Utah!

[RedIII]

Looking for a chicken train from Tooele to Logan again! haha!

If anybody is coming those directions please let me know

Sphinx, I hate your raccoon! What a horrible thing! I am so sorry

Or for T-ville/Murray to Logan I work in Murray.

Well after reading Sphinx's story I'm a little worried about the coop and run I'm building.  I'm out in West Jordan and wasn't too concerned about predators but I think I may have underestimated my surroundings.  What are the key pieces to a safe coop and run in suburbia?

Locking doors and good, tight fences. You may want to make the bottom of the fence dig-proof. I think a few folks on here cover their runs. Raccoons are terrible about pulling on anything that's loose to get into pens, and they can open unlocked doors. I have seen them get into a coop with a regular door knob that wasn't locked.

 

[Sphinx]

I have a Marans that has a comb just a little bigger than the other two Marans it came with. Not big enough for me to decide if it's a male. He does have some copper showing up in his neck and the others do not. Is this a sign of a male or is copper coloring early a random thing?

I'm pretty darn good at sexing fbcm, so if you want to take a picture of your batch, I'll do my best. I do notice that the boys get the copper coloring early, and their combs do get bigger quicker.

 

[eggsbert]

Been thinking about moving my chicks out into the coop but before I do, I have a couple of questions.

Do you guys think its about the right temperature to put them out in? My mongrel bantam is going to be 4 weeks this Thursday (not fully feathered) and all my others are just missing the feathers on their heads. I think I would probably still have to take them in at night since it gets to be below 60 still.

Also, what kind of bedding do you prefer? I have pine shavings right now, but was thinking about sand. I heard that sand is pretty great as long as it isn't play sand (basically a more coarse grained, washed sand).

 

[the-bird-man]

Well after reading Sphinx's story I'm a little worried about the coop and run I'm building.  I'm out in West Jordan and wasn't too concerned about predators but I think I may have underestimated my surroundings.  What are the key pieces to a safe coop and run in suburbia?

foxs, racoons, coyotes, birds of prey, skunks and even bobcats and cougars are possible. but it does not mean you will have problems with any of them. but you would be amazed at all the wildlife you can find in the valley especially when many are out at night when most people sleep. not to scare you or anything. but yeah a secure coop is always good. they say chicken wire is not so strong so use hardware cloth when you can.

 

[the-bird-man]

Been thinking about moving my chicks out into the coop but before I do, I have a couple of questions.

Do you guys think its about the right temperature to put them out in? My mongrel bantam is going to be 4 weeks this Thursday (not fully feathered) and all my others are just missing the feathers on their heads. I think I would probably still have to take them in at night since it gets to be below 60 still.

Also, what kind of bedding do you prefer? I have pine shavings right now, but was thinking about sand. I heard that sand is pretty great as long as it isn't play sand (basically a more coarse grained, washed sand).

depending on where you live they might be ok out there even at night. as for bedding i like a dirt floor with pine shavings, not a fan of straw for several reasons and one being lice can hide in it better than other bedding. have not tried sand. and dont use ceder shavings as they say its unsafe

 

[sideWing]

I'm pretty darn good at sexing fbcm, so if you want to take a picture of your batch, I'll do my best.  I do notice that the boys get the copper coloring early, and their combs do get bigger quicker.

Thanks! If you need better pics let me know. I'm sure the blue one is a cockerel.

 

[gus2pp]

What color are you thinking you might be seeing? This is my first batch of bunnies so I don't know what color they would be. I guess the V pattern on the early fuzz is from the double mane on the lionhead. The do look like the points will be some darker color. Seal would be awesome, but I would love some Sable Points too. They do all look the same at this point.

That pink stripe right around their shoulders looks like it might end up as white. They are young, so it is speculation to be sure. Sable is a great color, and both the parents have awesome looks.

 

[gus2pp]

Kicken Wing, we sunk the walls of our coop a foot down into the ground. We (fingers crossed) have never had a problem. However, I don't know if it is because they couldn't get in, or because they haven't tried. We have had to keep an eye out for birds of prey.

 

[gus2pp]

Eggsbert, I have chicks that are a week older than yours over-nighting outside. They are doing very well, though, they do still huddle together in a nesting box at bed time. I will be breaking them of that in the next month. I use pine shavings.

 

[eggsbert]

Eggsbert, I have chicks that are a week older than yours over-nighting outside. They are doing very well, though, they do still huddle together in a nesting box at bed time. I will be breaking them of that in the next month. I use pine shavings.

What are your nightly lows? Where I'm at they vary between 55 and 65 Fahrenheit.
I'm anxious because my bantam is so little... She is very wee sized. At least a quarter of the size of the other chicks. She still fits in the palm of my hand (I have a small hand).