The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[JeffOeuf]

NIcky,

I'm no expert, but what I've read and experienced myself is that daylight hours are the biggest culprit in declining production. Open those blinds up right now and see if that doesn't help.

Yes, chickens will climb steps, both up and down. When coming down there may be some wing flapping and running involved, that won't be nearly as clumsy and awkward as it will appear to you to be. It's actually a pretty coordinated little dance...at least with mine it is. Watching them flap and jump down from 30 feet up in a cedar tree is pretty darn entertaining.

Also "free-ranging in the barn" isn't free ranging. It's open confinement. Get them outside in the sunshine and grass if you can. The more the better. Don't worry about them getting cold. They won't. Particularly in Texas. Mine will leave their cozy little coop to go outdoors even when it is in the teens and windy.

 

[delisha]

NIcky,

I'm no expert, but what I've read and experienced myself is that daylight hours are the biggest culprit in declining production. Open those blinds up right now and see if that doesn't help.

Yes, chickens will climb steps, both up and down. When coming down there may be some wing flapping and running involved, that won't be nearly as clumsy and awkward as it will appear to you to be. It's actually a pretty coordinated little dance...at least with mine it is. Watching them flap and jump down from 30 feet up in a cedar tree is pretty darn entertaining.

Also "free-ranging in the barn" isn't free ranging. It's open confinement. Get them outside in the sunshine and grass if you can. The more the better. Don't worry about them getting cold. They won't. Particularly in Texas. Mine will leave their cozy little coop to go outdoors even when it is in the teens and windy.

Good advise!!

Additionally:
Look for feathers on the steps. I would bet someone or 10 is laying up there. Hens are considering to set nests this time of year in milder climates. They just got off molt and slow time so they are thinking spring, aren't we all?
Your weather is fine and the chickens probably like it a bit cooler
We are going into longer days and your eggs will pick up, so no worries.
I just want to note that some of your breeds are short egg layers. After two years they simply slow production and will not give as many eggs.
If you free range in a barn I am confused in to what they can free range on. Do you have a green house or soil beds inside?
Free ranging allows hens to get all those good bugs, weeds and goodies they find under leaves and grasses.
Nothing wrong with housing them in a barn, however if you have them confined and you need the eggs your instincts are right and you do need to add more layer. If they get outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine you are good to go.

don't close the blinds..let in as much light as you can if you are looking for eggs.

 

[pigeonguy]

I posted this in another section and didn't get much response. Any suggestions?


OK, I need some reassurance that this is just the season and not something else. I have a flock of 8 almost 2 year old hens and 5 almost 1 year old pullets and 1 2 year old rooster. Most of the hens quit laying completely around the first of December, but it was OK, because all the pullets were still laying pretty regularly. This last week, even they have stopped laying and we're only getting 2 - 4 eggs a day. I checked my charts from last winter and the 12 pullets I had then (part of the 8 hens I have now) had dropped to a low of 6, but never quit completely and by the first week of January, they were starting back up in numbers. This is really frustrating because we supply the restaurant around the corner with 3 dozen a week, but it's getting hard to make the quota and there's nothing left for us to eat.

So, I feed FF, and I'm starting to wonder that I'm not keeping enough layer feed in the mixture. Would that be a cause? Right now the break down is 1/4 layena, 1/4 oats, 1/4 barley and 1/4 scratch, with either alfalfa, BOSS or cabbage tossed in. Would upping the layena really make a difference? (It was suggested that my protein levels are too low?)

We've been having a lot of dips in temperature - one night 60, the next 30, then back up to 55, then back down to 30. I've been closing the blinds over the windows to cut the draft and it makes the coop pretty dark, even in the morning. Could it be the extra darkness that they're getting that's telling most of them not to lay?

They free range in my barn. I have considered that there may be a hidden nest, but the barn is pretty open. We check the stalls daily. They only place I could possibly see as a "hidden" place is in between the stacks of shavings. We've got about 30 bags in two rows, but they're pretty close together. I can't see how a hen could get in between there to nest. Guess we should pull them apart and look anyway. There's also an open staircase up to the loft. Can chickens climb stairs? Would they actually come down the stairs? I can't see them flying/gliding down and not breaking a leg or something. It's 16 feet high.

So, the hens, all Ideal hatchery stock. 2 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Wyandottes and 3 EE's. The pullets I got at POL, but I believe they are also Ideal: 2 New Hampshires (I think they're prod. reds, tho, they have white instead of black around the edges), 2 Black Australorp/NHR crosses and 1 Barred Plymoth Rock.

Any ideas?

The shorter days will make a difference and reduce production. I do think you should be able to get the 6 eggs you were last year.I do also think that protein levels can play a role in not getting that amount. Now since you do not mention what your protein levels are in the layena or the scratch I would not know what your overall protein level is. I do think it sounds to low but only a guess.
Answer these Questions and we will try to help more.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1: What was your protein levels last year?
2: What are your protein levels now?
3:When did you start fermented feed?
4: Are any of your chickens in molt?
5: What do the poops look like? (are they solid) (are you sure)[/FONT]

 

[pigeonguy]

I edited my post above because of lack of sleep syndrome sorry.

 

[NickyPick]

Also "free-ranging in the barn" isn't free ranging. It's open confinement. Get them outside in the sunshine and grass if you can. The more the better. Don't worry about them getting cold. They won't. Particularly in Texas. Mine will leave their cozy little coop to go outdoors even when it is in the teens and windy.

Oh - they get outside too. 2 acres of horse pens. I alternate days with the outside pens and the barn & side pen. Their main purpose is fly control, but since my sister & family moved in, the demand for eggs went up.


Quote:

They seem to get lots to eat in the barn/pens because their crops are full at night and they're not as interested in the nightly FF all the time. The barn houses horses, horse manure - which brings flies, roaches, mice and a host of other insectoid meals.



Quote:
I've been closing the blinds because the windows (3 sides, take up the whole side) are the same level as the roost and I didn't want them to be in direct wind all night. Usually when the temperature drops, it comes with lots of wind. On the weekend, I'm in charge and they're raised at dawn, because I'm a morning person. During the week, I leave for work at 5am, so my Dad takes care of the morning feeding and sometimes they're not let out until 9. Maybe I made a mistake making the roosts and windows at the same height.

 

[Ashdoes]

NIcky,

I'm no expert, but what I've read and experienced myself is that daylight hours are the biggest culprit in declining production. Open those blinds up right now and see if that doesn't help.

Yes, chickens will climb steps, both up and down. When coming down there may be some wing flapping and running involved, that won't be nearly as clumsy and awkward as it will appear to you to be. It's actually a pretty coordinated little dance...at least with mine it is. Watching them flap and jump down from 30 feet up in a cedar tree is pretty darn entertaining.

Also "free-ranging in the barn" isn't free ranging. It's open confinement. Get them outside in the sunshine and grass if you can. The more the better. Don't worry about them getting cold. They won't.  Particularly in Texas. Mine will leave their cozy little coop to go outdoors even when it is in the teens and windy.

 

Good advise!!

Additionally:
Look for feathers on the steps. I would bet someone or 10 is laying up there. Hens are considering to set nests this time of year in milder climates. They just got off molt and slow time so they are thinking spring, aren't we all?
Your weather is fine and the chickens probably like it a bit cooler
We are going into longer days and your eggs will pick up, so no worries.
I just want to note that some of your breeds are short egg layers. After two years they simply slow production and will not give as many eggs.
If you free range in a barn I am confused in to what they can free range on. Do you have a green house or soil beds inside?
Free ranging allows hens to get all those good bugs, weeds and goodies they find under leaves and grasses.
Nothing wrong with housing them in a barn, however if you have them confined and you need the eggs your instincts are right and you do need to add more layer. If they get outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine you are good to go.

don't close the blinds..let in as much light as you can if you are looking for eggs.

I'm actually considering getting rid of most of my Cochin girls, because they hardly ever leave the barn. They have a huge run they could be out in, or the acre backyard to roam, but anytime I go out they're in the barn. I really wanted a true backyard flock, and these girls just aren't doing it. Do you think they'll be out more in the spring and summer? Or is this typical for the breed? I've been thinking about just keeping two of them, and getting more of the good foragers.

 

[NickyPick]

The shorter days will make a difference and reduce production. I do think you should be able to get the 6 eggs you were last year.I do also think that protein levels can play a role in not getting that amount. Now since you do not mention what your protein levels are in the layena or the scratch I would not know what your overall protein level is. I do think it sounds to low but only a guess.
Answer these Questions and we will try to help more.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1: What was your protein levels last year?
2: What are your protein levels now?
3:When did you start fermented feed?
4: Are any of your chickens in molt?
5: What do the poops look like? (are they solid) (are you sure)[/FONT]

Ok,
1. 16% Last year they had free choice layena pellets
2. Currently feeding FF that's 1/4 Layena, 1/4 whole oats, 1/4 barley and 1/4 scratch grains. I do toss either alfalfa pellets or BOSS in the mix, alternating.
3. Started FF in October - best month ever for eggs. We were getting 10-12 a day until the olders started molting. Just realized that when I started, I had calf manna in the FF - leftover from fattening up an older horse.
4. Only 2 left that I can see with raggedy feathers. The other 3 that were molting back in November are all fully feathered again, but have yet to restart laying (EEs)
5. Pretty solid, white tops. I don't see as many runny brown cecal poops and their coop has almost no smell to it at all!

 

[Mumsy]

Found the Thermo Cube we were talking about a couple days ago. At Home Depot. It took the asking of four clerks including the lady at the information desk. I couldn't remember what these were called and the first three employees had no idea what they were or if they carried them. So then had to wait around another 1/2 hour while the guy that knew what it was tried to find it. In the plumbing department of all places. But... I bought one. $13.
We stopped at Ace Hardware two blocks away from Home Depot on the way home and they were selling them for $19 !!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks for sharing that!!!! I'm in "preparing for rooster school" here as I don't have one but thanks to y'all I'm learning for the future!!!!

Found the Thermo Cube we were talking about a couple days ago. At Home Depot. It took the asking of four clerks including the lady at the information desk. I couldn't remember what these were called and the first three employees had no idea what they were or if they carried them. So then had to wait around another 1/2 hour while the guy that knew what it was tried to find it. In the plumbing department of all places. But... I bought one. $13.
We stopped at Ace Hardware two blocks away from Home Depot on the way home and they were selling them for $19 !!!

Glad you found one! How will you be using it...please let us know and also if it keeps working for you okay!

 

[aoxa]

They are so cute when they squat. I have a few that squat if I reach for them too.

I would think you have eggs starting any time now texasmomma.

Take a picture of a head shot and lets take a look at that color.

I have an Easter Egger that has started to lay again after a molt. Every time I walk into the barn,. SQUAT. She will not let up until I give her the handshake. She just loves when I pat her on the back. Such a weird chicken.