What did you do with your flock today?

[Smokerbill]

Thank you! Lots of thought, adjustment and then more thought and adjustment. Feel like it works for us.
Hows your build coming along? Any photos for us yet?

Sure! Not shown is that I added another 6 inches to the height of the white base board in the front. That way my 8' long 2x4s will be long enough to reach the roof rafters when I frame out the wall. The door will be between the pair of 4x4s. Total area of the run will be a little over 100 square feet. I plan to have another run out from under the roof too, connected with a tunnel, so the chickens can get fresh air and sunshine when they want it. Or are allowed. LOL

The chicken's door in the coop will be in the wall of the shorter section, directly opposite of where the nest boxes will be. The taller section of the coop will be the roosting area. Not sure if they'll use it because the run will be secure, and the chicken's little coop door will be open 24/7.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Sure! Not shown is that I added another 6 inches to the height of the white base board in the front. That way my 8' long 2x4s will be long enough to reach the roof rafters when I frame out the wall. The door will be between the pair of 4x4s. Total area of the run will be a little over 100 square feet. I plan to have another run out from under the roof too, connected with a tunnel, so the chickens can get fresh air and sunshine when they want it. Or are allowed. LOL

The chicken's door in the coop will be in the wall of the shorter section, directly opposite of where the nest boxes will be. The taller section of the coop will be the roosting area. Not sure if they'll use it because the run will be secure, and the chicken's little coop door will be open 24/7.

Just a very cool, very safe space. Good work, love it! Also love the idea of a tunnel for sun fun. Coops builds and tinkers are the best.
Are you folks in a pretty wet area of WA? Is there such thing as a dry area in Wa?
Added photos of chicks bonus!

 

[Smokerbill]

Just a very cool, very safe space. Good work, love it! Also love the idea of a tunnel for sun fun. Coops builds and tinkers are the best.
Are you folks in a pretty wet area of WA? Is there such thing as a dry area in Wa?
Added photos of chicks bonus!

It's pretty wet here in SW Washington fall, winter and spring, but summer can be pretty dry and warm. The rain's been slowing down lately, but is forecast to start back up again on Thursday. And Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues. No forecast after that, so it could just keep raining every day.

 

[TropicalBabies]

@Smokerbill We have your sun. Though think we should have shared custody of sun and rain, no sense one of us hogging it all

Papaya & banana snack tax

Faith looking like a peacock if you close one eye and squint

 

[Nomadicus]

I let a Delaware hen drive the garden tractor back to the house. Made her walk home.

 

[NagemTX]

Outside putting hay reminints in the flooded pen on the high spots. Did ten loads of sand(wet loads so not much per load). Took pictures, tried to take individual pictures and well wasn't a bust but didn't get finished.

 

[Smokerbill]

My chicks couldn't figure out how to get the scraps off of the beef rib bones I gave them yesterday so I removed it myself, chopped it into bite size pieces and hand fed them the protein. They LOVED it!

I plucked a few bug eaten kale leaves from my garden and fed those too. Some liked it a lot. Others not so much. Also gave them some lemon balm, which they all enjoy.

I'm getting a feel of who the top dog, er, uh, chicken I mean, is. One or two are hesitatant to grab the food and hang around in the background. The leaders are front and center when it's feeding time. A couple nip my fingers a couple of times before they figure out I'm not edible. LOL

 

[Smokerbill]

And the 10% treat thing? My thought is it wouldn't apply to greens. They have nearly zero calories, but lots of nutrients, which is good. I think leafy greens could be pretty much free choice all the time, and they'd still eat plenty of "real" feed to meet their caloric needs.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[Dough Hill]

I took “Sweety” as I call her the only chicken that will eat out of my hand outside in the Barn lot for the first time today I wanted to take some pics but I left my phone in the house. I sat out there with her watching her peck around for awhile then picked her up and took her back inside the Little Barn that’s another first for me that one of my Chickens will let me pick them up. She is getting old and slowing down some. I’ll keep her here on the Farm till her last days funny I’m usually not like that I rotate my flock about every 3 years if I can and don’t get attached to them but there just something special about this docile little Sapphire Gem.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Sure! Not shown is that I added another 6 inches to the height of the white base board in the front. That way my 8' long 2x4s will be long enough to reach the roof rafters when I frame out the wall. The door will be between the pair of 4x4s. Total area of the run will be a little over 100 square feet. I plan to have another run out from under the roof too, connected with a tunnel, so the chickens can get fresh air and sunshine when they want it. Or are allowed. LOL

The chicken's door in the coop will be in the wall of the shorter section, directly opposite of where the nest boxes will be. The taller section of the coop will be the roosting area. Not sure if they'll use it because the run will be secure, and the chicken's little coop door will be open 24/7.

Looking good! Love the deep shade and ventilation at the top. I'm in a hot hot area so a fully enclosed coop isn't something I've ever had. They look so pretty though

@Smokerbill We have your sun. Though think we should have shared custody of sun and rain, no sense one of us hogging it all

Papaya & banana snack taxView attachment 3488071View attachment 3488088
Faith looking like a peacock if you close one eye and squint

Faith is gorgeous

Outside putting hay reminints in the flooded pen on the high spots. Did ten loads of sand(wet loads so not much per load). Took pictures, tried to take individual pictures and well wasn't a bust but didn't get finished.

View attachment 3488438
View attachment 3488439
View attachment 3488440

Looks like your doing a good job of fixing your flood zone. Lot of work!

And the 10% treat thing? My thought is it wouldn't apply to greens. They have nearly zero calories, but lots of nutrients, which is good. I think leafy greens could be pretty much free choice all the time, and they'd still eat plenty of "real" feed to meet their caloric needs.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

Think too much veggies can be an issue with hens unless you free choice oyster shell too. There's a lot of calcium rich veggies like kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts etc too.

I took “Sweety” as I call her the only chicken that will eat out of my hand outside in the Barn lot for the first time today I wanted to take some pics but I left my phone in the house. I sat out there with her watching her peck around for awhile then picked her up and took her back inside the Little Barn that’s another first for me that one of my Chickens will let me pick them up. She is getting old and slowing down some. I’ll keep her here on the Farm till her last days funny I’m usually not like that I rotate my flock about every 3 years if I can and don’t get attached to them but there just something special about this docile little Sapphire Gem.

Aw...she sounds special.