farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
Are we talking girls or chickens here? The swing thing is throwing me off
chicken coupe ideas? (sorry don't know where to post this)
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farmerfischer
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~{;BฯΩ}
ROOSTERMAN
Well-Known Member
Try puting one of your calmer hens on it so they know what it is ?
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
Some chickens are just smarter. In my flock the New Hampshire reds have always been the sneakiest and the smartest. (I perfer dumb chickens actually but if they were all dumb it would be a flock of turkey). Try your smartest one by itself.
farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
I'm directing this question your way .. What your thoughts on using heated perches / have u used them? or are they a waste of money??
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
No clue but if I worked for the electric company I would say go for it. I think I am on record for saying that heat for feathered dinosaurs is a waste of money though, but I am a cheap bastard. My chickens still love me.....at least the hens do.
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farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
Honesty!!! Love that shit!! Appreciate the input.. That's a good view of the birds ( dinosaur) your right on the money.. That's how I'm going to view them now..lol.
Ok cheap bastard..lmao. I'm trying to make the coupe as comfortable for the dinosaurs this winter and money I don't have to waste.. So I'm looking for cheap alternatives..you seem to have the knowledge.. I'm planning on more birds 20 to 30 more.. I'm all ears or eyes which ever
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
I would recommend old insulation (Used mouse shit infested stuff is fine. and probably could be scored by a local contractor with a weeks notice.) in your walls to stop drafts. You don't have to go nuts with it, but definitely on the windy side of the coop.
farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
What are you covering the insulation with on the inside of the coupe
O.s.b.? Plywood? Contractors Plastic..? I'm a cheap bastard as well and I'm not wanting my chickens to peck at or eat the insulation.. ( my birds are so dumb the should have helmets on) well my bantam is kind of smart
O.s.b.? Plywood? Contractors Plastic..? I'm a cheap bastard as well and I'm not wanting my chickens to peck at or eat the insulation.. ( my birds are so dumb the should have helmets on) well my bantam is kind of smart
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
I would try to use osb or plywood but other things will work. (We are talking inside wall) People throw away scrap all the time that is fine for chicken coops, just avoid anything that is more work than its worth (ie. wet warped wood). Also avoid Styrofoam.
farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
Candled the eggs last night. So far four of the seven have embryos in'm. Not sure about the others. Their shells ate quite thick.. And sorry no pics.. The plan is to candle them again in ten days
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
The middle egg warmer being too hot give you problems yet?
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
Dont know why I didnt mention using straw or hay as temporary insulation on cold nights. Quite flammable but it works to stop drafts.
farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
I rotate the eggs three times a day
But yeah if left unchecked the middle egg would probably some what cook..
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
FYI- UXO rotten eggs can lodge shrapnel into you. Close your mouth quick if it blows..Makes rotten comfrey seem appealing.....I have all colored eggs though and some colors are near impossible to candle. I found that the 7 egg incubator is really a six but it sounds like you are johnny on the spot flipping.
Hens are the best (and my only) incubators now. They wont this time of year though.
Hens are the best (and my only) incubators now. They wont this time of year though.
farmerfischer
Well-Known Member
The astrolorp is a great layer. And I discovered that my Amerucana is in fact an Isa Brown.. Townline farms is the producer of these chickens but some how got cross labeled at the tractor supply store.. They both will sit on them but not long though. Are bantam though, she would make a got mom
Jimmyjonestoo
Well-Known Member
So another question for you and @whitebb2727 . We don't refrigerate our eggs since I've heard it's unnecessary unless you wash off the protective coating that's naturally there. That said, the eggs i brought in today were very cold. High of 24 degrees today. Seems to me that since they were so cold, bringing them to room temp would cause spoil. Correct? So basically I'm asking if these winter eggs should be refrigerated since they are already cold when collected. Which actually leads to another question. Shouldn't laying slow down with less daylight? I'm still getting one a day per hen average. They were hatched this spring so young hens.
NaturalFarmer
Well-Known Member
@Jimmyjonestoo What part of the country do you live? The eggs will freeze when it gets really cold and most of the hens will lay in the later morning once it warms some, so you have to get them before they crack (at like 10 degrees). Even on the coldest days, I have a few hours to get them. I am surprised that you are getting an egg per hen a day. Are you supplying light? I am in Maine and our hens will slow to a crawl without giving any light this time of year. I like to use a battery powered lantern. I charge it up, put it in at night with water and food and it dies a few hours later....recharge the next day.
Jimmyjonestoo
Well-Known Member
I'm in ohio. Not providing any extra light. The church next door keeps the parking lot lit but the closest light is probably 75 ft from the coop. I usually leave for work before the sun comes up and the hens haven't layed yet so by the time i get home they will be cold. Today was the first day od really cold weather. I too am surprised they are still laying.
whitebb2727
Well-Known Member
They will slow unless you give them a light at night for a few hours and or feed them laying mix.
I don't refrigerate my winter eggs.
When in doubt put an egg in a bowl and fill with water. If the egg floats it is bad. If it stands on one end it is on the verge.