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Google
Chicken Update
+8
llama momma
Nicola
Triciasgarden
sanderson
boffer
camprn
CapeCoddess
bnoles
12 posters
Page 1 of 1
Chicken Update
Thought I would do a quick chicken update.
April 20, 2013
Today July 10, 2013
What a difference a couple of months make. They are a little over 20 weeks old now. There will be organic eggs in the coop soon and not too far down the road I am going to rob some of that bedding for my compost pile.
April 20, 2013
Today July 10, 2013
What a difference a couple of months make. They are a little over 20 weeks old now. There will be organic eggs in the coop soon and not too far down the road I am going to rob some of that bedding for my compost pile.
bnoles- Posts : 804
Join date : 2012-08-16
Location : North GA Mountains Zone 7A
Re: Chicken Update
Wow! I want chickens.... Yours are so beautiful! Thanks for showing both photos. Did anyone name them?
CC
CC
CapeCoddess- Posts : 6824
Join date : 2012-05-20
Age : 68
Location : elbow of the Cape, MA, Zone 6b/7a
Re: Chicken Update
20 weeks doesn't seem that long, does it? They grow so fast.
I worked for the Hubbard brothers when they were all in their 90s and heard many poultry tales, but the favorite chicken tale they told was one about how, over the years, they bred their broiler chicken to the bird it is today; hatch to slaughter, 9 weeks. I think it's fewer weeks to maturity now.
Hubbard chicken
I worked for the Hubbard brothers when they were all in their 90s and heard many poultry tales, but the favorite chicken tale they told was one about how, over the years, they bred their broiler chicken to the bird it is today; hatch to slaughter, 9 weeks. I think it's fewer weeks to maturity now.
Hubbard chicken
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Chicken Update
Bnoles, Do you have any photos of the chicken house that show how it is designed? It looks roomy and clean. Where is the waterer? Thanks, sanderson
Re: Chicken Update
They are sure growing up! Boffer I agree, they do look like gangling teenagers, lol.
Soon you will get eggs! You will so love them!
Sanderson what I did for food and water containers for my chickens was I used five gallon food grade buckets with lids (white ones). I had read where some people used a tool on their drill that could cut round holes so the chickens could stick their heads in and drink or eat. I only had a rotary tool and made a long horizontal oval shape about 6-8 inches from the bottom of the container. They hold a lot of water and food and are easy to clean out. The chickens do like to hop on the top of the lids and poo on it so if it is possible it would be better to locate the containers under some sort of shelf.
Soon you will get eggs! You will so love them!
Sanderson what I did for food and water containers for my chickens was I used five gallon food grade buckets with lids (white ones). I had read where some people used a tool on their drill that could cut round holes so the chickens could stick their heads in and drink or eat. I only had a rotary tool and made a long horizontal oval shape about 6-8 inches from the bottom of the container. They hold a lot of water and food and are easy to clean out. The chickens do like to hop on the top of the lids and poo on it so if it is possible it would be better to locate the containers under some sort of shelf.
Triciasgarden- Posts : 1634
Join date : 2010-06-04
Age : 69
Location : Northern Utah
Re: Chicken Update
lol I've been eyeing Bob's feeder and wondering if it's something I might try. I have a store bought feeder and refill it at least every other day.
It looks like the pipe feeder would hold a lot more feed, and I could fill it from outside the run. My only reservation is how damp the feed might get during our rainy months.
It looks like the pipe feeder would hold a lot more feed, and I could fill it from outside the run. My only reservation is how damp the feed might get during our rainy months.
Re: Chicken Update
They are soooo cute. I could look at chicks and pullets "all day long." Do they do the running chest-bump thing I've seen my older chicks/younger pullets do? That's when they really look like the teenagers Boffer alluded to; while trying to establish who is bigger and tougher, I suppose.
Nicola- Posts : 220
Join date : 2010-05-19
Location : Central CT Zone 6a
Re: Chicken Update
WOW! Thanks for all the comments on my chickens and set up while I was away in the kitchen canning some veggies.
sanderson: do a forum search on chickens and you will find several posts I have made showing pictures of my coop. I feel that I have a really secure and excellent for my purposes. The waterer is a 5 gallon bucket with lid and covered with foil insulation on the outside of the run with pvc pipe coming in with 2 nipples for them to drink from. It has worked out absolutely perfect and I only have to fill it about every 7-10 days.
Nicola: I love watching them challenge each other and spar for "queen of the roost".
boffer: The feeder works very well, It is 4 inch PVC and I only have to fill it once a week for 3 hens. I am considering re-working it to the outside of the run as you mentioned which will prevent me from having to go in the coop and run. Also, I may cover the horizontal opening over and leaving just the elbow end opening which will prevent more spillage. I only did the extra cut while they were little as I was afraid they would try to climb inside the end of the pipe if it ran empty and get stuck.
camprn: such a beautiful bird, to bad for such a short life span.
CC: No names, I am afraid to get too attached to them if something goes wrong. We just go out and call "here chicky chicky"
sanderson: do a forum search on chickens and you will find several posts I have made showing pictures of my coop. I feel that I have a really secure and excellent for my purposes. The waterer is a 5 gallon bucket with lid and covered with foil insulation on the outside of the run with pvc pipe coming in with 2 nipples for them to drink from. It has worked out absolutely perfect and I only have to fill it about every 7-10 days.
Nicola: I love watching them challenge each other and spar for "queen of the roost".
boffer: The feeder works very well, It is 4 inch PVC and I only have to fill it once a week for 3 hens. I am considering re-working it to the outside of the run as you mentioned which will prevent me from having to go in the coop and run. Also, I may cover the horizontal opening over and leaving just the elbow end opening which will prevent more spillage. I only did the extra cut while they were little as I was afraid they would try to climb inside the end of the pipe if it ran empty and get stuck.
camprn: such a beautiful bird, to bad for such a short life span.
CC: No names, I am afraid to get too attached to them if something goes wrong. We just go out and call "here chicky chicky"
bnoles- Posts : 804
Join date : 2012-08-16
Location : North GA Mountains Zone 7A
Re: Chicken Update
Oh Bob, they are adorable and look so good and healthy. Seems like everything you 'touch' turns to gold including your little feather-heads. Very cute!
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 4921
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: Chicken Update
They are so adorable!
GG
GG
Goosegirl- Posts : 3435
Join date : 2011-02-16
Age : 59
Location : Zone 4A - NE SD
Re: Chicken Update
Bob, your chickens and coop look great!
I am my gardens worst enemy.
RoOsTeR- Posts : 4316
Join date : 2011-10-04
Location : Colorado Front Range
Re: Chicken Update
Thanks again folks.... I am quite proud of my ladies and looking forward to many good returns on my efforts.
bnoles- Posts : 804
Join date : 2012-08-16
Location : North GA Mountains Zone 7A
Re: Chicken Update
Looked at your other site. Very nice house. I'm keeping the photo in my collection of ideas. One never knows.
Re: Chicken Update
Letting the chickens roam in the yard is a good thing. They will not only add fertilizer everywhere they leave droppings, they eat tons of bugs.They will eat anything they can reach in the garden, so be careful of anything they can access. I suggest placing food and water containers outside the chicken coop. That design worked on the family farm so many years ago.
Cleaning out droppings, soiled sawdust (or other absorbing material) on floor, replacing hay in nests (hen's egg-laying spot), and other daily activities require walk-in access if the coop is large. Predators like the snake, owl, hawk, fox, cat, wolf, etc will try to get access to eggs and chicks and sometimes adults. Our chickens' wings were clipped regularly, so extra care to make the coop safe was pivotal.
Hens produced 1-2 eggs daily at full production cycle. We had mostly brown eggs, which tasted soo good. I sold 5-6 dozen eggs per week to neighbors.
Cleaning out droppings, soiled sawdust (or other absorbing material) on floor, replacing hay in nests (hen's egg-laying spot), and other daily activities require walk-in access if the coop is large. Predators like the snake, owl, hawk, fox, cat, wolf, etc will try to get access to eggs and chicks and sometimes adults. Our chickens' wings were clipped regularly, so extra care to make the coop safe was pivotal.
Hens produced 1-2 eggs daily at full production cycle. We had mostly brown eggs, which tasted soo good. I sold 5-6 dozen eggs per week to neighbors.
batmap- Posts : 70
Join date : 2013-06-27
Age : 54
Location : Texas
Re: Chicken Update
Your chickies look great! I think we got chicks about the same time and should be expecting eggs about the same look forward to more progress reports!
cheyannarach- Posts : 2037
Join date : 2012-03-21
Location : Custer, SD
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