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Thank you all for your suggestions and insights. My original post wasn’t really ever a true question but more of a rhetorical statement. Certainly didn’t expect all the attention it received but as always I am thankful for the encouragement and support of the BYC community.

i know butchering my roosters and nonlaying hens is the practical choice but that doesn't make it any easier. I keep thinking that perhaps she will start to lay again in the spring, but spring comes and she doesn't. Then just when I decide she must go I find she has laid an egg. One...

You don't say where you live, but if you need a source for adult hens you could check your local Craigslist or similar listing service. You can also check with your animal control or shelter - many times rural areas have chickens that were rescued from deplorable conditions. You could also...

It's been ten days and all 3 doors continue to open and close at the appropriate times. So, Yeah! I still go out to check on everyone in the morning and evening but I don't have to rush. I've noticed that even the youngest chicks are managing to be inside before the doors close since I have...

To give a perspective of how far apart everything is located I have a picture of the 3'x4' Silkie Coop and 5'x10' main coop from when I was building the grow out coop. I also have one of the 4'x4' grow out coop in its current location while I was building it. The entire pen is 25'x30'.

Okay. Finally a sunny day yesterday. I will try to post the wiring pictures. If anyone has specific questions about what I did I'm happy to answer. I'm not solar savvy or electrically experienced but I can explain what I did. All 3 coops have Add A Motor openers, 16 gauge wiring.

Okay thanks. So far the charge light flickers at times and goes out. But the load light continues to glow green. All three battery lights are red at present. We haven't had much sun recently and my panel isn't propped up properly yet. I just have it tilted slightly to the south and laying...

That's adorable! Here's a pic of my 4'x4' grow out coop I just finished wiring for solar powered auto door. It would be fine for that number of chicks if they were banties or chick size instead of large fowl pullets, so maybe hold onto it for a grow out pen or rooster only pen. It would...

If we ever get a noncloudy day again I will take pictures of the wiring as well. I did have to learn how to strip and crimp wires because I've never done that before. I also cut the AC/DC power supplies that came with my Add-a-motor auto door openers to use the female connector ends. The only...

Yes. It's the older version of that American Hunter timer. That is the timer they sent me when I ordered a replacement timer and I have it on stand by should I need it. It would work the same as the timer I am using. All three doors closed tonight again, the battery shows two LEDs red so...

Lol. I'm new to all the solar and electric stuff too. It's taken a big leap for me to learn it because it involves math and I usually glaze over on that stuff. The timer is an American Hunter digital 12volt (it's the white box in my pictures) I got a few years ago when I bought the first...

Okay. All three doors are attached to the solar circuit and I tested the close and open sequence. After they opened again I noticed the 3rd battery light went off. But shortly afterwards I noticed it was red again. Tonight and tomorrow morning will be the true test since it's been overcast...

In my experience molting can happen any time. I've had girls molt in the summer too. Pinking usually happens to my girls when egg production is about to drop and they are either going to molt or go broody. Are they perhaps hanging out in the nest boxes longer or trying to hide eggs?

My broody hens sleep at night too. So I would say, no you don't have to turn them at night. :)

Welcome! Your coop looks like it will be a good size to start raising some chicks. I never thought I'd enjoy the taste of fresh eggs over store bought so much, but I do. And watching the antics of the chicks can be a blast. We started with hatching White Leghorn eggs as a homeschool...

Thank you for your help. I think the little solar setup I have will power all three automatic door openers for daily opening and closing. I'm hoping to have it operational tomorrow. It finally got warm enough outside to mess with repairing the third door and I managed to convince my DH to...

Okay thanks. It has worked fine for both coop doors. Tomorrow I plan to work on the third door once the kids leave for school. It's been overcast pretty much since I put it out there. This morning the battery showed two leds lit, but last night there were three. The charge light has gone...

Last night all three battery leds were red. This morning the doors opened fine at 6am and when I checked on things at 6:15am I noticed that only two leds were red. I do have a battery charger. I used it to charge the battery overnight before hooking everything up.

Hahaha. I know the feeling. I wasn't sure if I wanted to save the first egg my White Leghorn laid or eat it. Eventually I decided to crack it open into a bowl and then I scrambled it. Absolutely yummy! Now I can't eat store bought eggs - there's no going back.