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Contributing Gardener Comment by Lyn (Sydney,Aus) on May 14, 2012 at 11:09pm

So pleased I could help! My girls seem to have finally finished their moulting and their run and house no longer looks as if someone has burst a few feather pillows everywhere!
Plus they are starting to lay again, thank goodness....
My polish bantam Betty, who is Head Honcho of the ranch crows loudly when pigeons enter the run, stealing seed. The only way I was convinced she actually was a girl was when I saw the large eggs she laid and knew they could have only come from her being the largest by far of my bantams!

Comment by Alison Baker on May 14, 2012 at 10:38pm

Lyn , you were so right about the hen coming out of bieng broody, it took about 2 wks. she is over it, but has not got back to laying yet? so far no one has followed in her footsteps. had a great blue heron land and they went crazy , running and scawking louder than I have ever heard! they warned us something was amiss, probably wanted our fish, not them! LOL always learning something new about chickens!

 

Comment by ML on May 10, 2012 at 11:44am

I don't think cat's care anything about chickens. At my house,the chickens chase the cats

Contributing Gardener Comment by Lyn (Sydney,Aus) on May 9, 2012 at 5:11pm

Meri - so sad to hear of your run of bad luck with your chickens. That must be so awful for you, I have only been keeping chickens for 2 yrs but in that time suffered the loss of 2 beautiful Silkies from unknown causes and it upset me so much. 

Fortunately we are incredibly lucky here  and don't get any predators. Our cage is wired up to 6' high and then netted, more to keep the pigeons away from eating the seed and making the run their home, but also in case neighbours cat was ever brave enough to venture into our garden (but would have to get past  our 2 Border Collies first !)

Good luck with your future batch of chickens, don't give up!

Comment by Meri Lee on May 9, 2012 at 8:38am

I seem to have issues raising chickens. It seems something is always taking their lights out. I raised 6 wynnadots. Got them safely onto the living quarters with the rooster and hen. All I had left of the last batch. 2nd night in the coop one came up missing now I only have 5. It was gone, no struggle so Im thinking snake. Older hen put out 2 no shell eggs then no eggs. Went out yesterday morning and she was sitting in the coop. I thought she was laying. Came out later and Zuse was all worried when I asked him where lady hawk was and then found her dead right where she was sitting. I really want to get a good group going where I can rely on eggs but it seems I cant even rely on chickens living 

Contributing Gardener Comment by Lyn (Sydney,Aus) on May 4, 2012 at 11:05pm

Alison, my Silkies are shockers ( and well known for their broodiness). It seems each of tbe 4 Silkies has their go at being broody AND gathering all the eggs that are laid by the other girls! I just carry them out into the run, but unless their henhouse is locked they end up back in there. I have tried locking them out of the henhouse, but then the others lay their eggs either in the run or in the old dog kennel we have in there. It doesn't seem to have harmed mine
any, they are now 2 yrs old. They get out of their broodiness as quickly as they got into it! The maximum mine brood is no more than a week, then join the others back outside! Good luck with your girl!

Comment by Alison Baker on May 4, 2012 at 9:52pm

I have a hen, that is just a year and has gone broody! how do I break this ? she lets me move her to get eggs, but thats it. she isn't even sleeping on the roost with the others, just wants to sit in the nest. I read you should break the habit, but how? I put her outside and she goes right back it. any advice?

Comment by Pam Chewning on April 30, 2012 at 7:40pm

I just added to our chicken family;now we have 5 egg laying hens;5 teenagers(3 Barred Rocks,1 Leghorn,and 1 Rhode Island Red);and 6 white leghorn chicks!It's been very entertaining to have three generations at once!!The introduction to the older hens went rather smoothly.This in part I think because for good behavior,we let the five hens free range for several hours a day.Their egg production has stayed the same,five eggs a day.I am trying to rethink their sleeping arrangements.Only the big girls go up into  the coops rafters to sleep,while the youngsters stay down on the bottom.Does anyone have any ideas on how I can better manage their sleeping quarters?Thanks:)

Comment by ML on April 30, 2012 at 6:26pm

Bonnie, that storm was something.  At least we didn't have that large hail most people north of us had.  Getting more storms tomorrow they predict.  The girls seem to be getting along.  I had them all together last night in Pearl's pen.  Of course today when they could roam around, the pullets are back in their familiar surroundings.  Should be fun getting them to go in the pen tonight.

Comment by Aubrey Mayle zn5 Ohio on April 30, 2012 at 2:45pm

This what I was thinking of building and modifying so they could have access to the ground with a ramp instead having a raised area.  I found the plans in Chicken Coops by Judy Pangman. 

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