Room for chickens?

[MuseRider]

I know I could look some of this up but I would rather hear directly from people with experience.

I am going to build a goat shed and would like to attach an area for 6-10 chickens. I am going to put it by the garden and as I build the garden I will build a chicken moat. So, how much room do they need? If they are mainly only in there at night do they just need nesting boxes? I figure if the weather is awful they can share the rest of the shed with the goats, these are pygmy goats and seem to get along with just about any animal so far.

Just looking for advice since I have always wanted chickens but never had any. Only hens, no roosters if that makes a difference and I assume it does.

Thanks.

[peacebird]

1. I have 8 hens and a roo - they have a 4x4 cube style coop

with a couple perches about 3 ft off the ground. The most important thing for me was getting a door that could keep them secure at night. Raccoons are amazingly creative about opening latches. We settled on a "guillotine" style door with a pully system so I can pull the rope from outside the run and tie it off in themorning. Works quite well. We have a pretty large run for them - and let them out to free range whenever we are home.
I added inch thick hard foam insulation outside the coop to keep them warmer in the winter, and have left it on for the summer. They seem pretty happy!

[jwirr]

4. We have about that many chickens and have them in a little storage

shed with roosts to set on and nests to lay eggs in. They also have plenty of room to run in the daytime. My father always kept a light on to discourage predators. By the way our shed has wheels on it so it can be moved to different places in the garden.

[peacebird]

5. i wanted mine on wheels, but my son modified the design when he built it....

I am thinking of building one on wheels with the run under it or attached to it so I can move them around to fresh grass for the time they are in the run while I'm at work.

do you have a picture of your setup?

[jwirr]

8. No pictures sorry. It is at my daughters house about 4 miles away

and I never thought to take any.

[MuseRider]

15. Thanks.

I like the idea of that kind of door. I will incorporate that into my plans. We have so many things that will try to get them and I think that would fool them all.

[Cleita]

2. My daughter keeps chickens but they are more pets than anything else.

They have a predator proof chicken house. Not only coyotes but bobcats and feral cats find them tasty. Usually, we have one rooster to keep order. The hens sometimes can peck at each other so the rooster keeps them sorted out. A rooster can be very noisy though. I kind of like the morning alarm clock aspect of them however a neighbor of ours had their rooster killed by another neighbor who wasn't enchanted with the crowing. There are actually many websites that tell you exactly what to do. How to feed and water them and what to expect. Really, you should educate yourself first because they do have special needs and there are diseases in your area you should be aware of and how to treat them if your chickens contract them.

[MuseRider]

16. Thank you.

Yes, I am just starting to look into this. It as been a plan all along but a distant one. I plan on this spring so it is time to start learning. I am getting ready to build the shed and wanted to know how everyone did this and what worked for them so I could add what I needed to for the chickens. No rooster, my husband would kill me as there are plenty around that we hear. I will most likely not have more than 6 hens, I am thinking that will be enough and they will have plenty of room to roam during the day, both their moat around the garden and free range when I am home.

[notadmblnd]

3. a rooster does make a difference.

I was thinking about getting some laying hens until I found out that I would need a variance in the small community I live in and was checking it out. I was told NOT to have a rooster. Seems that a rooster can sexually satisfy approximately 200 chickens (some sex drive huh?) and the result would be death to the hens. Plus they make a lot of noise. but I was told a small shed would do as a hen house. Youl'd want to put a small door and a ramp in there for them to get to their roosts. I was also told that the average laying hen provides about 1/2 dozen eggs a week, so you can estimate how many hen you'll need to provide for yourself. I hope you have success doing this. I wish I could give it a try.

[MuseRider]

17. Thank you.

I am sorry you can't have chickens but I appreciate your advice. Poor hens! That is way too much sex!

I am thinking now that I will keep my flock fairly small because we do not eat that many eggs but I certainly can give them away.

The ramp, I think that would also help to keep predators away if the door is high and the ramp is removed every night. At least it would make it hard enough that some might give up?

[msedano]

6. 7 hens, 10 x 6 x 8, pasadena backyard

"Chickens come home to roost" is so totally true if they have a comfy hootch to come home to. I sank old 10' fence posts in cement and strung 1/2" galvanized bird netting all around, trenching at soil level to bury the wire so burrowing critters can't easily make their way into the hens and eggs. made the roof from 1/4" lucite sheet and recycled redwood fence slats. insulated one side with sheet metal from an old shed and built the laying boxes there. i locked them in when still pullets and let them out once the garden was well established, lest they eat every seedling and scratch out the others. leave the door open for them and when the sun goes down the chickens automatically come home to roost. in fact, during the day they return one at a time or so to lay their rich-yolked beautiful brown or green eggs.



read about my hens, la chickenada, here:

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2008/03/cascarones-time-is-blanquillos-time.html

mvs

[MuseRider]

18. I just bookmarked your

chicken blog! I will read it when I can sit and pay attention and thank you, what I have read is great. I thought you might like this one http://www.republicofgrass.com/Coop.html. I do not know this woman, I have ridden my horse on her ranch before on a wagon train trip but never met her. Her sister is the partner of one of my good friends and that is how I knew about this site and it started my quest for chickens. She is a writer so there are many things beautifully written there. Check out the chickens first birthday party!

Anyway, thank you. I will get to your site probably next week and add it to my chicken references (recipes too!).

[msedano]

25. cousins!

my gosh, that woman in kansas has cousins to my girls. the black, the araucana, the red, the barred. she needs a buff orpington and i need a brahma. i predict that harmonics will cycle between my flock and hers and in no time at all, we'll have world peace!

thanks for the link to that jealousy-inducing site. all that space, all that grass, all those hens.

i hope you'll keep me posted on the progress of your own flock. if you get recently hatched chicks be prepared to lose a couple for no apparent reason. i use a reptile heat lamp to generate warmth during their first month in a cardboard box.

mvs

[MuseRider]

28. Thanks.

I will prepare myself because I take baby animal deaths very hard :(.

Isn't that a great site? I have not met her but I love her work and her writing. I have learned a lot from that site. As I plant more tallgrass around my farm I always look at what she has done.

Didn't you love the birthday party? I laughed so hard. She is the reason I started thinking seriously about chickens.

I think I will not get started until next spring. I want to be ready for them and educated about what they need, in fact I don't even know if you can get recently hatched chicks this time of year. I suppose you can but I have never looked. Oh well, I am not ready yet. I must be patient but I am so looking forward to it. I wonder if they will go on my pasture walks with me and my goats? Our daily walks are quite fun, sometimes with the dogs too but I don't think that would be a great combo. The dogs accepted the goats so we will just have to see how they do together with chickens (without risk to the chickens of course).

Let me know when you arrive at world peace. I have been waiting my whole life for that. Who knew it would come from chickens? :hi:

[msedano]

30. seriously, you're not taking chickens seriously, are you?

what a bunch of silly critters are chickens. flicking and flacking and doodling up a ruckus for any which reason. out comes an egg and out comes an oratorio. one hangs around too long in the dust bath, finding itself alone, sets off a wild chorus of "where the heck are youse guys" hoots and hollers. the boys come over to swim they bring their golden lab, when my daughter brings her golden, those dawgs just love to chase those hens, raising a ruckus of irate indignation because the dogs will not harm the hens.

those chapeaux on the hens gave me a laugh. and what an optimist she thinks each chicken will eat from her own plate! i don't know where you're located, but here in L.A. I can get hatchlings every day of the year.

this thread inspired me to go looking for other chickenada musings, here's one i found from july 4, 2002. this is the day before i built the deluxe walk-in, hinged door hootch / jaula they now occupy at night:

For some odd reason, my employer closed the doors yesterday and told
everyone not to come back until Friday. So here I am with a day off.
Hope you all enjoy a similar trick of fate. I am going to stroll my
garden path. The tomato wall produces prodigiously; the beefsteaks are
swellingly green, the zebras are turning a bit white, the romas are
ripening every day, ace is great, the yellow plum cherry toms offer
bite size explosions of flavor, a pink one too delicious too. yellow
and green calabaza zucchini proliferate, the yellow patty pan nutlike
sweet, the white pumpkin and calabasa coyote have begun to tendril and
form fruit, the pepinos give a couple of spiny tubes daily, the snow
peas feel the heat and begn to swell with beans early, the string
beans give a handful daily, the lettuce hasn't bolted yet, the beets
are forming shoulders under the earth. the lemon tree's fruit is sour
and the blossoms so sweet, as is the lime, the sunflowers are holding
their breaths against a squirrel attack. the jalapeños have fruited,
the bells have peppered, nothing from the chile huero but the serrano
is standing tall.

la chickenada is pissed i won't let them out of the jaula because they
root around in the young carrots. i will probably build them a new
enclosure come the weekend. but they stopped laying so i give them
dirty looks every day and whistle the caldo song until their lips curl
in defiance.

i will make the first güiro today from the bamboo that has cured a
couple of months now and looks yellow brown enough to work. the first
one was too green and split, though it offers a suitable raspa raspa
and i am sidetracked by it.

all in all, a good day to celebrate my particular freedom.

here's to a prosperous Independence Day to all!
--------

güiro?
http://www.readraza.com/dguiro/guiro.htm

Here comes Independence Day 2008. Ditto as above.

mvs

[peacebird]

7. check out www.backyardchickens.com

it has lots of info, and folks are very friendly in the message boards

[MuseRider]

19. Great! Thanks. n/t

[cornermouse]

9. If you want eggs, you're probably going to have some trouble

finding them if you let them out to be free range during the day. On the other hand, if you don't let them out during the day to eat grass, seeds, and bugs, you'll have to feed them more chicken feed and you aren't going to get those pretty bright orange yolk eggs.

They lay better if you have a rooster. Roosters aren't a threat and don't eat that much.

Their egg laying cycle depends on the amount of light during the day which is why you don't see as many eggs during the winter although you can manipulate that so they start laying earlier in the winter than they normally would if you install a light bulb to "extend" daylight hours for them. However, if you install a light bulb you might want to consider getting a cheap timer so you don't have to get up and trudge out there to turn it on yourself.

Unless they're a chicken like a silkie they like to roost above ground. How big a moat do you plan to dig? Some of them (the lighter weight breeds) can fly good enough to get over a 6 foot fence.

A good website to look at is www.feathersite.com

Do you want a heritage breed or a production breed of chicken? There really are different colors of eggs, blue, green, and shades of brown depending on the breed. The blue egg that a pure breed Araucana, not to be confused with the Americana or the Easter Eggers, lays a robin egg blue which extends to the interior of the shell after you crack it open and is very pretty. The Canadian breeds supposedly lay better during winter but I don't have any personal knowledge about them.

Marans and Welsummers can lay dark brown eggs but it is a coating on the outside of the egg and the interior of the shell is white.

Also if you really get into it, a fun website for european chickens is http://www.kippengrabbelton.be/engels/

[MuseRider]

20. Thank you.

I got your PM as well and I appreciate it. Great sites to read.

The moat is not a dug moat. Check this out. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1988-05-01/The-Chicken-Moat-Enclosure.aspx

I am interested in Guineas but I am not certain my husband would like them. I think they are a hoot and would love a couple of them. We will see, he isn't too keen on chickens either...or the goats...or my horses...or my cats...

[cornermouse]

31. Interesting.

I had never thought about doing something like that. I think it could just as easily be adapted into a dog run. Thank you. Guineas are hilarious but they won't ever be tame or even very domestic.

I don't see as many eggs with the silkies but they think they're twice as big as what they actually are and have attitude. I'd be out in the chicken pen and feel a light tap on the back of my leg, turn around the see the little bitty rooster lining up for another "attack", call his name and chase him till I could catch him and hug him (punishment). I have always enjoyed them.

The guilty party and one of his girlfriends.

[GregD]

10. BackYardChickens poster here!

We have 9 hens who give us yummy fresh eggs daily, and 9 more chicks who are less than a month old (needed more hens as we can't keep up with demand for egg sales to neighbors.) At BYC, the "rule of thumb" seems to be 4 square feet per hen (indoor space) and 10x10 outdoor unless they free-range during the day. We built space that exceeds the interior space, and is a bit less for the outdoor space, but the girls are out in the yard every day. Also, our outdoor space is covered with a roof because we have snow in the winter. So make sure your outdoor space reflects the weather you will have in winter and summer.

As for nesting boxes, we just use the plastic milk crates stuffed with some bedding. Make sure you have a few nesting boxes in order to prevent traffic jams and waiting lines. I have literally seen 3 force their way into one box, with another hen waiting for her turn. Also found 25 eggs under the deck a couple weeks ago - one of our hens decided she was picking her own place to lay.

Have fun - chickens are a freaking hoot.

[MuseRider]

21. I am very excited about them.

Thanks for your ideas. I posted this link up thread but you might really enjoy it too. Talk about a hoot, read about the chickens birthday party. This woman loves her chickens. http://www.republicofgrass.com/Coop.html

We get snow too and the rain could be a bit of a bummer (when we have wet springs) so I figure they can share the larger part of the shed with the goats when it is nasty and the goat yard and the goats can share the chicken moat. I hear they get along fine and my little goats seem to like any animal they get to know.

I chicken traffic jam huh? I liken my barn to an airstrip when I let the horses in the stalls to eat. They have their favorite stalls and they line up and wait for me to get to them.

[MuseRider]

11. Wow Wow Wow!

You all are terrific! I will respond to each of you later, got sore goats (castrated the other day) to mother to death ;).

Thank you all so much. I have waited a long time for chickens, it will be next spring most likely.

[LWolf]

12. If they just use their coop for roosting,

then I'd make sure there is 2 feet of roosting space per chicken. That's more than they really need, but I like to be generous.

If you are going to keep feed, water, and nesting boxes inside, make it bigger so that the food, water, and nesting boxes aren't near the roosts, and clean it more frequently. Hens like enclosed spaces to lay. If there are no indoor nest boxes, they will find a place under a bush, where they can "hide." I have a little (about 2'X3') chicken "house" in their yard, roofed, about 3 feet tall, that they like to nest in, as well as the places I've put nesting boxes. I

Currently my little flock is in a series of enclosures that were already here when I moved in: an obvious coop, a wired in enclosure with some little "stalls" on across the enclosure from the coop, and a couple of little "houses" for nesting. I put the water, food, and nesting boxes in the little "stalls," and a light with timer in the coop where they roost, to keep them laying consistently through the winter. There are also 2 little (about 2'X3') chicken "house" in their yard, roofed, about 3 feet tall, that they like to nest in, as well as the places I've put nesting boxes. One of them uses the coop for a back wall, has an entrance from the coop, with an opening from the yard to collect eggs, and one sits in the yard.


I also have to use a heater for their water in the winter, which requires shelter and electricity. Or I have to take them a pan of boiling water twice a day, which will last a couple of hours each time before freezing.

They need space outside in addition to space inside. The smaller the space, the more frequent cleanup is needed, and the more likely it is that there will be some conflict between them. My 6 hens and rooster have the coop, the "stalls," and about 200 square feet of outdoor space. That's plenty, but they freerange all over the place, as well.

Hey, Muse, did you get those pics I sent you? :hi:

[MuseRider]

22. It sounds like you have quite a set up!

Thank you. We put an electrical box by the pond to run a pump for watering the garden (when we get it built). I think we can easily run an extension cord to keep things warm, light and unfrozen, at least I hope so! How do your chickens do in the winter? Since we are just building I plan on a large metal building with insulation and wood on the inside to keep it warmer in winter. The goats need that so I will do the entire thing that way. One small side will be for the roost and nesting with a door to the chicken moat and one into the larger goat shed for sharing on bad days, maybe good days too. Dunno, they may make fast friends.

I did get your pictures and have not emailed my thanks, I am so ashamed! I have been terrible lately about getting email answered and have a list of people I just have to get back to and you are there. I am so sorry. Your foal is beautiful. Long, straight legs and her conformation looks wonderful. She looks to be a good mare judging from her beautiful mother. You have wonderful stock there. BTW, your grandson is adorable, I'll bet he enjoys his time out there. Thank you for sending the pics. I am jealous. I want another baby but have no sense and do not need more horses. Maybe some day? It was fun when I had a baby around though, she is like a big puppy dog with me now. Raising them yourself makes a huge difference.

[LWolf]

32. My set up is just using what the previous residents left.

As long as you have a few that can huddle together, heat doesn't seem to be an issue. We get pretty damned cold here, with frost possible any day of the year and the winter lows average in the 20s, with lots of time in the teens and single digits, and at least a few days, or more, below zero. My sheds are built with single sheets of plywood, screened in windows, and no insulation.

It's been wired haphazardly, with a line running from the shop. The outlets work sometimes, and don't work sometimes, which is why I know about twice a day hot water. ;)

Mine do fine in the winter. They don't much like snow, and will tend to huddle under trees where the snow is thin. You probably get more snow than we do, and might want to make sure that they have larger space. When we have snow they hang out in the "stalls" and avoid going out. We don't get that much, though. 2-4 inches is common, 6 inches at least once a winter, and 12" or more every few years.

It's funny to be thinking about the snow when we're in the middle of a nasty heat wave!

I've used a heater produced specifically to heat poultry waterers; the waterer sits on it, and it's plugged in. Those work until you get into single digits. I've also used a heat wrap/tape, wrapped it around the water tank, duct-taped it into place, and plugged it in. Kind of a pain, but it works, too.

Your plan sounds fine. My mom has a setup like that for hers; the coop is separated by a wall and wire in the barn, and it opens out to his large run just like his stall does. There is a roofed overhang over the doors that leaves a little space with less snow in the winter. Important, since she gets a lot more snow than I do. Her horse plows a trail through hock to belly-deep snow in the winter, and paces the trail. She usually sends him to me for the milder winter, but the chickens stay!

I'm finally done with work for the summer; today is the first day of my summer vacation. I plan to spend a lot of time with the filly, of course. ;) She's coming along well, haltering, leading, grooming, and picking up her feet. She learns quickly, and is nicely put together. Her mom's last, and I'm really happy. She seems to have her mother's temperament. Her mom is willing to work with people, but is the absolute leader of every other living creature around her. The filly is interested in the chickens, who range in to scratch through manure, and the sheep; she squeals and bucks and chases them around. I've observed her trying to get bossy with her mom, pinning her ears, squealing, and running in front to block her path if mom is going somewhere when she wants to nurse. It doesn't work, and I've seen mom discipline her, as well, but she tries. Happily, she doesn't do that with me.

Her big sister is my current riding horse, who sometimes has to be reminded that she's a horse and not a dog. She's been free ranging on the place while the spring grass and weeds went nuts. She will open the gate to the small yard around the house and stroll under the window to check out the grass; if I'm out and about, she follows me wherever I go. I had to lock her up to harrow the arena; she wants to follow behind the truck, even though she's never been fed from a truck. Go figure. The grandboy is spending a little time on her, although she's a little too big, and her training is too limited (to what I know how to do, which isn't enough), for him to do much more than walk around and learn to stop and turn.

I realized that, if I didn't have to work or worry about money, I'd have a foal every year. They are so much fun. It's a good thing I can't; what in the world would I do with that many horses?!?

[hippywife]

13. Here are our girls.

We have six chickens and they have a pen with an enclosure inside. The whole pen is about 10 x 10 and is in a corner of our garden. They do just fine with that space. They have two nesting boxes on the side of the coop. They also put themselves to bed at night. We don't close the door to the coop anymore now that they're bigger. We have no rooster because we didn't want the noise but they get along just fine with each other, no fighting except a few fake little shows that don't last two seconds. Ours should start laying pretty soon now.

Pics from earlier this year:




I would love to let them in the garden but things are in various stages so while some things are established, others aren't. They love to scratch in the dirt and they've shown an appetite for greenery. So enter the very simple chicken tractor:



They absolutely love it! We keep the tractor parked right against the pen with a gate in each so they can go back and forth. In the morning when they see us come out, they get right in the tractor in anticipation. LOL We move the tractor to different places in the yard. They jog along eagerly inside of it as we move it and heads go down and they get busy immediately when they reach the new spot.

They really are entertaining. Hope you enjoy having them. I know we do. :hi:

[MuseRider]

23. I have been watching

your garden in the gardening forum. It is great and I love love love the picture of your dog watching the chickens. I think mine will also find them very interesting. The tractor is an idea I have been thinking of for some time but have never seen a picture. I read your post aloud to my husband (who is not terribly keen on the animals around here) and he laughed almost as hard as I did. How funny!

I am going to link to this once again because I enjoyed the story so much and I want you to see it too http://www.republicofgrass.com/Coop.html.

I am going to compile a list of strong, feminist names for "the ladies". I can't wait. Thank you for your help.

[hippywife]

26. That's a really cute story!

I enjoyed that. I've never heard the chickens snore yet but their coop is pretty enclosed. The husband is getting ready to build them a real one soon.

I haven't named ours. First it was because they are all identical in look and behaviour. I would never be able to tell them apart! LOL Second, is because the ducks came with names. I got very attached to the ducks. When the dog killed them, I cried my eyes out. I don't want to get that attached to the chickens. And I probably won't get anymore ducks because they are much easier to get attached to than the chickens.

Yesterday I was out in the garden and pulled six big fat horn worms off my potato plants (little bastids!) As I found and picked each one off, I would throw it over the fence to the chickens. They loved them! The whole time I was standing there combing over the plants looking for more, they stood there in that corner of the pen raising a ruckus for more! It was too funny! I went out this morning and didn't find anymore (thank goodness for me!) but they were sorely disappointed as they gathered for more.

I will look forward to hearing about your chicken adventures. I hope you will post about it as things develop. And I would love to hear about your goats. I would really love to have a few but we don't have a place for them right now and too many other projects that will take priority over providing one. I really want goat's milk and to make goat's cheese. Love the stuff but it's sooooo expensive in the store!

[MuseRider]

27. You may be very sorry

you asked to hear about my goats! I love them more than life itself. They are amazing little guys. Sorry, no milk but I just got them castrated the other day so a couple of does may be in my future except I have no intention of raising babies because I am too attached and they are most often used for meat. Deep breath, sorry about that last sentence, we are preparing for a party tonight and I am eating and posting in a hurry at the same time :). I understand about getting attached. One of my original goats died as a baby. It was one of the most traumatic things I have ever been through and I have been through many. I don't quite know why but it felt like I died inside. More later.

[hippywife]

33. Nah! Hit me with 'em!

I would love to hear all about your experiences with them in case I ever get to have them. :)

[MuseRider]

34. OK

No story, but a photo until I get back.



Taken this early spring before they shed out their winter coats. Oscar is the bigger goat and Felix is the fancier goat. Grazing in the brome before all the leaves came out.

They love to eat poison ivy, mostly when it is young and tender. I think we need more goats.

[hippywife]

35. How adorable!

I want! LOL

[OnionPatch]

41. Hippywife! I love your chicken tractor!

You've got a great system going there. Your chicken tractor looks nice and roomy, but lightweight. Your pictures give me some good ideas. I like how your chickens can be completely surrounded by your dog (who is very cute! He/she looks very intent on watching those chickens.)

Actually, the way we started with chickens was with a chicken tractor. It worked great for about a year. But then the local bears discovered it, and they tore the doors off and ate two hens and killed two others. :( They kept coming back at night, even with my dogs outside and me throwing rocks at them. The tractor was not strong enough to withstand bear attacks. I moved the chickens into a chain-link enclosure for night and let them roam by day. But maybe I could do like you and just put the chickens in the tractor during the day. Lots of food for thought, thanks.

[hippywife]

42. Well, there isn't too much

that can withstand a bear attack! :scared:

I'm so glad we don't that that to contend with, too. I salute you for your perseverance!

Hope you get to feeling better soon. :hug:

[Mojorabbit]

14. Mine is a ten by eight by ten

enclosure made from hardware cloth to be predator proof so they have a lot of room than they really need. It was originally built as a pre release pen for squirrels when I was rehabbing them. It has a double door so I have no escapes and I like it because I don't have to bend down when entering or cleaning it out. I tacked shade cloth around most of it cause it is hot here in Florida.

[MuseRider]

24. Thank you.

Yes it is hot in Florida! The shade cloth is a great idea and I will use that. I rehabbed a squirrel once when I worked at the zoo. He was brought in, not weaned yet. He was so cute and so much fun AND a lot of work but we ended up releasing him close to our keepers meeting area and he hung around for quite some time and then was gone, hopefully moved close to his in-laws :).

The double door sounds good too, it would make good ventilation when it is not too cold or rainy. Thanks so much.

[uppityperson]

29. 1 suggestion on breeds. IF you plan on getting new chicks next yr, or the next, get a broody type

Get a couple of some broody type as they can act as Mom's for later yr chicks. I try to keep a couple silkies in my flock for this purpose. They are little puffballs, and characters. In the late winter/spring, they often start to sit on any eggs they can find, or just sit and wait if there are no eggs. I collect the eggs and, if I'm planning on buying some more chicks, give them golf balls to sit on. After 2 weeks, I buy new chicks and, after dark, switch the golf balls with the chicks.

Fuzzy wakes up in the morning all excited because her eggs hatched, and is a Mom. She shows them what and how to eat and scratch, and keeps them warm at night, alleviating the need for a light bulb.

Racoons got into my run last yr, ate my silkies, so had to light bulb some this spring. Out of 6 I think I have only 1 rooster which is odd since usually it runs 4 males/2 hens for me.

Here is a picture of our coop, with a couple barred rock hens, and the banty Polish Minnie and Arnie the faverolle. Our coop has a sliding door, with a stop at the left and a hole with nail to hold it shut at the right. Notice the live-trap off at the left? So long as it is there, the raccoons have decided to stay away and not break in.


Polish have great "do's", white puffballs are silkies:

[bvar22]

36. We are just starting out, but our birds already do some tricks!

We had a wonderful start in March with 18 beautiful chicks,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x1437

but it turned bad really fast. The chicks caught a respiratory illness, and only 4 survived.
We fed them electrolytes, antibiotics, scrambled eggs (all vet recommended) and made sure they were plenty warm, but we lost most of them. It was heart wrenching and very guilt producing. For about a week, we were losing 2 - 3/day.

Naturally, the 4 survivors became "special", and are now pets. All of the survivors are Austrolorps, though the one pictured above is questionable. He was supposed to be a she, and he doesn't look like any of the pictures of Austrolorp Roosters I have seen, but it doesn't matter.

In the evenings, we sit out under the trees and hand feed our birds corn niblets.

They are gentle, and much smarter and individualized than we expected. They free range during the day, and return to the coop in the evening where we lock them in. We are going to add 4 - 6 Rhode Island Red hens in about a month when ours are full grown.
Our coop was designed for 18 birds, so they have plenty of room.

The cement curbing is buried 6" below ground level and surrounds the perimeter of the coop. Under the cement, welded wire extends outward for a foot to prevent anything from burrowing in. The two sides facing the woods are sheathed in steel roofing panels, as is the roof. The whole yard is surrounded by a 6' chicken wire enclosure not shown in the photo.

The Guineas in the above picture have "Flown the Coop". They roost on top of the Chicken House, and pretty much go where ever they want to go. Mostly, they patrol around the house. One of them turned out to be a GameCock, and he can be pretty nasty. The hen is very sweet. She disappears into the weeds about 10AM and lays an egg. The male is very protective, and may be headed for the dinner table if he doesn't calm down.

Good Luck with your birds.
I can't really add anything to the advice given in the posts above.

[hippywife]

37. Hey, B...

You may want to check your local library or book store for Joel Salatin's "Pasture Poultry Profits." Even if you aren't raising chickens for retail, which we aren't planning to, either, and his is a much larger scale operation, there is some really good info in there regarding the respiratory thing and just over all care. :hi:

[uppityperson]

38. Jumping chickens! We put clover through the wire and get ours to jump too. Great picts!

Those look like a fun bunch. I hate it when chicks or chickens get sick as by the time they show symptoms they are usually too sick to survive. Thanks for sharing those pictures.

[hippywife]

39. We've been feeding ours

the cobs after we're done having corn for dinner. You think you got all the corn off that cob? They beg to differ. LOL They really do love getting those.

[uppityperson]

40. Corn cobs are great fun.

You have corn? Lucky you, it's $1/ear where I am and no way will I pay that. Corn cobs give much entertainment to chickens, much more fun that spaghetti (worms!!!) or rice (fly larva!!!!) (this is what the chickens think they look like).