- Thread starter
- #11
Thanks - lots of great suggestions.
She (Lacy) is a barnevelder pullet - about 8 months old.
My reasons for the current set-up we have for her:
The nest Lacy had chosen for hatching her eggs was an enclosed plastic cat litter box inside our 3-walled coop - I was worried it was too hot for her to stay in. I moved her outside so that the other hens would stop laying in her box and so that she could be kept cooler. Her cat litter pan is about 5 inches tall. I chose it because it was open and I put the dog kennel top over her because of the big open spot in the front and the ventilated sides - now she has her dark area, but also has a lot of ventilation. I moved her outside the regular chicken coop and under our tall shade trees, but wanted her to stay within sight & sound of the others. The purpose of the wire dog kennel is to keep my dogs out of her nest and to keep the birds out of her food, while still giving her lots of airflow. Even without the solid panel on the bottom, she wouldn't be able to scratch because the bottom has wire on it.
Almost every afternoon, when I let the other chickens out to free-range, we do take Lacy out for about 20 minutes so that she can exercise and take a dustbath. We then have to catch her to put her back in. One time, I caught the wrong broody and set her on the eggs and Lacy was oblivious - she stayed out for a couple hours before I noticed her (both broodys are barnevelders). Once I catch her though, she sits on her nest. The other broody is still sitting on golf balls, so I wasn't worried about her being out too long. Yesterday, I hadn't let Lacy out, so maybe she was more restless? I'll have to make sure not to miss a day, just in case.
I really don't think we have mites, but I'll check. Perhaps she is restless because of the heat - yesterday was pretty hot - thankfully, it's cooling off again. We do use DE in our coop, run, & regular nestboxes - I hadn't put any DE in her nestbox because I wasn't sure if it would dry out the eggs. I have sprinkled DE around the outside of her cage though.
Our other chickens all have access to oyster shell - I keep a dish in their run, but since she is not laying anymore, I didn't think she still needed the extra calcium - or does she? She's not breaking her eggs to eat them - she hasn't touched one yet. Everytime I find a cracked or broken egg - the shell is all there (and so is the chick). Also, the eggs she's sitting on are not from my hens - we're not allowed roosters here.
She is eating, drinking and getting out at least a couple times a day - I see her strutting around her little cage, (all fluffed up) and I have to fill her food dish every day or so.
So... I will make sure she gets exercise EVERY day and put some 'Spanish Moss' in her nest (I found a full bag in my craft cupboard). I'll also pick up some straw today when I go to the feed store - maybe the combination of straw, moss, & shavings will work. Does she still need the extra calcium (she's currently eating purina layena)?
In the meantime, after I found that last broken egg, I put the 3 remaining eggs under the second broody (Penny), in case she is gentler. I plan on putting them back under Lacy when we're closer to hatch time (or sooner, if the new nesting materials work), so that Lacy can be done brooding in a week and Penny can sit on the new eggs.
She (Lacy) is a barnevelder pullet - about 8 months old.
My reasons for the current set-up we have for her:
The nest Lacy had chosen for hatching her eggs was an enclosed plastic cat litter box inside our 3-walled coop - I was worried it was too hot for her to stay in. I moved her outside so that the other hens would stop laying in her box and so that she could be kept cooler. Her cat litter pan is about 5 inches tall. I chose it because it was open and I put the dog kennel top over her because of the big open spot in the front and the ventilated sides - now she has her dark area, but also has a lot of ventilation. I moved her outside the regular chicken coop and under our tall shade trees, but wanted her to stay within sight & sound of the others. The purpose of the wire dog kennel is to keep my dogs out of her nest and to keep the birds out of her food, while still giving her lots of airflow. Even without the solid panel on the bottom, she wouldn't be able to scratch because the bottom has wire on it.
Almost every afternoon, when I let the other chickens out to free-range, we do take Lacy out for about 20 minutes so that she can exercise and take a dustbath. We then have to catch her to put her back in. One time, I caught the wrong broody and set her on the eggs and Lacy was oblivious - she stayed out for a couple hours before I noticed her (both broodys are barnevelders). Once I catch her though, she sits on her nest. The other broody is still sitting on golf balls, so I wasn't worried about her being out too long. Yesterday, I hadn't let Lacy out, so maybe she was more restless? I'll have to make sure not to miss a day, just in case.
I really don't think we have mites, but I'll check. Perhaps she is restless because of the heat - yesterday was pretty hot - thankfully, it's cooling off again. We do use DE in our coop, run, & regular nestboxes - I hadn't put any DE in her nestbox because I wasn't sure if it would dry out the eggs. I have sprinkled DE around the outside of her cage though.
Our other chickens all have access to oyster shell - I keep a dish in their run, but since she is not laying anymore, I didn't think she still needed the extra calcium - or does she? She's not breaking her eggs to eat them - she hasn't touched one yet. Everytime I find a cracked or broken egg - the shell is all there (and so is the chick). Also, the eggs she's sitting on are not from my hens - we're not allowed roosters here.
She is eating, drinking and getting out at least a couple times a day - I see her strutting around her little cage, (all fluffed up) and I have to fill her food dish every day or so.
So... I will make sure she gets exercise EVERY day and put some 'Spanish Moss' in her nest (I found a full bag in my craft cupboard). I'll also pick up some straw today when I go to the feed store - maybe the combination of straw, moss, & shavings will work. Does she still need the extra calcium (she's currently eating purina layena)?
In the meantime, after I found that last broken egg, I put the 3 remaining eggs under the second broody (Penny), in case she is gentler. I plan on putting them back under Lacy when we're closer to hatch time (or sooner, if the new nesting materials work), so that Lacy can be done brooding in a week and Penny can sit on the new eggs.
