Wing It Ranch

[Auntiejessi3]

I let the pullet out of the pen yesterday afternoon. And she ran fluffed up and clucking all the way to the nest immediately. Okay, then... guess she needs more time. Back in the grow out pen for her and (what in the world?!) Along with one of my Onyx OEs who has decided she wants to play too. They sound like 2 ticking time bombs. I don't get it. I beg for a broody in the spring and now that the heat index is over a 100, everyone wants to go broody!

The Ancona laid another egg. I also don't get that... poor thing is a mess. Still no tail. Most of her wing feathers are gone. I can see new feathers like pin needles when she grooms herself. And she's laying eggs?! I was fully expecting no eggs for a month or 2.

Most of the time they do go through a soft molt and quit laying for a month or two, but not always. The last time I broke Cersei she popped out an egg within a few days, it was nuts As far as broodies and the heat, I've had a bunch of those too. I personally think it's because conditions are most favorable for chicks when it's nice and toasty outside, they need it warm and that makes less work for the hen. Just my 2 cents.

 

[WingItRanch]

Most of the time they do go through a soft molt and quit laying for a month or two, but not always. The last time I broke Cersei she popped out an egg within a few days, it was nuts As far as broodies and the heat, I've had a bunch of those too. I personally think it's because conditions are most favorable for chicks when it's nice and toasty outside, they need it warm and that makes less work for the hen. Just my 2 cents.

I suppose they know their bodies more than I do but I find it hard to believe it's good for them to sit on the nest panting when it's 110.

I do have a question. If I let them brood and get hatching eggs, will my setup work? Should I put food and water inside the coop? I'm mainly worried about the chicks with the ladder. Would they try to go into the run and fall and hurt themselves?

Reminder of the inside:

And here's the entry:

 

[wrathsfarm]

Most of the time they do go through a soft molt and quit laying for a month or two, but not always. The last time I broke Cersei she popped out an egg within a few days, it was nuts As far as broodies and the heat, I've had a bunch of those too. I personally think it's because conditions are most favorable for chicks when it's nice and toasty outside, they need it warm and that makes less work for the hen. Just my 2 cents.

I've noticed a distinct time difference with time being off the eggs between heat and cold weather. They just know how to do it.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I suppose they know their bodies more than I do but I find it hard to believe it's good for them to sit on the nest panting when it's 110.

I do have a question. If I let them brood and get hatching eggs, will my setup work? Should I put food and water inside the coop? I'm mainly worried about the chicks with the ladder. Would they try to go into the run and fall and hurt themselves?

Reminder of the inside:
View attachment 4198136
And here's the entry:
View attachment 4198137

My thoughts are yes to feed and water in the coop. (Kid size). In my experience, my broodys won't leave the coop for a few days. They instinctively know to train the littles to make sure they'll follow her and won't leave any that don't follow her.

With that, I would think she'll teach them to go up and down but I would be there to supervise and help them up and down.
I don't have that steep of ramp but if I can offer some help with reframing that, I'm here. If it were me you've got 21 days from set to do it. I would run a board from far left side of door, you could space it down and screw it up to bottom of coop unless there's an upright there I can't see. Angle it towards the white upright on the fence that doesn't have the 45 support at bottom or if there's another out of pic to the right.
This would give you a short ramp with less angle. Then turn 90 and run your next ramp down but put something under the bottom to raise the bottom of the ramp to lose that steep angle. So basically like stairs with a 90 and/or landing to change directions.

Just going off what I can see by the pic, if your inclined to do it and need help get more pics and there may be a better option.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Another thought would be frame in a landing 1/2 way down. Slight incline to that. Your next ramp same direction you have can now be along the run shown.
Same basic design only straight like you have.
Or double the size of your existing ramp if you have the space.

 

[WingItRanch]

I'll have to give it some thought. I was really hoping to be done with coop construction. I have so many other projects that I've been ignoring and promised my partner that I was done with the chicken projects..

We're also attempting to buy the property next to us. It would double our acreage. I see goats, donkey, and cattle in our future.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I'll have to give it some thought. I was really hoping to be done with coop construction. I have so many other projects that I've been ignoring and promised my partner that I was done with the chicken projects..

We're also attempting to buy the property next to us. It would double our acreage. I see goats, donkey, and cattle in our future.

See what momma does and go from there.

#goatdonkeycattlemath

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

promised my partner that I was done with the chicken projects..

 

[wrathsfarm]

That one went right by me, the shame !!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I suppose they know their bodies more than I do but I find it hard to believe it's good for them to sit on the nest panting when it's 110.

They have been chickening a lot longer than you Onyx is currently on her last week of her hatch, she takes nice long breaks and is doing amazingly, as usual! A broody hen isn't like a regular hen laying an egg in a nest box, they go into a sort of trance and become very focused. I've only seen Onyx pant a couple of times, if she gets to that point she takes a break, otherwise she is cool calm and collected.

I do have a question. If I let them brood and get hatching eggs, will my setup work? Should I put food and water inside the coop? I'm mainly worried about the chicks with the ladder. Would they try to go into the run and fall and hurt themselves?

I agree with Wraths , and within a week they'll be running all over that ramp like acrobats! As far as falling, chicks are way more resilient than we give them credit for. There is a long time, very knowledgeable member on here that let's her hens hatch in nest boxes 4ft off the ground, when the momma is ready for them to leave the nest she gets out and calls them and all the chicks jump to the ground, without injury.