Things You Wish You Would Have Known?

[JaeG]

Whereas I can't wait for summer so we can put our finches out in their aviary but I'd be happy keeping my babies inside forever. We have nine 5 week old Orpington chicks, four 15 week old bantam pullets, and two 18 week old bantams who are going to my Mum's once she has their coop modified. They all go out on nice days but the weather has been foul lately. And I'm about to bring in a broody bantam who is getting a hard time in the main coop as she's chosen the favourite nestbox!

I can understand that 15 big chickies would be a lot indoors! But seriously our finches make ten times as much mess as all our chicks put together! Tiny birds - big mess!

 

[MarySue]

I wish I knew that...parasites, internal and external are to be expected not thought of as a random possibility. That there would be tons of guilt that went with not discovering it soon enough and once you get one going the others join the party at the same time. In the last 2 months I have dealt with coccidiosis, lice infestation, scaly leg mites and this morning I discovered round worms. Oh joy!!! I am grateful there are no mites but I have treated coops, and roosts with Permitherine to kill any buggies anywhere.

 

[User395221]

I wish I'd known that giving your girls freedom will be abused. ABUSED, I tell you! Today, I found not one, but two other stashes of eggs in the bushes. (one had been there a LONG time). I need to get the covered run up at the girls' new house. Nobody's roaming until I've got an egg from everybody! LOL

 

[BradnerGirl]

I wish I'd known that giving your girls freedom will be abused. ABUSED, I tell you! Today, I found not one, but two other stashes of eggs in the bushes. (one had been there a LONG time). I need to get the covered run up at the girls' new house. Nobody's roaming until I've got an egg from everybody! LOL

lol, I went through this, now we have an auto door opener that doesn't open until 8 o'clock (mine don't seem to be early risers, lol), by then they have done their egg laying.

I think I wouldn't have minded so much if I also found a broody hen on the eggs but Noooo, they were just sitting there all old and ruined!

 

[roosterboots]

I'm kicking myself today! I can't even eat. My chicks were ready to leave the brooder. We took 20 of my babies and put them in the big pen. They were running around so happy! I went to check on them this morning and they were GONE! Just gone! No sign of a struggle. I was so upset. And now that I know HOW this happened, I'm even more upset! My husband found 3 of them running around in the neighbors yard. He put them back in and they just ran right thru the fencing! They looked a lot bigger than their bone structure! I even asked him last night, you sure they can't fit thru the fence holes? He said, no way, they're too big. I said, ok but we need to reinforce this pen for predators soon! I didn't even consider them running away and getting eaten! I was only thinking something might come inside and get them! I am SOOOOO heartbroken! I raised those babies from a day old! :-(

 

[harley587]

I'm kicking myself today! I can't even eat. My chicks were ready to leave the brooder. We took 20 of my babies and put them in the big pen. They were running around so happy! I went to check on them this morning and they were GONE! Just gone! No sign of a struggle. I was so upset. And now that I know HOW this happened, I'm even more upset! My husband found 3 of them running around in the neighbors yard. He put them back in and they just ran right thru the fencing! They looked a lot bigger than their bone structure! I even asked him last night, you sure they can't fit thru the fence holes? He said, no way, they're too big. I said, ok but we need to reinforce this pen for predators soon! I didn't even consider them running away and getting eaten! I was only thinking something might come inside and get them! I am SOOOOO heartbroken! I raised those babies from a day old! :-(

I'm so sorry to hear about your babies. We don't even let our babies out of the coop until they are tweens learning to spread their wings. That way we don't lose them to running through the fencing.

 

[CluckerCottage]

Our babies were out in their run at 3-4 weeks but locked up safe at night.
Hardware cloth is a must around the lower perimeter of the fence.
I am sorry for you losing your babies.
How heartbreaking.

 

[MarySue]

I'm kicking myself today! I can't even eat. My chicks were ready to leave the brooder. We took 20 of my babies and put them in the big pen. They were running around so happy! I went to check on them this morning and they were GONE! Just gone! No sign of a struggle. I was so upset. And now that I know HOW this happened, I'm even more upset! My husband found 3 of them running around in the neighbors yard. He put them back in and they just ran right thru the fencing! They looked a lot bigger than their bone structure! I even asked him last night, you sure they can't fit thru the fence holes? He said, no way, they're too big. I said, ok but we need to reinforce this pen for predators soon! I didn't even consider them running away and getting eaten! I was only thinking something might come inside and get them! I am SOOOOO heartbroken! I raised those babies from a day old! :-(

I'm so sorry!

 

[Jensownzoo]

It is amazing what small crevices that both birds and predators can fit through. I learned this the hard way as well, unfortunately. Now everything is hardware cloth and no cracks bigger than 1/4-1/2"!!!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Hardware cloth, with 2"x4" woven wire fencing over the bottom 4' of run fencing! We all learn these things the hard way sometimes. Mary