The Middle Tennessee Thread

[pickledchicken]

Really SNOW in East TN this week???????

I am just not ready for snow.

 

[CarolJ]

My Rhodebars are hatching! Two are out of the shell so far - four more have pipped. I'm eager to see if these olive-egg Rhodebars are auto-sexing. They should be. If so - as is my usual luck - the first two look like they're probably males, although it's hard to tell when they haven't dried off yet. I want to skip church to watch the hatching, but I guess I won't. LOL!

 

[Countrypunk92]

I have skipped sleep to watch chicks hatch. Its good stress reliever

 

[Cinny]

NOT having good ventilation is the WORST thing you can do. That is how they get frost bite... and that does happen here. You need to make sure there is NO draft, but ventilation. My rafters are OPEN to vent, just covered with hardware cloth. In the winter we can wrap 3 walls with plastic feed bags. That will keep the draft way down. They will cuddle when it get cold enough.

Thanks Donna.....there are no rafters, and it has insulation all around.....we kind of think since the back of the coop that has the wire is only about 4" from the ground, just enough for us to get a rake under to clean, there won't be a draft there.....and with the window closed and the plexiglass in the front door they should be ok......if not, I'll just move them into the spare bedroom for the winter...LOL
I guess it will be kind of a game being my first winter and I'll just have to play it by ear. As for the cuddling, right now they are in clicks.....first 3 huddle together, next 2 huddle and the last is on her own, but I gave her one of the nesting boxes until she's more integrated ( I know I shouldn't have, but they didn't like her on the roosts)

 

[BKPUCKETT]

I have a question.

What is the ideal size for roost pole?

 

[CarolJ]

I have a question.

What is the ideal size for roost pole?

The only rule I know of is that the roost pole must be higher than the nest boxes. Chickens will go to the highest place to roost at night - and if that's the nest box - that's where they'll want to go.

 

[ChickenQueen12]

I have a question.

What is the ideal size for roost pole?

2x2 rounded on one side they love to roost on. i also rea that as chiks to put 1in roost in their brooder and as they grow to go bigger until u get to 2 in so that the breast grow right. But of course this is just the opinion of one person in one book lol
The 2 books i have found very informative is " the Joy of Keeping Chickens" and " Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" both i bought at TSC.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I didn't know any of that LOL... I just cut some branches on the thick side. 2xs the size of my thumb and some bigger and some smaller. We just screwed them to the walls.

BTW they don't go for the highest spot.... mine always roost on top of the water or the nest box..... some will actually use the roost poles

We are working to fix that. We have moved all the waterers and will cover the nest boxes with slanted tops to discourage roosting. We are trying HARD to save time. Cleaning nest boxes because they roosted in them is a WASTE of my time and pine shavings. LOL

 

[CarolJ]

Sorry - I misread the question. I thought you were asking about the height of the roost pole. Most of mine are 2x2s - but I have several 2 x 4's that they like, too.

 

[wife89]

Hey all...it's been awhile since I have joined the conversation......lots of crazy issues at home....

Anyway, I have a problem... It's been 3 weeks since we have had a single egg... I have 20 chickens and 18 should be laying.... But we haven't had an egg show up. We have checked every nook and cranny in the yard and coop and nothin... Ant ideas as to what may be the cause??? They don't look like they are molting..so we just aren't sure...

Thanks