The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[BlueMouse]

I live in Wisconsin..mine are out..
it still freezes at night..they pile together and keep each other warm

even with just three of them to pile together? I know I know, I'm being over worried by this... I'm a first time chicken mommy, and I don't want to lose any more chickens to user error!

also, your little guys are seriously cute! Is the blue one of you english orpingtons?

 

[aaggjg]

I love, love, love my 'Pullet Shut' door. I have never had a chicken shut out. I still check them, but  can do it in my own time. Never ever had a problem. It is the single best purchase I have made for my coop.

I got them too but for totally different reason. My girls are Ina secure coop & run and don't "need" to be put to bed at night. I got the door to keep them in in the morning.... Im a city dweller and my neighbors don't love the early summer morning hen noise.... Not to mention that I came down to yelling hens at 6am last year to find a large mama coyote standing next to my coop!!! So I figure if the girls are shut in a little longer in the morning that would help!

I had a few girls get shut out in the beginning but that was my fault as I went from 2 ramp/ doors to coop to one .... Some of the hens got a little confused once they figured it out nobody's been shut out.

I too have the solar charger but not the photo sensor eye as that wouldn't work for my purposes!

 

[aaggjg]

I think the self closing door would be great if you weren't home at dusk and more importantly if you lived where predators were a huge issue.  Hypothetically, even if one were left out and was lost to a predator at least the rest of the flock is safe.  Not a great thought, but a sensible one, I guess.  The bear has been getting into the neighbors trash but I have to believe it's our dogs that keep it out of ours.  I read a lot of article where bear tried to rip into coops for chickens.  I didn't think they would do that!

A friend who lives 3 hours north of me had a bear decimate her coop & flock!!! I don't know how you protect your girls from a bear!!! I guess the coop would have to be built like a house!!!

 

[bluebirdnanny]

My Very First Egg from my Very first Chickens!!!! Laid same day I got them 2 hours after putting in the little coop!

First night in coop. Left a Heat lamp on for them. Also set board against "screen area door" as windy and cold last night.

Got rewarded this morning! New egg around 10... just after I ate the first egg! Gave it to my neighbor that helped. Now question. Noticing they are sometimes lifting one foot or other for a bit....but mostly they are standing on them pretty flat. Please see if you can tell if these legs look ok.....

This is "Charlotte" that gets picked on the most. Back of her neck behind comb is featherless right now.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: You could probably put some extra shavings, straw or hay in there if you think they need something to snuggle into.....

You know how I figured out my 4 wouldnt freeze? After they roosted I went out and stuck my finger into their feathers & it was like a little oven under all those feathers.......and their feet were toasty warm also

I felt better after doing that a few times.

The bear has been getting into the neighbors trash but I have to believe it's our dogs that keep it out of ours.

The only bear I have to worry about is Bear my dog.......and yes he does get into the garbage

 

[Leahs Mom]

Can one of you that use the solar for your door post a link to where you got the solar charger?

Just FYI, my door came from these folks:

http://www.automaticchickencoopdoor.com/

 

[armorfirelady]

Can one of you that use the solar for your door post a link to where you got the solar charger?

Just FYI, my door came from these folks:

http://www.automaticchickencoopdoor.com/

I got my chicken door from: http://www.chickendoors.com/

They had the battery, solar panel, & electronic eye here as well. I bought it as a set

 

[kian]

I think the self closing door would be great if you weren't home at dusk and more importantly if you lived where predators were a huge issue. Hypothetically, even if one were left out and was lost to a predator at least the rest of the flock is safe. Not a great thought, but a sensible one, I guess. The bear has been getting into the neighbors trash but I have to believe it's our dogs that keep it out of ours. I read a lot of article where bear tried to rip into coops for chickens. I didn't think they would do that!

Made me think of this photo:

 

[countrygirl74]

My Very First Egg from my Very first Chickens!!!! Laid same day I got them 2 hours after putting in the little coop!

e First night in coop. Left a Heat lamp on for them. Also set board against "screen area door" as windy and cold last night.

Got rewarded this morning! New egg around 10... just after I ate the first egg! Gave it to my neighbor that helped. Now question. Noticing they are sometimes lifting one foot or other for a bit....but mostly they are standing on them pretty flat. Please see if you can tell if these legs look ok.....

This is "Charlotte" that gets picked on the most. Back of her neck behind comb is featherless right now.

Congrats on the egg!! The first ones are so exciting!! As for the legs... I don't know what your temps are but mine would all do that in the winter. They just take turns warming up their feet by bringing them up. If it's not cold, then maybe there's something else going on or someone else can suggest some other advice.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have mixed feelings about automatic doors. If I still worked I would definitely need one, but then I probably wouldn't have time for chickens since I worked in a hospital doing 12 hour shifts. I have locked out a chicken a couple of times accidently, and I have found chickens out wandering around at dusk that I have had to force in to roost. This time of year they are staying out till 7:45 PM, but when they won't go to roost until 9:15 PM in summer, I would like to have an auto door, just because I'm tired of waiting on them. I do like to see them when they first come out and when they go to roost because I have found chickens bleeding or in trouble before. If they didn't cost $300 I would get one and use it, but since I'm home 99% of the time, it is not justified.