What would make caring for your flock easier?

[PlentifulPrairie]

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'm working on a personal project and need some feedback in this area.

Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

I've got over-sized facilities that make everything easier because it gives me a lot of flexibility.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/over-sized-isnt-just-for-sweaters.77604/

The only thing that I would really like but don't have right now is the ability to divide my coop in half so I could more easily separate my breeds.

 

[samanthaoverton]

For me it's when I bust up chickens for various reasons. I have a bully rooster in one area. I have two other roosters away from the rest (for eating) because I find it's more effective to fatten chickens when they are away from the main group. Then I have pullets (almost 5 months) that are in the main area but I separate them during feeding time so they get there share of feed and aren't eating laying pellets. Yeah this is a crazy set up but it's what works for me and I have reasons for doing it. Still very time consuming and I will be happy when things are normal.lol

 

[KRack]

Other than weather being my biggest struggle because I hate being cold (water freezing, frost bite, shoveling a path through the snow for them when it’s high, etc.), I’d have to say having a place for sick chickens to go to be isolated.

I have it pretty well figured out now, but it’s my biggest annoyance. I don’t have a “good” location in the house when I have to bring them in. I do now have a small coop outside when I’m able to leave them out for smaller things that need less monitoring, so that’s been helpful.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

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.

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

I've got over-sized facilities that make everything easier because it gives me a lot of flexibility.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/over-sized-isnt-just-for-sweaters.77604/

The only thing that I would really like but don't have right now is the ability to divide my coop in half so I could more easily separate my breeds.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

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.

Great feedback!

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

For me it's when I bust up chickens for various reasons. I have a bully rooster in one area. I have two other roosters away from the rest (for eating) because I find it's more effective to fatten chickens when they are away from the main group. Then I have pullets (almost 5 months) that are in the main area but I separate them during feeding time so they get there share of feed and aren't eating laying pellets. Yeah this is a crazy set up but it's what works for me and I have reasons for doing it. Still very time consuming and I will be happy when things are normal.lol

Interesting, thanks for sharing!!

 

[WingsysRoost]

Excellent question! I've thought about this a lot since I've had to deal with many inconvenient things with my current setup, and I've made a list of what I would do differently given the chance. My current dream setup would look like this:

• Larger run. Also, larger coop because eventually I would like more chickens.
• An indoor area off the back of the coop, with a viewing window so that I can see inside the coop, a sink that functions even in the cold so I don't have to trek inside to get water, a human-sized door to access the coop, and storage for feed and anything else they might need. The nest boxes would also open into this space so that I don't have to get rained or snowed on to collect eggs.
• Long-lasting food and water systems.
• Hawk netting. I have hawk deterrents up but they can be annoying when I forget that they're there and run into them lol.
• A planted run (as much as I can when they are determined to destroy the plants, anyway).
• Permanent greenhouse/composting area.
• Path that can easily be kept free of snow and ice in winter.
• Poop boards under roost bars to help keep bedding clean.

I feel like there is more that I'm forgetting but this is what I can remember at the moment.

 

[PlentifulPrairie]

Other than weather being my biggest struggle because I hate being cold (water freezing, frost bite, shoveling a path through the snow for them when it’s high, etc.), I’d have to say having a place for sick chickens to go to be isolated.

I have it pretty well figured out now, but it’s my biggest annoyance. I don’t have a “good” location in the house when I have to bring them in. I do now have a small coop outside when I’m able to leave them out for smaller things that need less monitoring, so that’s been helpful.

Great information, thanks for sharing!