What would make caring for your flock easier?

[ChicFil- A]

Really good question! In my flock:
* Better drainage in the run. It's far too muddy for too long.
* More shade in the run.
* Automatic watering system or nipple waterers for clean water 24/7.
* More learning about treating illnesses.
* Security cams with night vision in the run and inside the coop.
* Electric fence I can turn on at night to zap raccoons.
* A neighborhood kid I can hire to clean the coop occasionally.
* A fenced integration area outside, with a 2nd pop-door into the chicks' enclosure inside the coop. (i.e. A small coop and run within the big birds' coop and run.)
* Poop boards under the roosts.

I do believe we all want what you listed and while reading this it dawned on me everything you listed was for their safety just about everything you listed I want also, I’m looking at the Light Bulb security cameras on Amazon they are under 50$ and they have night vision they are great security. Also I wish my run was larger and covered for ther protection from halks and owls…it will get there little by little but for now my 7 hens get along well and seem happy,

 

[BarnyardChaos]

....everything you listed was for their safety

Hmmm I see that too, now. I think that these things fit the topic, "What would make caring for your flock easier?" because I don't sleep well at night if I'm worrying about my livestock or pets. It really bothers me to know an animal is suffering. I've already done most everything I can to make the job easier on ME in terms of physical exertion and convenience (except perhaps the poop boards and the neighborhood kid) - so what's left is what I haven't done YET for the birds' health, comfort and safety.

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

Hmmm I see that too, now. I think that these things fit the topic, "What would make caring for your flock easier?" because I don't sleep well at night if I'm worrying about my livestock or pets. It really bothers me to know an animal is suffering. I've already done most everything I can to make the job easier on ME in terms of physical exertion and convenience (except perhaps the poop boards and the neighborhood kid) - so what's left is what I haven't done YET for the birds' health, comfort and safety.

So what things would increase their health, comfort, and safety? This is all great feedback and helping my project. Thank you everyone I appreciate the community and feedback!

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

I do believe we all want what you listed and while reading this it dawned on me everything you listed was for their safety just about everything you listed I want also, I’m looking at the Light Bulb security cameras on Amazon they are under 50$ and they have night vision they are great security. Also I wish my run was larger and covered for ther protection from halks and owls…it will get there little by little but for now my 7 hens get along well and seem happy,

I have ring cameras in my coop area. I chose that brand because the price was decent, it takes a rechargeable battery (my coop doesn't have electricity only through an extension cord), I can see live action, it does have night vision and is pretty decent, you can connect multiple cameras to one dashboard within their app, you can set up motion alerts if you want, you can listen to what's going on through the cameras, make an alarm go off, or even talk through them. The batteries last a pretty long time after charging and they can handle extreme cold double negative temps like a champ. Also I bought a new and a refurbished ring camera, I will buy refurbished going forward because it was substantially cheaper and looks brand new. Figured I'd share might help someone. Oh it does need wifi. My coop can pick up my wifi signal from my home.

 

[ChicFil- A]

I have ring cameras in my coop area. I chose that brand because the price was decent, it takes a rechargeable battery (my coop doesn't have electricity only through an extension cord), I can see live action, it does have night vision and is pretty decent, you can connect multiple cameras to one dashboard within their app, you can set up motion alerts if you want, you can listen to what's going on through the cameras, make an alarm go off, or even talk through them. The batteries last a pretty long time after charging and they can handle extreme cold double negative temps like a champ. Also I bought a new and a refurbished ring camera, I will buy refurbished going forward because it was substantially cheaper and looks brand new. Figured I'd share might help someone. Oh it does need wifi. My coop can pick up my wifi signal from my home.

I will definitely look into the ring camera, that sounds like exactly what I had in mind

 

[Sally PB]

What I really need right now is for the top hen to stop trying to kill the bottom hen.

Or, I need the bottom hen to stop squatting and letting the top hen peck her neck bloody.

Bottom was in segregation for a week. Now top is in segregation, going to be 10 days for her. If that doesn't fix the issue, I will try pinless peepers.

 

[texsuze]

If there were no avian diseases, no physical anomalies detrimental to hen health (egg binding, crossbeak, etc), no fire ants and if I'd started with a large walk-in coop-- this wish list would make it much easier for me to do my best for my hens!

 

[fat brown hen]

Hi! What type of issues/annoyances/problems/lack of know how do you encounter seasonally/monthly/daily/yearly/whenever in relation to chicken keeping?

Or what are some things you've dreamed of having (doesn't have to even exist!)?

I wish we could have firearms, so that I could approach predators with something more intimidating than a can of pennies.

I wish I had a home PCR machine so that I could DNA test all my chicks.

I use plastic snow fence to divide up the yard. It's light, easy to move, and birds don't try to fight through it. But plastic fences become brittle and fall apart after a month in the sun. I wish I could have plastic snow fence with UV resistance.

 

[Finnie]

One of the hardest things I have to deal with is tiny fiddly latches and slide bolts. Especially in the winter if they get iced over, or if my gloves make manipulating them impossible, so I have to remove the gloves and move the tiny frozen metal with my bare, cold fingers.

Future coop and pen doors will be designed with an eye towards having full-sized handles and latches. The areas where I have easy-in and easy-out are so much nicer than the ones with fiddly hardware.

Oh, and I want roll away nest boxes.