Recent content by Ridgerunner

  1. Ridgerunner

    Nesting Box Question

    Photos are always good. If the coop is not built yet that might be a problem. I prefer a simpler solution, train them to sleep other places. As mentioned, most will sleep as high as they can so, as long as the roosts are noticeably higher than the nests, it is not a problem. They need to...
  2. Ridgerunner

    Electrified Fence Idea

    A dry snow can give you the opposite problem. Since it is dry and covers the soil they are no longer grounded by touching the soil. Dry snow is an insulator. I've chatted with Premiere1 about other electric fencing issues, nit snow. They were friendly and helpful. Personally I prefer a...
  3. Ridgerunner

    Segregating a rooster?

    I agree to house him where they can see each other. All you are doing is trying to stop him from mating them for a while, not trying to adjust the pecking order. Have yours finished molting? Those feathers will not grow back until they fall out. If any part of the feather shaft is left...
  4. Ridgerunner

    Electrified Fence Idea

    That makes it a lot harder. You would have to set it up so the fox would touch both the ground and the hot at the same time. My thought would be to raise the height of your fence by about 40 cm (16 inches) or more using wire mesh and make that wire mesh your ground. Put the hot wire at the...
  5. Ridgerunner

    Oats with propionic acid?

    Can you contact the manufacturer and ask them. Propionic acid is used as an animal feed preservative but I don't know what concentrates are safe for what animals, what is in those oats, why they are so cheap, or if those oats are supposed to be mixed with something else before they are fed...
  6. Ridgerunner

    Can eggs hatch without being turned?

    I don't think it matters. Hens regularly leave the nest for a period but that is to eat, drink, and especially poop so they are not pooping in the nest. They are not coming off on purpose just to cool the eggs. The egg inside the shell is pretty dense, it will cool off slowly. I've had a hen...
  7. Ridgerunner

    Tempoary Barrier Fencing

    How about baby chickens, the ones we call chicks?
  8. Ridgerunner

    Egg with poop

    I had a hen that did that. Are you familiar with the plumbing where the egg and poop come out of the same vent? It's two different systems but they use the vent to exit the body. When she lays an egg a small portion of the egg-laying system sticks out a little bit to protect the egg from the...
  9. Ridgerunner

    What is Your Daily Feeding Routine?

    I'm retired so I am not restricted by a work schedule. After my breakfast I go to the coop, open the pop door, and top off any feed and water that needs it. This is usually around 9:00 AM. I leave feed and water in the coop overnight so they can eat and drink in the morning when they wake up...
  10. Ridgerunner

    Are winter chicken eggs viable to incubate

    A lot of this kind of stuff originates from the professionals that normally hatch around 1,000,000 chicks a week. They have carefully studied the entire process and take great pains to provide "ideal" storage and hatching conditions. With 1,000,000 chicks a week, even a very small advantage...
  11. Ridgerunner

    8 hens about 6months old all laying in same box (have 4) and eggs are getting dirty

    Why are they getting dirty? Is it poop, mud, or something else? If it is poop, are some sleeping in there at night or are some hanging in there during the day when they are not laying eggs? A hen should know by instinct not to poop in a nest while she is laying but not when they are just...
  12. Ridgerunner

    What went wrong? 40 viable eggs going into lockdown, only 14 hatched!

    So basically the ones that did hatch hatched about on time. That implies the temperature was about right but it is still a good idea to confirm the actual temperature. I'll link a troubleshooting guide that might help you in your eggtopsy. Common Incubation Problems: Causes and Remedies...
  13. Ridgerunner

    Red light

    Personally I do not use any lights to prolong laying but many people do for their own reasons. The pineal gland in the brain is what is affected. The light for the pineal gland comes through the head, not through the eyes. I was surprised by that. If I were to try it, a timer is the only way...
  14. Ridgerunner

    what do you all recommend?

    They don't have to have a feed labeled "Layer". What they need are all of the right nutrients. If all they eat is Layer then they will get those nutrients but if they get treats or forage for some of their food in addition to Layer they may not get them all that they need. The nutrient you...
  15. Ridgerunner

    Chook still broody after adopting

    If she has adopted those chicks it is highly unlikely she will return to her old nest and abandon them. Frankly, I'd never even think of that as a possibility. But you can certainly watch her and see what happens. When you are dealing with living animals anything can happen. When a broody...
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