The Front Porch Swing

[Blooie]

You can bet that next year's chicks will be handled quite differently than these. Don't get me wrong - I know I did the best for them with the brooder set up inside, but frankly it hasn't been the best for me or the rest of crew. I especially worry about Kendra breathing in all this dust. I will section off part of the coop next year and do what you and so many other successful owners have done. I love learning new stuff!!

 

[lindz8504]

You can bet that next year's chicks will be handled quite differently than these. Don't get me wrong - I know I did the best for them with the brooder set up inside, but frankly it hasn't been the best for me or the rest of crew. I especially worry about Kendra breathing in all this dust. I will section off part of the coop next year and do what you and so many other successful owners have done. I love learning new stuff!!

I originally had these guys in a tote in my bathroom, but my 3 year old and 22month old wouldn't stay out of there, and I was afraid they were going to hurt them. So, we made some adjustments to my little coop that was empty, and moved these guys out! I did consult with Bee and made some minor adjustments afterwards as well. They seem to be doing well now!
This is my first time brooding outside, but it is already so much better!

 

[PrairieChicks]

I just came in from getting the barn closed up for the night and my buff Orpington is still in her nest - all the rest are on the roost. I have 2 BO's and about 2 mths ago, one went broody and it took me 3 to 4 weeks to break her of it. So I don't know if this is the same one or not. I'll wait a couple more days and if she stays there, I'll try putting some eggs under. Bee, thanks for your advise earlier. I'll get things ready for her. One thing I was wondering about - if she's separate from the flock for the 3 weeks or so and does hatch chicks, how long do you wait to re-introduce her to the flock (along with the chicks)? And how have you found the best way to do it? I'm a little worried it will still be too cold out for the chicks.

 

[perchie.girl]

Just finished dinner here.... Its been in the eighties and nineties here so we usually do one salad dinner per week.... sometimes two.

Its just an add what you want affair.... I serve up lettuce and tomato as a base and what ever bits are in the fridge, Today I had Cottage Cheese, Greek olives and feta and Pickled Pigs feet.... Grandma is soo funney because she feels she needs to be on a diet. shes about 125 and 4'11ish. I know older people need to have a little extra as a cushion not for falls but for getting sick ...

Anyway shes tickled when i serve up salad. Ooh and cottage cheese. Then I offer her some Pickled Pigs feet.... "OH yes I havent had those in a while I LOVE pickled pigs feet" So scoop some up and put about half a table spoon of the good stuff on her plate. less than half a hard boiled egg.

Now remember shes 97 and I have watched her tastes change over the years from liking sour pickles to OMG those are too sour.... She stopped eating Sourcrout about eight years ago.... Taste buds change over time. So shes diving into the salad eating a bit of cottage cheese then tomato then lettuce... All the sudden she breaks out in a huge shivver.... And she rubs the goosebumps down on her arms.... she laughed "I dont remember pigs feet being so sour...." They are beginning to taste very sour to me as well... Sigh.

She ate every bite... No seconds thankyou...

I asked my son if he wanted some and I got the Stinkeye and the "Are you kidding me....?" look. Heh heh heh more for me.

Oh and I had some sweet potato tater tots today.... Oh my gawd.... I am adding those to my dessert selection next.

deb "whos had major computer issues the past few days"

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I just came in from getting the barn closed up for the night and my buff Orpington is still in her nest - all the rest are on the roost.  I have 2 BO's and about 2 mths ago, one went broody  and it took me 3 to 4 weeks to break her of it.  So I don't know if this is the same one or not.  I'll wait a couple more days and if she stays there, I'll try putting some eggs under.  Bee, thanks for your advise earlier.  I'll get things ready for her.  One thing I was wondering about - if she's separate from the flock for the 3 weeks or so and does hatch chicks, how long do you wait to re-introduce her to the flock (along with the chicks)?  And how have you found the best way to do it?  I'm a little worried it will still be too cold out for the chicks. 

I'm setting a broody up tonight. We do put them in a cage or else they lose their eggs -- so many nesting boxes to choose from they don't know where to go after broody breaks. The cage is on the floor in a corner of the coop. When chicks hatch and start moving around, the cage goes away and it is up to momma to keep the chicks organized and protected.

We've had chicks hatch in the dead of winter and are amazed by how much time they spend running around away from mom!

 

[Beekissed]

I just came in from getting the barn closed up for the night and my buff Orpington is still in her nest - all the rest are on the roost. I have 2 BO's and about 2 mths ago, one went broody and it took me 3 to 4 weeks to break her of it. So I don't know if this is the same one or not. I'll wait a couple more days and if she stays there, I'll try putting some eggs under. Bee, thanks for your advise earlier. I'll get things ready for her. One thing I was wondering about - if she's separate from the flock for the 3 weeks or so and does hatch chicks, how long do you wait to re-introduce her to the flock (along with the chicks)? And how have you found the best way to do it? I'm a little worried it will still be too cold out for the chicks.

I usually have a brooder space set aside in the coop or next to it where the other chickens can still see and hear her and vice versa. I think it keeps her more calm and also she isn't such a stranger when she and the chicks come back to the general flock. I try to let them reintegrate with the flock by 1-2 wks and monitor that first exposure...I've never had to intervene. The other hens will be curious about the chicks but usually the broody mama keeps them at bay and all the chicks will run under her when she calls.

Since I free range, I just wait until all the birds are out foraging and then turn the mama and chicks loose to explore the coop and she usually will take them right outside the coop a little ways but they stick pretty close to the buildings. I make sure all chicks have been able to follow mama back inside of an evening....on a very rare occasion a chick will get stuck behind some fencing or whatnot and cannot follow mama. After the first day or so they are very wily and are very good at heeding her calls and keeping up with her, so no longer need so much observation.

With a broody you don't have to worry about how cold it is out for the chicks...a good broody calls them back under her for warm ups and any chick that can't find its way back, she will gather in and under her.

I'll be putting Hootie and some other chicks out in my open air brooder with just a heating pad brooder heater tomorrow and we are having temps in the 30s-40s in the day and 20s at night....and they will be fine. I'll monitor their behavior and ability to find the heat source, check at night that they all made it under and then I'm going to trust God to care for them from there....and it has always worked.

 

[Blooie]

Bee, did you get a chance to catch my question about taking their food out of the brooder at night now that it's dark in there? I'm thinking that might start getting them used to the "sleep at night, do chickeny things in the daytime" routine.

 

[PrairieChicks]

Thanks for all the advice. What a fun adventure to be on! I haven't tried free ranging my chickens yet. Don't trust our dog - and with coyotes , foxes and hawks around I've been scared to try it. Our yard is quite open - we have a few rows of shelterbelt trees and then farmland around us. There are trees scattered around the yard, but not a forest or "bush" as we call it here. Our dog checks on the chickens in the pen and then walks away. So maybe I should put her on a leash and see what she does right in with them. She'll soon be 2 yrs so isn't acting so puppyish anymore. She's a Merama and collie cross.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, did you get a chance to catch my question about taking their food out of the brooder at night now that it's dark in there? I'm thinking that might start getting them used to the "sleep at night, do chickeny things in the daytime" routine.

I never have feed in the brooder at night anyway, so not sure about your system? I feed chicks twice a day and enough to last them a couple of hours each time but with gaps between an empty feeder and the next meal. Chicks don't need constant feed in front of them, though people for some reason feel like they do. If I come to feed and there is still more than just a skiff of feed in the feeder, I dish out less the next time. If the feeder is picked clean and practically licked, I'll dish out a little more next time. I've got it perfect if there is still a residue of feed in the bottom but not too much.

I think the only way you'll get them used to sleep at night is to turn off the light at night.

Right now little Hootie is as quiet as a mouse under his little heating pad in a darkened room.

Thanks for all the advice. What a fun adventure to be on! I haven't tried free ranging my chickens yet. Don't trust our dog - and with coyotes , foxes and hawks around I've been scared to try it. Our yard is quite open - we have a few rows of shelterbelt trees and then farmland around us. There are trees scattered around the yard, but not a forest or "bush" as we call it here. Our dog checks on the chickens in the pen and then walks away. So maybe I should put her on a leash and see what she does right in with them. She'll soon be 2 yrs so isn't acting so puppyish anymore. She's a Merama and collie cross.

You've got the perfect dog for a chicken flock!

Smart and naturally fit for the job. Take the time to train her effectively on your chickens...you'll need to have established pack leadership and basic obedience before then, but she will be worth her weight in gold for your flock management if you can get her there. Here's some tips on successful free ranging and they really and truly do work:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bees-key-points-to-successful-and-safe-free-ranging

 

[Blooie]

Thanks,Bee. I was one of those people who was told to leave the feeders in all the time so they could eat whenever the urge hit.

I didn't really have a system - just changed the feeder and waterer when they needed it and made sure both were always full and accessible. And of course the heat lamp was on all of the time too, although I raised it regularly as they grew until a couple of days ago when I turned it off and watched to see how they'd do. I really need to keep things simpler, huh? Took the feeder out tonight when I tucked their little hineys in. I am amazed at the big girls - they let the little ones (those new ones I beat Ken buying) snuggle right under them when they hit the sack.

Coop progress is slow.....I'm doing things so much differently with the next batch of chicks. If I wait until I have all the dust cleaned up from these that should be a couple of years.