Washingtonians

[itsren]

Look what I did last night. A little birdie named Deborah told me to.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/691055/bin-12-splash-cochin-bantam-eggs-show-stock

That's funny!

 

[KMHunter]

Since we still have a bunch of starter/grower left, I just put out oyster shell for the first time today. A couple of them really chowed down. I hope they're close to laying, I don't want their own stupidity to cause them internal damage!

I have oyster shell out free choice. My 18 week old pullet just started eating it last week. The "chicken vet" Dr. Bruce says you can switch them over at 16 weeks and it's fine. I am giving mine a mixture of flock raiser and layer right now. Slightly higher protien. So don't worry too much about them doing internal damage to themselves on calcium.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
Sorry I got your name wrong! I was pulling it out of thin air since we've never met Doh!

 

[jenreinke]

I would like to bury hardware cloth under the pen floor, but it'll depend on how deep I can dig and how many tree roots I encounter. I bought a mattock so I can remove a few, but I don't want to kill the tree. But we have a problem with roof rats in our neighborhood. Even though I have no food source for them, they live in my crawlspace. Last week I saw one on the back fence in broad daylight! They are probably eating the dog food in the neighbors' yards. Grrrr. I think I will put some bait under my house this winter.

Do you add DE all over the run, or just in dust bath areas? How much do you add?

Jennifer

I just sprinkle DE in the coop and run every time I clean the coop. I did a bit of reading on runs and the posts I read either suggested burying hardware cloth 2-3 feet down oround the run and coop or using the larger welded wire stapled to the bottom of the run structure so the chickens can still scratch around. Apparently the hardware cloth doesn't allow the space needed for them to do so. As I was building close to the house it was easier to do the welded wire bottom and as some of my neighbors lost 2 of their chickens to racoons I didn't want to take any chances. If you have roof rats I would probably use harware cloth on the top to keep them from getting in and make sure you use it over all of your ventilation spaces on the coop as well! Good luck!

 

[Zgoatlady]

She's just trying to be a good mom!

He was just letting her know a easy way. Good idea CR never tryied that one will have to next year..

 

[Zgoatlady]

There's no reason they shouldn't lay I don't think. Seven of my Twelve pullets are now 18.5 weeks old and have begun squatting and checking out the nest boxes. If they *don't* lay, I'll be a bit concerned with their health actually!

Most of my girls start laying around 5 months but it does depend on the type of chicken you have.

 

[Teva]

Well, it was inevitable since Prince Will the peacock had a broken wing. The coyote got him this morning.

And now I can't find my last peachick.

 

[Zgoatlady]

It is very simple to make and I would gladly give you directions if interested. This can be made for very close to $10. See I use this because I brood in a large water tub and don't have room to move the light.

CR please tell me more about this. Im going to make a few and do that I think for next year.

 

[Zgoatlady]

The rodents we have were here before we got chickens, and before we even moved here. Punishment for living on acreage by a marsh and large pond. What we have an issue with is a species of meadow vole. They don't look like rats (I've had many pet rats). Tails are shorter as is the face. They also aren't as cautious or smart as a rat (glue traps always work in the same spots). They are pretty easy to catch. They don't climb the fence but they tunnel all over and will pop up an opening into a pen. I hate their tunnels running all over the property. You can feel the sponginess when you walk over the tunnel areas.

What methods work for me here would be totally different than what would work for anyone elsewhere. I try not to give out advice for dealing with rodents around chickens because of that.

I have a few places that are spongy like that and I stamp hard and shove branchs down down in the ground thinking something is down there. The place's are next to my neighbors fence she has a mess of C--P over there and I always think she should have rats..

 

[itsren]

Well, it was inevitable since Prince Will the peacock had a broken wing. The coyote got him this morning.

And now I can't find my last peachick.

Oh no. I am SO sorry!