Recent content by Ridgerunner

  1. Ridgerunner

    Power outage, what to expect? Help please.

    The power outages I've experienced have been from broody hens going back to the wrong nest. I don't know how long they were off but sometimes the eggs were ice cold to the touch when I found them. I put the hens back on their nest and let them carry on. I did not see any other options unless...
  2. Ridgerunner

    Buthering First "Rooster"

    This is a link to the sticky section of the meat bird section of this forum. You will find a lot of informative threads of different methods, some including photos. I suggest you browse through this and see what you can pick up. If you have any specific questions just ask...
  3. Ridgerunner

    Shipped Chick Poll

    I've had three different shipments of day old chicken chicks, each from a different hatchery, totaling around 75 chicks. I have had zero deaths and zero illnesses other than two or three chicks having pasty butt, all of those from the same shipment.
  4. Ridgerunner

    How long do you keep hens confined for teaching them a new place to roost?

    Whatever the exact topic, whenever you start a question like this the answer is "I don't know". You do not get any guarantees with chickens and their behaviors. I don't know how ling it would take. But I'll make a suggestion. Every night, after dark and they are easy to catch, go out there...
  5. Ridgerunner

    Integration Roadblock and Questions

    The way I do this when the chicks are in a separate coop/run is to allow the older ones and the chicks to see each other for a week or two across wire, then open the gate between the littles and bigs. See what happens. They tend to return to their own coop to sleep at night. After they have...
  6. Ridgerunner

    Pullets wont roost

    Are they sleeping somewhere predator safe? If they are in danger you need to do something. Most of my brooder raised chicks start roosting at around 10 to 12 weeks of age. This is in a coop away from the adults, the adults can bully them off of the roosts if they are around. I've had some...
  7. Ridgerunner

    How many more hens can fit in this coop?

    Yes, we generally manage then differently. Not only do the commercial operations typically de-beak their chickens so they can't eat each other, they chickens they use are bred to be docile, to take confinement well. There are other differences between the commercial operations and us. We both...
  8. Ridgerunner

    Dust bath

    That looks plenty big enough for two large hens. You should have enough room for a kitty litter bin and they are not that expensive.
  9. Ridgerunner

    Dust bath

    What do your facilities look like? What are you using to move them around? Knowing what you are working with might give us some ideas as to what would work for you.
  10. Ridgerunner

    Integration Roadblock and Questions

    May I make a suggestion. Turn that chair upside down. When they perch on it they will poop. If it is normally upside down, when you want to sit in it just flip it and you should have a clean seat.
  11. Ridgerunner

    How many more hens can fit in this coop?

    A 25 sq ft coop means something like a 5 ft x 5 ft coop. That looks a lot larger. Are you sure of the measurements? If it truly is that small then you are maxed out. I would not try to add any more.
  12. Ridgerunner

    Mixing polish with others

    Some questions have no clear answers. Some people add polish to flocks of other breeds with no problems. Some have problems adding Ameraucana to Ameraucana or any other breed. You do not get guarantees with living animals and their behaviors. I have no idea how much total space you have in...
  13. Ridgerunner

    Brooding Bantams refresher!

    From a quick search a 106 quart tote is around 45 cm (18 in) x 86 cm (34 in). I'll use those dimensions. Instead of blindly converting square feet into chicks (using rules of thumb), I'll try to go by what I've seen. Most rules of thumb don't consider age anyway. I have never raised bantams...
  14. Ridgerunner

    Opinions please

    So should be about the same size as BR and RIR and lay a lot of fairly large eggs.
  15. Ridgerunner

    Opinions please

    Which type of Black Sex link are you considering and how do they fit with your goals? A BLS is a chick whose mother is barred, whose father is not barred, and you can tell by down color at hatch whether it has the spot on the head that signifies it is a male. Some BSL offered by the...
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