What is your daily routine?

[Pugsabi]

I've only had my flock of six for a week and I'm curious as to how everyone takes care of their birds. I change out their water and make sure they have food. I do a head count and make sure the coop is still okay. Am I supposed to look for mites everyday? Check their crops everyday? Etc.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I fill the feeds, throw out scratch, which allows me to look at everyone, than I change all waters out in the morning. That's about it for daily. I than throw out a bit more scratch in the afternoon. I only get a closer look at birds if necessary as I have currently over 100. So my daily scratch allows me to see if anyone is looking unwell. I clean as necessary.

 

[BantyChooks]

I refill pools and waterers if needed, give them 1 gal of food twice a day (which makes them go hungry a bit---this is just for summer when they're free range, they get all they want in winter) and grab a random bird every few days to check for lice. I have never done crop checks and can't see why that would possibly be needed. Sometimes I do a more thorough check which involves treating scaly leg mites if needed and catching the skittish birds to check them over too. Other than that, I just stand by the door as they come out every morning and if any bird is slow to come out, I check them. Oh, and watching for bumblefoot isn't a bad idea.

You probably don't have to do much at all since your flock is new. After a while, you might want to check poop now and then for worms and check for mites/lice. If you start 'clean' it'll be a while (usually) before the baddies catch up to you.

I also take 5 minutes or so now and then to watch flock dynamics and make sure that the juvenile birds are getting allowed near the feed and water too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My basic daily routine:

Take care of food and water in the morning when I let them out.

Collect eggs and take care of the food and water after supper when I take the kitchen wastes to the compost pile.

At dark, lock them up for the night.

That's basically it for a daily routine, whether there are chicks with the adults or not. When I let them out in the morning I watch how they act but don't physically grab any to check. Same at night when I lock them up.

I probably check for mites or lice once a month at most. I've never found any so it's not a high priority for me. I've never done a crop check. If one is acting funny I'll know it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

In the morning I bring in food, both a bowl of fermented and a feeder of dry feed (stored overnight in a metal trash can). Check the waterer and refill it if needed. Scoop up any obvious big poops in the run and everywhere under the roost in the coop. Pick up any eggs in the nest box.

We do a headcount at dusk when we go to remove the feeder and pick up eggs, and a run perimeter check later on in the night.

As far as check ups usually I just look them over to make sure there's nothing obvious to worry about. Once in a while I'll pick up each of the hens and check their feet as well as spot checks on vents and necks for any pests, but I don't have a regular schedule for that.

 

[SweetTea&Chicks]

Let the chickens out to free-range (I only have 4 right now so my routine is pretty easy) and look at them as they walk out checking for stuff. I'll check the food and water and change it. Then I get the eggs. If I don't have anything to do I'll chill outside with the chickens and check for mites and lice.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Ahhhh the summer routine.....

5am put out wet feed, change all the waters, spread some scratch, check my brahmas crops, check crooked beaks crop, and let them out for the day.
Around 3pm refill waters with fresh cold water.
Look for anyone struggling with the heat.

9pm close the coop doors, do a head count, check crop on crooked beak, check a few for bumbles, check same few for mites, gather eggs and turn the light off.

I keep a close watch on my brahmas crops as one is pendulous. I keep a watch on crooked beak as her beak is crooked.
Checking a few every day means I am basically checking everyone at least once a week.

I clean up poo as needed.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I open the coop at 5am daily turn on the lights inside, under and outside. Outside lights not necessarily during the month of June.
I check the feeder and waterer inside coop, fill waterer under coop, and the waterer in their pen during warm weather.
Give them a mixed bird seed scattered around pen, or under the coop if pen is snow covered or a heavy rain.
Check for eggs under roosts.
9am another treat of seeds scattered about. Check feeder and waterer's. Check for eggs.
In sub freezing temps I check for eggs at 1pm and dump ice out of under coop rubber bowl and give them another treat of seeds.
I let them out to free range an hour before sunset daily, weather permitting. Check nest boxes and block them with gallon bottles, so no one sleeps in them.
I check that all the hens are on the roost 20 minutes after sunset, check the in coop waterer and feeder. Dump the outside waterer's and lockup the coop.
I also say goodnight girls, see you in the morning.

I look for sluggish behavior in the morning and inspect what the problem is.
About a week ago a hen was slow coming out of the coop. I inspected her and found a impacted crop. I searched on here how to help. Was my first in over 2 years. She is doing well. She laid me an egg yesterday and today, after not laying for a week. Yea.

Once or twice a week I sit with them on a large branch I put in their pen that they preen themselves on and I inspect them. Not in the middle of winter. GC

 

[snow5164]

8 am :lights on, I add fermented feed to the trough feeders, check water levels, scoop poop trays , check for eggs, go to next coop and do it again
4 pm collect eggs check feeders
9pm lights out

 

[Pugsabi]

Thanks for all your answers! I was clicking through all the illnesses/injuries to watch out for and I think I scared myself. I have one pullet that is a couple of weeks younger than the others so I've been checking her crop at night just to see if she's been getting enough food. I had to work unexpected overtime this week so I was worried that I've been neglecting them.