Utah!

[the-bird-man]

Urban, maybe she just wants to sleep in the nest box, I know mine do!  If they have light enough to see, sometimes they will go back to where they like it best.  I don't hear about comets going broody too often.  Having said that, I haven't heard of leghorns going broody.  I have a leghorn mix, that acts like she is. I kicked her off of the nest today after she had been sitting on her egg for a while.  It is cold out there..only 12 degrees right now, I'm sure many are in a box, but I don't bother in the winter, because they can see to get back in the box.  Just watch her tomorrow...and notice if she is making a different sound, a cluck, cluck sound.  You will know if it's different.    And, if she doesn't want to get off of the egg she laid.  Good luck! 

the first chicken i have ever had go broody was a leghorn, she went broody a few times when i had her then she went to live with a friend of mine and she goes broody every other month but then is not a good mom. i have also had a ee go broody. if a leghorn can go broody any bird could go broody lol. i can see a comet going broody.

 

[Chiko]

Cynthia, Cleo is the Black EE.

 

[UtahFalcon]

Just joined BYC--we are planning our coop right now and plan to get chicks from IFA in February. Since we are in Draper, we had a few questions specifically for those of you in Utah:

• Anyone else here from Draper have more than 6 birds? We are thinking about raising 12-15, since 6 isn't nearly enough eggs for our family. Just wondering if anyone has had any problems going over the 6 threshhold.
• Anyone have insulated coops? We were considering adding insulation if that means that we wouldn't have to use heat lamps and water heaters

Looking forward to this adventure and getting to know some of you better!

 

[Cynthia12]

UtahFalcon


Umm, over 6 chickens? I don't know anyone with over 6 chickens..do you Lisa? 6 laying chickens, maybe some pullets..do they count? And, baby chicks. Hmmm, I am not quite sure how to answer that one. Ohh, you said Draper!

Oh yes I do. It's according to where you live, as to how many you should have. What part of Draper are you in? You can check it out..although my guess is, Sphinx on here could probably let you know, if you let us know what part you are in. Welcome to our fun and friendly and wacky thread. Hope to be seeing you. If you need help with anything while putting up that coop and run, there are some good folks on here that can help with answers..see, I just help you lots!

 

[sundancenbare]

Just joined BYC--we are planning our coop right now and plan to get chicks from IFA in February. Since we are in Draper, we had a few questions specifically for those of you in Utah:

• Anyone else here from Draper have more than 6 birds? We are thinking about raising 12-15, since 6 isn't nearly enough eggs for our family. Just wondering if anyone has had any problems going over the 6 threshhold.
• Anyone have insulated coops? We were considering adding insulation if that means that we wouldn't have to use heat lamps and water heaters

Looking forward to this adventure and getting to know some of you better!

Welcome. I don't think that going over is a big deal but it depends on your neighbors. Also no roosters. I would recommend not getting your chicks from IFA. When you are ready put out the word here. Many of the list people are hatching right now and will have older pullets by february. That means they will lay sooner. Insulating is a good idea but if you want your chickens to lay year round lights are a must. have fun and enjoy your experience

 

[Cynthia12]

Yep, sundance, I how could I forget to mention that there are a few of us hatching now? That being said, they would have chicks in the house for a while if they got them now. I don't mind that personally. Nice big Kmart bin, with a heat lamp, only needs a 75 watt bulb at first for where I have my chicks, then I have that nice warm cozy nursery outside with the red heat lamp when they get to be a couple of weeks old.
On the insulation, I don't insulate. They just have a heat lamp. I baby my girls with a bit of heat. Not everyone does.

Brad, let them know how well your chickens do without a heat lamp. And, how many eggs are you getting by the way? That's for me.

 

[Whittni]

• Anyone have insulated coops? We were considering adding insulation if that means that we wouldn't have to use heat lamps and water heaters

Welcome! I insulate with haybales in the winter and use the deep liter method (https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...e-easiest-way-to-deal-with-chicken-litter-dlm) if my hay runs low.

 

[Cynthia12]

Welcome! I insulate with haybales in the winter and use the deep liter method (https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...e-easiest-way-to-deal-with-chicken-litter-dlm) if my hay runs low.

Hi Whittni, I am also doing this this winter. At first, I wasn't too sure, but the winter is the best time to give it a go. Not as smelly and wet. I just go in with a broom once in a while, swish it around, and then, like yesterday, my DH and I go out and just take out a few dust pan full of the shavings, and put knew in..don't clean it all out, but just a little to keep the depth about the same. The chickens are doing great. I'm getting eggs from all of my layers. I am thinking that some bales of hay would be a great thing on the west side of the run. The snow keeps drifting in on that side.

 

[the-bird-man]

Just joined BYC--we are planning our coop right now and plan to get chicks from IFA in February.  Since we are in Draper, we had a few questions specifically for those of you in Utah:

• Anyone else here from Draper have more than 6 birds?  We are thinking about raising 12-15, since 6 isn't nearly enough eggs for our family.  Just wondering if anyone has had any problems going over the 6 threshhold.
• Anyone have insulated coops?  We were considering adding insulation if that means that we wouldn't have to use heat lamps and water heaters

Looking forward to this adventure and getting to know some of you better!

i do not heat or insulate my coop. i do run led rope lights. and by having dark shingles it sucks in the heat. plus each chicken puts off a lot of heat, i think around 15 watts each. and they do have feather coats so many worry about heat when the biggest issue is having enough vents because if moisture builds up it can cause issues like frostbite super fast. for water freezing i use a drop in deicer in my nipple bucket that only comes on when needed to keep the water from freezing. i have a dirt floor in my coop and do deep litter method. my coop stays around 40 degrees and the humidity stays low. most my girls are molting now so have not had a ton of eggs but the ones laying lay about every day. i have around a dozen girls. i think pushing the limit can work if you keep it from smelling and you are nice to your neighbors and all that. i would also keep your coop as far away as your neighbors as possible just to be safe. 6 hens would not be enough for me and my family. heating my coop is just not worth it to me with the danger of fires and then if the power goes out your girls will freeze to death. just think, chickens have been kept forever without heat, i mean do you think the pioneers heated their coops? many did not even have coops.... my roost is a 2x4 with the large side up so they can cover their toes. i have the water deicer just to make less work for me. and i agree with the birds from ifa, i mean i would still get them if needed but i know i would get a lot more friendly chicks that are more healthy and taken care of from the people that hatch on here. and many of the people here have gotten the sexing down near perfect. same or better odds of getting all girls from the people here. ifa or cal ranch may say all pullets but many have been burned by that in the past in the form of early wake up calls.... lol. welcome to the world of chickens. chickens are addicting and once you have them you will wonder how you survived without them before. and once you have fresh eggs you will hate store bought eggs, there is that big of difference in taste. and chickens do a lot of work for you too like bug and mouse control, they will mow, fertilize and dethatch your lawn and convert waste into food. and the entertainment value is huge.

 

[themadchicken]

Well i cleaned the boys up. They both look OK i guess. Rusty's comb didn't get torn. But poor ratchet. He is bald on top. Have you ever seen a bald Silkie? He looks like has excepted the Jewish faith, now all he needs is a little kippah to put on his head.

Tomorrow is Cotton's big day. I hope the eggs are still good. she is so funny, when we look in the coop at her she doesn't growl or fluff up at all, she just does the chicken pancake. I cant wait to breed her with Ratchet, how long is it before they start to lay eggs again? Does anyone know?