What did you do with your flock today?

[Dough Hill]

Looking good! Love the deep shade and ventilation at the top. I'm in a hot hot area so a fully enclosed coop isn't something I've ever had. They look so pretty though

Faith is gorgeous

Looks like your doing a good job of fixing your flood zone. Lot of work!

Think too much veggies can be an issue with hens unless you free choice oyster shell too. There's a lot of calcium rich veggies like kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts etc too.

Aw...she sounds special.

Yes she is. One evening I accidentally left the Barn door open after getting the eggs and checking on them I was still outside and she came up to me I knew something was wrong because they never get out I went back to the Barn and the door was open she followed me around as I got the others back in. If she didn’t come up to me the door would have been open all night and who knows what would have happened she is one of the best.

 

[Shetland lover]

I wouldn’t even know where to find them anymore. We have been lucky to find some though is some sewing stuff at auctions.

That's a great idea! There's a lot of sewing job lots on EBay. Means I'll probably end up buying a load of stuff I don't need to get the bobbins.

 

[Shetland lover]

And the 10% treat thing? My thought is it wouldn't apply to greens. They have nearly zero calories, but lots of nutrients, which is good. I think leafy greens could be pretty much free choice all the time, and they'd still eat plenty of "real" feed to meet their caloric needs.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

I really don't hold with the 10% treat thing, unless your goal is maximum egg production. I think greens ARE included, unless your birds are free-range, as a pellet diet is supposed to be completely balanced (I'm probably wrong though).
Mine have free choice greens. I don't feed pellets as mine would rather starve than eat them. I can't get a completely pellet free food, just a grain and pellet mix. I further dilute that with another grain mix and just hope they do eat a few of the remaining pellets. I use a vitamin and mineral supplement - which they all go mental for - a couple of times a week and also add herbs and spices to their food. Free choice grit and oyster shell too. I ensure any treats are healthy or healthier choice and often protein rich, like live mealworms or homemade live yoghurt.
Unless I'm not home, I prepare a 'lunch' for them at least 3 days a week, there's never a scrap of that left!

I realise this won't work for a lot of people but it does for my flock and I. I'm lucky as I only have 6 mouths to feed and lots of 'free' vegetables and fruit from our allotment and the capacity to freeze it for winter use.
I'm getting 4 eggs a day from my 4 hens (sometimes more!) and both boys a proving fertile so something must be going right.

 

[Shetland lover]

Yes she is. One evening I accidentally left the Barn door open after getting the eggs and checking on them I was still outside and she came up to me I knew something was wrong because they never get out I went back to the Barn and the door was open she followed me around as I got the others back in. If she didn’t come up to me the door would have been open all night and who knows what would have happened she is one of the best.

Some chickens just 'know' how to tell you something is wrong. My little bantam Cochin roo, Ferdy, is always letting me know if something's amiss and if I haven't been out to see them for more than 2 hours or provided a suitable amount of treats (our ideas are quite different on this!) for his ladies or had enough snuggles or ....

As you might have guessed, mine are purely pets with benefits and thoroughly spoilt.

 

[Dough Hill]

As you might have guessed, mine are purely pets with benefits and thoroughly spoilt.

There’s nothing wrong with that looks like I’ve got a Pet Chicken now. I know a Roo will let you know something not right for sure.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Pru, Gladys and, at times, Clara all stress breathe when they're picked up or if you do something they particularly don't like, too. Have you tried wrapping the pill in a small piece of bread or other favourite treat? I put antibiotics in half a grape if I have to give Gladys any. She's so interested in getting the grape in her crop, she doesn't even notice the pill.
Has she laid any more soft shells?

I crushed the pill up and fed it to her in scrambled eggs...I've forced half pill in. It doesn’t seem to help. Every few weeks she goes through a phase of soft shell eggs it seems.

I REALLY like my run doors to swing in. It helps to control the chooks from pouring out as you walk in. Looking forward to the photos. Coop builds are awesome!

I currently have a door that swings out...hate it cuz they charge the door every time I go down there and can easily escape if I'm not super careful. Really regret ever letting them free out in the yard for several reasons. So I'd recommend opening IN for that reason.

Lizzy must have a death wish! So the courtyard area is still not quite finished nor the side coop. So much going on constantly. But i did a "make do" kind of setup so they could atleast get out for a little bit when I'm out there.
Don't ya know there was a thin string that got loosened from the brand new shade cloth and somehow Lizzy managed to get hung in it and some stupid Bermuda grass that will be the death of me - hate that stuff!
So they were all on the porch for bedtime except Lizzy and 2 buffs but I'm used to having to literally tucked the buffs in.
Once I got over in the courtyard I saw her stretched out breathing really heavy all tied up in the string and grass and Hank (buff silkie roo) laying right beside her. I was super proud of him for staying with her!!! I got her untangled and she limped back to the run and coop.
Thankfully she isn't limping now!!!
Sure wish I could get all of that finished asap!

 

[ChicksnMore]

I crushed the pill up and fed it to her in scrambled eggs...I've forced half pill in. It doesn’t seem to help. Every few weeks she goes through a phase of soft shell eggs it seems.

I currently have a door that swings out...hate it cuz they charge the door every time I go down there and can easily escape if I'm not super careful. Really regret ever letting them free out in the yard for several reasons. So I'd recommend opening IN for that reason.

Lizzy must have a death wish! So the courtyard area is still not quite finished nor the side coop. So much going on constantly. But i did a "make do" kind of setup so they could atleast get out for a little bit when I'm out there.
Don't ya know there was a thin string that got loosened from the brand new shade cloth and somehow Lizzy managed to get hung in it and some stupid Bermuda grass that will be the death of me - hate that stuff!
So they were all on the porch for bedtime except Lizzy and 2 buffs but I'm used to having to literally tucked the buffs in.
Once I got over in the courtyard I saw her stretched out breathing really heavy all tied up in the string and grass and Hank (buff silkie roo) laying right beside her. I was super proud of him for staying with her!!! I got her untangled and she limped back to the run and coop.
Thankfully she isn't limping now!!!
Sure wish I could get all of that finished asap!

Poor Lizzy! I know too much calcium is bad too...just don't know how much is too much for a chicken. Don't think too much can cause softshell though...if I understand right, too much causes calcium bumps on the shell. I'm not use to dealing with softshells so don't know much about it.
Glad you found her in time! Good of Hank to stay with her. I hear you on having projects run long because you need help. Hope you can talk someone there into giving you a hand. But I'm sure you'll get it done even if you do it solo.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Poor Lizzy! I know too much calcium is bad too...just don't know how much is too much for a chicken. Don't think too much can cause softshell though...if I understand right, too much causes calcium bumps on the shell. I'm not use to dealing with softshells so don't know much about it.
Glad you found her in time! Good of Hank to stay with her. I hear you on having projects run long because you need help. Hope you can talk someone there into giving you a hand. But I'm sure you'll get it done even if you do it solo.

Well that's the thing...when she and Daisy first started layin they both had calcium deposits on their eggs...
Then pretty sure they both do the shell-less eggs. Daisy stays broody more often so she lays less often anyways.

 

[BlueBaby]

That's a great idea! There's a lot of sewing job lots on EBay. Means I'll probably end up buying a load of stuff I don't need to get the bobbins.

Try here:
https://www.amazon.com/metal-bobbins/s?k=metal+bobbins

 

[kurby22]

Betty sounds like a hoot

She IS, I enjoy her so much haha. My other silkies are silly ding heads that I love for that reason, but Betty is extra and I love her.