeling it will be surprised every day from now on.

 

[Leahs Mom]

(Perhaps it's shocked that the large door is now small.)