Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Firstchic]

mission accomplished,,
the lean to is all down, and the coop bedding is all scraped down to dirt.
I have Ollie parked in the spot now.
that gave me an idea of just making a parking spot with a roof over it. just for Ollie.
I could leave it open at both ends and be able to drive right through..

 

[Firstchic]

Well, it has been some time since I have been on this site. How is everyone, the site has changed some, or I forgot how to navigate it. Probably, the latter. So, here is your laugh of the day. Last spring we bought a bunch of chicks. We did not lose a one until this month. Then we lost 1/2 of them. To a predator. We built a run closer to the house, put the chicken tractor in and all the chickens-13 of em. We noticed that one hen was being quite mean to a fluffy chicken w/feathers on her feet. We would chase the chicken off every time we saw her being mean. She jumped up on the poor old hen today, while we were watching.....we are thinking she is not a she. It is a silver wyandotte. Then we got to looking-HE has white on his breast while the girls have gray on theirs. He has a slightly bigger comb. It only took us a year to figure that out.

 

[MizzHen]

So much going on with everyone! Y'all are so busy!!!
As for us...well, I could use some input if you care to share any ideas.
Chickens will be 16 weeks old next Monday. Trying to complete the nest boxes today.
I read the article about sand in coops. I'd like to try it, but I have 1 concern and one question about it...
In WI... would it be too cold for the chickens over a cement floor? Does anyone here have any experience with sand in coops...good or bad?
My question is about the nest boxes. Do you still put pine shavings in them? Sand? Something else?
I have no idea and I feel like I'm starting all over with chickens as we move closer to laying.
Speaking of which... should I start giving them layer feed when I'm out of this bag of chick starter? I think I read that somewhere.
I have a few white leghorns that might start laying in the next couple weeks, but the rest are I think will take a few more weeks to start laying...so
Any help is much appreciated.
jean

Hi Jean, I'm kind of in the same boat. I am planning to use sand inside my coop and pine shavings inside the nesting boxes. I have a run inside my garage right now until my coop is set in place in my backyard. The run is on concrete. I put a tarp down and just started adding sand to the run and the chickens really like it. They lay in it and scratch around. And with a small rake, it's super easy to clean. When the run is set up outside, I'm just planning to have it on grass. Possibly when the chickens ravage the grass down to dirt, I'll add sand to the outdoor run area as well. If I've learned anything about raising chickens over the past twelve weeks is that raising chickens is a learn as we go world. Good luck!

 

[babylady4]

Still waiting for a counter.....

 

[Cebarmlds]

Well, it has been some time since I have been on this site. How is everyone, the site has changed some, or I forgot how to navigate it. Probably, the latter. So, here is your laugh of the day. Last spring we bought a bunch of chicks. We did not lose a one until this month. Then we lost 1/2 of them. To a predator. We built a run closer to the house, put the chicken tractor in and all the chickens-13 of em. We noticed that one hen was being quite mean to a fluffy chicken w/feathers on her feet. We would chase the chicken off every time we saw her being mean. She jumped up on the poor old hen today, while we were watching.....we are thinking she is not a she. It is a silver wyandotte. Then we got to looking-HE has white on his breast while the girls have gray on theirs. He has a slightly bigger comb. It only took us a year to figure that out.

No crowing??!!

 

[jvls1942]

Nice to hear from you firstchic.
babylady4, Mel, patience, they are thinking about it. they want to sell, but don't want to scare you off. let THEM sweat it out..
I have a screw in my tractor tire. it is flat only on the bottom. If I can get it jacked up and spin the tire around, I should be good to go, no??

I got 50 bags of redi mix concrete and 4 new bedroom windows delivered today. plus a few treated 2" boards I will use for the concrete forms..
It cost me $74.oo to have it all delivered, but it would have meant 4 trips , 20 miles round trip to pick it all up with my small truck.
and I didn't have to unload any of it.
well worth the money..
the Menard driver was super friendly.
I think we spent more time shooting the siht than he did unloading the stuff..

.....jiminwisc.......

 

[chickisoup]

Morning, (notice I didn't say good?)
Long night. Let the pup out at 2:30 and there, INSIDE, the larger run fence was the same cat I had chased out of the yard area before dark. The pup gave it a good chase before it managed to disappear. I know exactly where this cat came from. Had to have a talk with them last year. It's clearly after the chicks so it might be time to set the live trap. No, we will only get violent as a last resort. Not the cat's fault that it has irresponsible owners. It will probably get new owners if we can catch it. I seriously doubt this bunch would bother to pay the fines to bail it out of kitty jail.
Pup woke me up at 5:30 this morning. Since it had gotten me up to potty at 2:30 I was sure this was because the cat was back. Nope. The scrawniest coyote I have ever seen was in the yard checking out the run fence. I yell for the DH to grab the rifle but of course he doesn't hear me because he's still in bed and doesn't have his hearing aid in, even tho I'm yelling loud enough to set the chickens off. When I start to yell it takes off at a trot. I know it'll be back tho. It was looking for an easy meal. It was so thin I doubt it could leave a shadow. Definitely more than just a case of mange like we see when their numbers get too high.
Now I have to get outside. Radar is showing some heavy stuff moving in.
I SERIOUSLY need another cuppa.

 

[jvls1942]

good morning,
I can say that because we didn't have any cats or coyotes visit last night.
we had a heckofa storm roll through just after 2AM. lots of continuous lightning. it was too far south of us to hear the thunder over the noise of the fan..
lots of rain fell here. good for the garden. I hope there was no hail in it..

........jiminwisc........

 

[chickisoup]

good morning,
I can say that because we didn't have any cats or coyotes visit last night.
we had a heckofa storm roll through just after 2AM. lots of continuous lightning. it was too far south of us to hear the thunder over the noise of the fan..
lots of rain fell here. good for the garden. I hope there was no hail in it..

........jiminwisc........

morning Jim,
that storm missed us. In fact, all the heavy stuff missed us yesterday but was close enough to for us to hear the racket. Guess Antigo must have caught it more than once. Looks like we are about to get a good soaker but hopefully nothing like hail. We've dodged that bullet so far this year. Hope your gardens did to.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

Hubby heard the storm last night but I slept right though. Funny, I will wake up as soon as a kid's foot hits the floor, but not for thunder? We got dumped on, from across the garden it looked like close to an inch but I didn't check too close. Had 5 farm orders and a food truck I all had to deliver to this morning. Soaked by the time I got it all cut and packed. Certainly didn't have anyone pay me $74 to do it, but plenty of conversation so that's ok.