The Front Porch Swing

[Ms Jellybean]

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[LeslieDJoyce]

I have made such a total ninny of myself I'd like to go to bed to get away from me! <sigh> Hard to explain, but I'll try. When I first got my chicks, I knew that the yellow ones with the buffy color on them had to be the Red Sex Links. (Or Red Stars, as they were called at the hatchery) I also knew that all of the plain yellow ones therefore must be Buff Orpingtons.

......



He's a Red Sex Link cockerel. I feel like such an idiot! Well, just goes to show ya that just because ya learn to lower the pop door, use poultry nipples for water and build a chicken coop don't mean you can tell one little yeller chick from the other! Somebody shoot me......

I think the red spots are cool.

I'm a year or two further into this adventure than you, and I would have no clue how to spot a male sex link in a box of identical-looking chicks ... I've never had one to observe. With all the mutts we hatch here, so no two supposed-to-be identical chicks to compare, I'm getting pretty good at spotting the cockerels from all the other stuff. Brooder behavior, proportion of body to leg, then when the pointy feathers start coming in I can usually get other people here on board with my observations, too. Sometimes there is a more obvious comb early on, but I have a much harder time persuading people here that the 2 yo Brown Leghorn hens, with their big floppy combs, are female (even when they produce eggs

).

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Quote: Not really. It is kind of like the cake in the spring form pan. But you would want to scrap off the outside edges all around. That is all good stuff to restart the next compost pile with. And as far as adding moisture....1] it depends on your location and amount of rain. 2] the stuff you add to it. If I have dry weather, I add water to the kitchen compost bucket and dump it on top. It needs to be like a wet sponge. Not too dry. Not dripping wet.
3] I just added to it, and ignored it the rest of the time. My hubby wanted to turn it, but 1x was enough for him. I just let mine be, for about a year. Turn it into the garden in either spring or fall, when take up the previous season of gardening. Those plants can then be added to your new compost pile, along with the edges of the one you just take down to add to your garden.

 

[Searsmom]

PS If anyone else has advice I would love to hear it

I don't know about advice, but here's what I do: took an old metal stock tank that had a hole in the bottom and cut most of the bottom out. Set it outside in a line with my porch off the kitchen door. When I have stuff to add to the compost I just lean over the railing and let fly. It gets turned when I remember, gets brooder bedding in the spring, chickens scratch in it all year and ash from the woodstove. Usually by late winter I have nice black crumbly stuff with worms in it that gets spread all over the place. If there's stuff not composted on top, I shovel it to one side and scoop up the black stuff from underneath. Sticks do not work well with this method. They just get in the way of the shovel. All shipping boxes get ripped apart and tossed in, I even tried a McMaster Carr catalog, but that didn't work so well - it was a huge moist mess for 2 years running, it would have worked if I'd torn the pages out first.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I don't know about advice, but here's what I do: took an old metal stock tank that had a hole in the bottom and cut most of the bottom out. Set it outside in a line with my porch off the kitchen door. When I have stuff to add to the compost I just lean over the railing and let fly. It gets turned when I remember, gets brooder bedding in the spring, chickens scratch in it all year and ash from the woodstove. Usually by late winter I have nice black crumbly stuff with worms in it that gets spread all over the place. If there's stuff not composted on top, I shovel it to one side and scoop up the black stuff from underneath. Sticks do not work well with this method. They just get in the way of the shovel. All shipping boxes get ripped apart and tossed in, I even tried a McMaster Carr catalog, but that didn't work so well - it was a huge moist mess for 2 years running, it would have worked if I'd torn the pages out first.

Your avatar photo is so sweet.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

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[Searsmom]

Thank you!

She's gone broody again. Has 17 under her and by the end of the day will have 20. She's huge!!

edited for typos

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Nope

I don't have to do that with these guys. They are not really game birds.
What breed is he.... sorry I must have missed it. He looks like a long tail. I want Sumatras and they are considered long tails but they dont grow that long train. Like the Japanese do.
deb

 

[Beekissed]

Check with the SPCA for neutering. They usually have the best prices and they really do a great job. Even though I have a regular to go to I take my pets to the SPCA to be altered.

Maybe you can get Ben a 'hair cut' every spring.

So when you take the fence off the mass holds together? It doesn't fall down?

Checked with them but they are so booked that I may go ahead and do it at the vet's. A lot of folks shear these dogs but it's not recommended to do so...from what they say, their hair actually insulates them from the heat. Who knew? My sister used to breed GPs and she would have them sheared, but she's not too bright about most things.

My mother was quite pleased that Ben doesn't smell like a dog...I think she is getting quite fond of the big huffalump.

She doesn't even mind that he is staying close to the cabin/house instead of up where all the other animals are. That's simply amazing! (she's a clean freak)

I need some advise on my coop I am going to build. You ladies have more sense here than other places so I am asking here.

I live in Texas and the summers are HOT! Lots of ventilation needed so I am changing up the design some to add more than the builder (MisterChicken on here) has.

Here is one of his photos of his Blue Grass Coop.

I am putting in larger windows on the east and west sides of mine. East on mine is where his nest box is. I want to put the nest box on the north side of mine (unless it is bad to do so) and have a large vent, or a few smaller vents above it. I will close these in the winter. I also want a larger window (door really) on the south side. Since I am doing DL I thought rather than making the roost/nesting area closed up like he has it I would not put a bottom on it so the poop goes straight to the ground. I would still do the wall like he has it though and have a door to get in for cleaning. Instead of a pop door they could walk under and I would have a ladder type perch. The whole coop/run is enclosed with hardware cloth so it should be predator proof, and I have a chain link fence around my yard to keep most things out. It's only 4' tall so if something really wants in they can get in. I am also fencing in a large run area around the coop/run for the chickens to hang out in when I can't be out to watch them. I'm using deer cloth (7' tall) and I will run rabbit wire or similar around the bottom to keep it more secure. I am also covering the top to keep the hawks out.

Is this a good plan or should I build it like it is? My roof is going to be a darker colour so I don't have a greenhouse effect going on. I think everything else will be the same except I want mine 6'x12' instead of 5'x10'.

Chickens like to lay in northern most nest boxes, so that will work out well if you move the nest boxes. If I lived in your climate I'd just build a nice hoop coop and save yourself money and also have a larger coop from the deal. This coop has very limited capabilities as far as stocking, room to move around and places for feeders, waterers, etc.

But, if your heart is set on this coop, I agree with opening up more and more ventilation and also getting more shade to that roof. As small as the coop is, the DL won't be feasible but using it in the pen below will help, so your idea of letting the poop fall through to the bottom should work well if you are having DL there.

Roof: I meant not clear like it is. I need something to block the sun. It is elevated above the coop so there is airflow underneath. I was thinking a grey colour.

Floor: I will pile up pine shavings on the ground in the entire area. Will it not work that way? Does it need to be enclosed? I thought it could be used in any type of area. The entire run/coop will be enclosed with hardware cloth. The only thing I was thinking about doing different was taking out the floor under the roost section. I didn't know if that was a good idea though.

Yep, it works.

Thank you!

She's gone broody again. Has 17 under her and by the end of the day will have 20. She's huge!!

edited for typos

Great bird!

 

[lindz8504]