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

[getaclue]

I know the fencing has been on your mind for awhile now. I'm sure that's a relief to you, both getting reliable help, and getting your fence line done, so you can put up the new fencing. It's a work in progress, but at least there is progress.

 

[speckledhen]

These kids have to go to the outside coop! They are insanely rowdy! The EEs are flying all over the place, room is getting tight in the rabbit cage. They hatched about April 6, near as I can determine by when they arrived at the feed store (April 9) and most have full wings and beginning to get some shoulder feathers. The little coop is very warm, in general, has a 250W heat lamp plus a reptile bulb of 150W in a slightly different area. Under the red lamp, it reads about 90* and it's 50* outside. We're expected a late frost Wed and Thurs night, high 20's, and after that, it goes up from there. Do you ever put yours out at 2 weeks? I recall doing it with a humongous batch many years ago, but I don't often do it that early, usually give them another week. My living room is a disaster area, LOL.
....later that day....THEY ARE LEAVING! Omigosh, the insanity! To the grow out coop they go TODAY.

 

[getaclue]

Aren't they still a bit young to go out?

 

[speckledhen]

Aren't they still a bit young to go out?

They are about a week younger than I usually put them out, if I recall correctly, but they have good heat in that little coop and seem to be doing well so far. They had one night out there and did great. This afternoon, I had to open the pop door (with screen securely in front of it) to vent out some heat. It was 85* in the coop, so it must have been super warm under the actual heat lamp. They have two of those, one incandescent and one ceramic for backup, both secured three ways to Sunday so they have a good area that stays toasty warm. I put the transmitter for my barn thermometer into that coop to monitor the temperature in there from the house.
They were running all over the place, acting like they'd been let out of prison.

 

[getaclue]

Oh, your outdoor setup sounds like it'll be fine. Hopefully, by next week, it'll be warmed up, so heat won't be a real issue.

 

[speckledhen]

Yep, they can probably go outside on some afternoon next week. I hope by then that I'll have a handle on the sexes of the Cochins.

 

[speckledhen]

Again, trespassing chickens. Notice they are outside the perimeter fence and on my pasture lot out in the open where they cannot hope to find a place to hide from any predator, no cover available there. Yes, I find that flock up close to my fence, way up on my land several times a week. Seems in addition to all the fencing we are buying, we'd best add another roll to continue down that side of the pasture, at the very least. There were also at least two photos of the fox in that exact same location again.

And Hector & company on the inside of the perimeter fence. So far, they have not been there at the same time or we might have a huge problem, which is why I want him to keep his birds on his own property.

 

[getaclue]

Who do the trespassers belong to?

 

[speckledhen]

Who do the trespassers belong to?

The guy next door whose dog caused us trouble years ago. Now, it's his chickens who have no pen at all. He lets them out early and they roam all day. And this guy may eventually solve my problem-looks like the same pic, but it's two different days :

 

[getaclue]

I have a cousin that lives in lower GA. She has no coop for her chickens. There is an old pick up truck in her yard, with no wheels. In the bed of the pick up, is a ladder, which is secured to a huge Oak tree, with a rope. Every evening, one by one, the guineas, then the chickens hop onto the bed of the truck, and climb the ladder onto a big branch to roost for the night. When one of them is broody, there is hay in the bed of the truck. She has a sentinal light nearby, which is not overly bright, but you can see ok in the dead of night. She's had this set up for years. The older ones, teach the newer ones.

If a predator dares get near the truck, they are greeted with a bunch of noisy guineas screaming at them. If that doesn't chase them off, she's out there like a flash with her gun. Over the years, the nearby predators have learned that the truck is off limits, however, every once in awhile there will be one that it's mama didn't teach it to stay away from the truck. She has no trouble shooting it.

When you were talking about your neighbor, I was thinking about my cousin, and her situation. Of course, she owns 500 acres, so it's not like her chickens go visiting the neighbors.