The ups & downs of novice chicken owners.

[galanie]

Oh gosh yes. If you read a book that becomes a movie, the movie is almost never like the book. There was one that I was impressed with because it did follow the book so closely but I cant' remember which that was. Old Age CRS.

 

[roohugger]

It happened before..... I caught the dog with an egg...shouted at the dog and then put the egg back......when the egg hatched i wondered if the egg might have come from somewhere else. A white mommy with a pitch black chick certainly raises a few questions. Well the next clutch have arrived and now i have more black babies....I call the jackson five. So I'm just going to enjoy them! will try post some pics soon.

 

[NovaAman]

Hi Roohugger! Welcome to BYC! My dogs don't put eggs down... They want to eat them...

 

[Briezeechicks]

...I call the jackson five. So I'm just going to enjoy them! will try post some pics soon.

The Jackson Five...INDEED!

 

[Briezeechicks]

We put the Doms in the "Dominecker Domicile yesterday afternoon and they were out in their new run, scratching and clucking happily, like they'd been there all their lives. I had thrown some scratch and some BOSS out there last night. Even had a couple of eggs in the nest boxes! "Picking" eggs is Samantha's thing. Makes her sooooo happy! So we have designated her as the #1 "egg picker!" Her Dad got one of the smaller wire egg baskets and spray painted it pink, put a new wooden handle on it and painted it a contrasting pink and painter her name on it. She thinks she's soooo special! I tell you, that's a mutual admiration society right there!

Bryan, bless his heart has accomplished more in a day and a half than I did all week. He got new porcelain fixtures for the brooder hood, re-wired it, got it hung (too low), adjusted it, got it re-hung and helped move all the chicks into the coop. I had taken a gallon of bleach, a bucket and a scrub brush to clean the brooder and the rabbit cages, and we set them in the sun to dry.

Now that all that is done, I feel a great sense of relief. I had this "urgency" feeling weighing on me because I was so concerned with the overcrowding of the chicks. Now they have TONS of room, and I'm not afraid of them stressing in crowded conditions, or pecking on each other or what not. They have already discovered the roosts, and some of them have even gotten several rungs up! Looks like they're turning into chickens in spite of me! lol. After they've gotten used to sleeping in the coop, under the brooder (maybe?) We will let them out in the covered run. That will increase their world by a lot. The covered run is at least 25X25 feet. When they are bigger still, they will free range in their "garden" which is about 120' X 25 or 30'. Pretty big area. There is a part of that fence that can be removed, and give them free range over the entire 38 acres, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that just yet!

Maybe now that all that's done, I can unpack some of our stuff at the house and start making it our home...

Brie

 

[roohugger]

She normally eats them too! I just busted her at the right moment! My husband calls her his chicken contraceptive device. But seriously it is a problem I have to take eggs and then give them back when hen turns broody. Every now and then a smart hen (usually) a silkie outfoxes the dog and finds a great place to stash her eggs. Ive tried booby trapping an egg with cayenne pepper and curry powder to stop her but it has not worked. Any ideas?

 

[galanie]

Large people door, kept shut, small pop door for the chickens. In other words, make it so the dog can't get to the nests?

 

[roohugger]

That is a brilliant idea....so simple! then maybe the hens start laying in their coop. at the moment they are nesting under bushes, on the compost heap and in my plant pots. Someone told me other other day once a dog tastes egg, you've had it they wont stop. So this is a plan... when my hubby gets home we're doing some DIY

 

[NovaAman]

Lol, then lock them in the coop for a few days. Put some eggs in the nest boxes where you want them to lay, set them(chickens) in the nest boxes, just a few, the rest will follow the leader, so the SEE where you want them to lay.

 

[roohugger]

DIY done and coops are sorted! Hubby was quite helpful and did it for me as soon as he got home. Ill change bedding tomorrow and make it real nice and cozy!!