The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Lacy Blues]

@RedRidge I'm wondering about those large door on the back of your coop. Are they for cleaning it out?

 

[RedRidge]

@RedRidge  I'm wondering about those large door on the back of your coop.  Are they for cleaning it out?

Here is a pic of the building process. The top half of the back is hardware cloth. The bottom half is a hinged, flip down panel that allows access for egg collection. In this pic the hinged door isn't on yet. I have nesting boxes with the back cut out that I sit on a concrete block to raise a little. The trap door makes daily egg collection very easy.
The cock pens are similar but only have access from the front (since we obviously don't need to collect eggs). ;-)

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ah! Thank you

 

[delisha]

On the Sweeter Heater...how large of an area would it heat? Is it just under it like the Brinsea/Premier or does it actually warm the area too?

My room is 6x12 and it stays above freezing in the whole area. The focus is in the brooder area and that is 12x2. That part is full insulated and where the sweetheater is.

Quote:
My birds are out in all weather. I do shovel for them. They do not like the fresh snow. I sprinkle hay over the top of the snow for the scardy cats. One of my feed stations is the picnic table. I have it covered in plastic and than tarped. The other feed and water station is a plain ole A frame.

Change water daily. The clove can stay for a few days. I just toss it into the FF daily and replace in the water.

Quote: I love your coops.

 

[delisha]

LM..

Do you have pictures of your new chicken areas progress?


As far as free range and fenced in birds..my free range birds yolks are dark and rich. They yolk is smaller since they do not eat much FF. Chicks on FF hatch better and are larger. I have eggs in the incubator now. They will hatch the 11th. 5 of those are shipped eggs. They will be smaller chicks since the hens that layed those eggs are not on FF.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@delisha
I didn't get a chance to take the photo yet. Too much going on today. Will soon.


And..
I FORGOT TO ASK WHAT SIZE SWEETER HEATER YOU HAVE! Since they come in about 5 sizes

 

[Leahs Mom]

I know we've discussed the bucket mouse traps before here. Has anyone used them successfully?

Don't have a rodent problem, but I expect one when I move them to the barn since it is not as rodent-proof as the hen shed...so I want to preempt!


(Like these)

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've tried them. I think perhaps my bait wasn't convincing enough. I did see one youtube video that said that tootsie rolls are the single most attractive bait for mice in the world. You chew them up a little to soften and then stick them to either your trap or in this case in a ribbon around the can. I may try that this year and see if my trap works. Water in the bottom of the bucket will keep them there as long as it is deeper than they can reach.

 

[RedRidge]

The one dilemma of brooding outside... stupid guineas!
And NO, they are not cold... it's almost 80 degrees here today.

 

[Turk Raphael]

The one dilemma of brooding outside... stupid guineas!
And NO, they are not cold... it's almost 80 degrees here today.

Guineas are GREAT!!! If they're cooked right.