What do you gather eggs in?! Pics?

[bruceha2000]

Quote:
17 doesn't sound unreasonable, as long as their coop and run are sized for it! As I'm sure you know, chickens are not much work. Just make sure they have food, water and a clean, safe place to live. I started with 12 day olds 2 years ago.

 

[winteree]

Hey guys I was wondering of you could help me.
From a child I have always wanted to have really really tall chickens what is the tallest breed of chickens

well as far as i know the Jersey giant is the biggest chicken breed out there their was another one that got really big to but it's a white egg layer and i can't remember the name.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

well as far as i know the Jersey giant is the biggest chicken breed out there their was another one that got really big to but it's a white egg layer and i can't remember the name.

Brahmas are big and quite tame.

 

[winteree]

Quote: i would beg to differ. while chickens don't require as much care as other livestock they are still a lot of work when i raised 30+ layers with 40-60 bantam game crosses with my grams it would take me a little over two hours to do all of the work for the chickens in the morning. And that work isn't even beginning to touch the meat birds she owned. Not to mention the time you need to put in if you want to be able to interact with your birds.

 

[winteree]

Brahmas are big and quite tame.

it may have been brahmas but they lay brown eggs

 

[bruceha2000]

i would beg to differ. while chickens don't require as much care as other livestock they are still a lot of work when i raised 30+ layers with 40-60 bantam game crosses with my grams it would take me a little over two hours to do all of the work for the chickens in the morning. And that work isn't even beginning to touch the meat birds she owned. Not to mention the time you need to put in if you want to be able to interact with your birds.

I think there is a BIT of difference between 17 and 70 to 90! I agree, if you get up there, it IS a lot of work simply due to the area you need to deal with, the number of feeders, etc. My mornings take maybe 5 minutes, same in the evening. No difference between the 12 I started with and the 10 I have now. On a daily basis, I doubt 17 would be much more work than 12. I use Deep Litter.

Morning is:
- Open the barn door - all the chickens run out then chase me down looking for their treats (food scraps) and/or BOSS
- Open the people door to the coop (it is inside the barn and has a PulletShut auto door) and rake through the litter (~10' x 12').
- Collect any eggs that may have been laid.
- See if they need feed, the feeder is in the coop
- See if they need water - the 5 gallon water tank is outside the coop and I only have to add water every few weeks.
- In warmer weather, open the door on the other end of the barn alley.
- Leave

Evening is:
- Close the far barn door if open
- Collect eggs laid since the last time I visited which MIGHT be 'not at all' if the temp is above freezing.
- Close the people door
- Toss scratch out for the girls (and they have been hitting on me the whole time. They aren't patient!)
- Leave, closing the barn door.

Yes, there is the extra this and that plus cleaning out the DL every year. Now if I was "kitty scooping" sand or cleaning a poop board every morning, it would take longer. I'm lucky that my girls have a lot of room to run around in an area I am not concerned about keeping sanitary. The girls pretty much 'till' the shavings in the run just keeping busy and looking for anything they can eat. And they can go outside any time they want so they do, other than winter. They aren't real fond of wandering in the snow. Outside is SO much more fun than hanging in the run, especially when there are bugs and greens to eat. They pretty much never go in the coop during the day except to eat chicken food, drink or lay an egg. Except the STUPID BROODY ONES!

Bruce

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I think there is a BIT of difference between 17 and 70 to 90! I agree, if you get up there, it IS a lot of work simply due to the area you need to deal with, the number of feeders, etc. My mornings take maybe 5 minutes, same in the evening. No difference between the 12 I started with and the 10 I have now. On a daily basis, I doubt 17 would be much more work than 12. I use Deep Litter.

Morning is:
- Open the barn door - all the chickens run out then chase me down looking for their treats (food scraps) and/or BOSS
- Open the people door to the coop (it is inside the barn and has a PulletShut auto door) and rake through the litter (~10' x 12').
- Collect any eggs that may have been laid.
- See if they need feed, the feeder is in the coop
- See if they need water - the 5 gallon water tank is outside the coop and I only have to add water every few weeks.
- In warmer weather, open the door on the other end of the barn alley.
- Leave

Evening is:
- Close the far barn door if open
- Collect eggs laid since the last time I visited which MIGHT be 'not at all' if the temp is above freezing.
- Close the people door
- Toss scratch out for the girls (and they have been hitting on me the whole time. They aren't patient!)
- Leave, closing the barn door.

Yes, there is the extra this and that plus cleaning out the DL every year. Now if I was "kitty scooping" sand or cleaning a poop board every morning, it would take longer. I'm lucky that my girls have a lot of room to run around in an area I am not concerned about keeping sanitary. The girls pretty much 'till' the shavings in the run just keeping busy and looking for anything they can eat. And they can go outside any time they want so they do, other than winter. They aren't real fond of wandering in the snow. Outside is SO much more fun than hanging in the run, especially when there are bugs and greens to eat. They pretty much never go in the coop during the day except to eat chicken food, drink or lay an egg. Except the STUPID BROODY ONES!

Bruce

That's very true what Bruce says, it's usually that simple. But what about those evenings when you want to go out to a friend's house for a nice dinner and so you have to shut up the barn early and you're running around in heels and a fancy dress trying to chook chook chook everybody into their coop and its a beautiful summer evening and they refuse to go and when you finally get them in that's when you notice the five gallon waterer is empty and as you refill it at the hydrant the pretty dress gets soaked! There will be days like that too.

 

[bruceha2000]

That's very true what Bruce says, it's usually that simple. But what about those evenings when you want to go out to a friend's house for a nice dinner and so you have to shut up the barn early and you're running around in heels and a fancy dress trying to chook chook chook everybody into their coop and its a beautiful summer evening and they refuse to go and when you finally get them in that's when you notice the five gallon waterer is empty and as you refill it at the hydrant the pretty dress gets soaked! There will be days like that too.

Can't say I have ever had that specific problem Sheila, never have worn a dress let alone heels

And if I DID, I doubt I'd be down in the barn in heels. The concept of 'barn boots' comes to mind! Now THERE is a fashion statement, fancy dress and mucky Wellies. Don't forget to change your foot wear before heading out.

But, yes, that sort of thing does happen and the day they just DON'T want to come in is the day you REALLY don't have time to mess around. One of the more recent ones, back when we still had snow on the ground, all the girls except Echo came running for their scratch. I had to go get Echo, she was all by her self mindless to the events around her, foraging near the road on some expose grass. Got her attention by shaking the scratch in the bowl, but she took her time figuring out how to get to the driveway on the other side of the snow. Eventually she just sucked it up and walked through (only about 1" deep). I guess it never occurred to her that she could flap a few times and get over it.

Bruce

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Can't say I have ever had that specific problem Sheila, never have worn a dress let alone heels  And if I DID, I doubt I'd be down in the barn in heels. The concept of 'barn boots' comes to mind!  Now THERE is a fashion statement, fancy dress and mucky Wellies. Don't forget to change your foot wear before heading out. 

But, yes, that sort of thing does happen and the day they just DON'T want to come in is the day you REALLY don't have time to mess around. One of the more recent ones, back when we still had snow on the ground, all the girls except Echo came running for their scratch. I had to go get Echo, she was all by her self mindless to the events around her, foraging near the road on some expose grass. Got her attention by shaking the scratch in the bowl, but she took her time figuring out how to get to the driveway on the other side of the snow. Eventually she just sucked it up and walked through (only about 1" deep). I guess it never occurred to her that she could flap a few times and get over it. 

Bruce 

Fancy dress and wellies! Yup, that's my fashion magazine. And yours would be wellies and bow tie?

 

[bruceha2000]

Fancy dress and wellies! Yup, that's my fashion magazine. And yours would be wellies and bow tie?

Sure! I have a black bow tie and a lightish purple one. Which should I wear when you and I are done chasing our respective chickens to the barn before we head to the porch??