MJ's little flock

[ManueB]

Yes we can try to do our bit but meanwhile we have to eat and drink

This may be one of the least controversial thing you ever wrote

Sadly I cannot answer that question. I have no idea.

Don't be sad. I have no clue how to drive an italian car...or any car for that matter. Basic knowledge for one of us can be completely out of reach for someone else !

There's a broody poop in the run! That's two days in a row Mary's been up.

It puts my mind at rest.

Well, she seems to know very well what she is doing.
By the way, maybe you know that already, but I think they are supposed not to leave the eggs when the last days arrive. The equivalent of lockdown for an incubator. I'm sure someone can tell you when it will happen.
I didn't do things right as I took the broodies out daily when they didn't by themselves, even the last days, and it did not create any issue.

 

[fuentemoon]

No, they did not. And the fish industry points out that their study has too few samples to be conclusive. I agree with you that it takes a lot of reading to sort out the real threats from the false fears !
One point of the study was to show how the EU decided the safe amount of mercury in tuna was different (higher) from all other fishes, for no reason other than because tuna contains more mercury. To me, unless there was a specific reason for which mercury in tuna would be absorbed differently, it just doesn't make sense. The safety threshold should be the same for all fishes. Unfortunately while national safety agencies mostly do a serious job, final decisions in the EU are very influenced by lobbies. It's a vicious circle that goes both ways because NGOs counter commercial and industrial lobbies by getting into lobbying themselves.

So do mine. We use apple seeds here to make jam, for pectine. Don't people do that in the US ?


We grow alfafa. I've never seen the chickens touch it or try to eat the seeds. Indeed when we cut it it's for the neighbours rabbits. Shadrach said the chickens in Spain were happy to dig in the alfafa left overs but I'm not sure they actually ate them.
Why not germinate seeds, or lentils ?
My chickens leave the barley out of the mix I buy them. I accidentally discovered it was quick to germinate, and then they will forage it either when it is like grass, or if I let it grow they love the seed on the plant. So now I use their left over to seed small parts of their yard I cover for two weeks, and then they eat it all in two days .
I had the same experience with chia seeds. They love the plant's leaves (it's more like a shrub really).

If you want to buy something that is ready to give out I would go for alfafa sprouts meant for humans.

Mine won't touch alfalfa sprouts, but will eat the leaves and flowers grom the alfalfa bush that grew from some. They love sprouted wheat though. Only takes about a day. Soak over night, rinse and let sprout. Mine will eat them starting that first evening when they have just germinated.

 

[fuentemoon]

The last few weeks i have been buying a bag of chopped greens (usually kale) for easy chicken treats. I buy bunches of greens for all those in our household that eat them, but when a chicken is screaming at you having that bag handy is a relief. Now that the rain has returned we will have grass again and less need.

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, she seems to know very well what she is doing.

I'm sure I can trust her, but I'll probably still worry about her.

The only time I've picked her up is when she broke the Welsummer egg and I had to take a look at her and change the nest.

By the way, maybe you know that already, but I think they are supposed not to leave the eggs when the last days arrive. The equivalent of lockdown for an incubator. I'm sure someone can tell you when it will happen.

I do know about lockdown and have already put water and chick food in the nesting compartment of the maternity coop so Mary could learn about it in case she needs to show it to chicks. She's been eating it herself the last couple of days. I don't think it's a problem for her to eat chick crumbles for a week or so, especially as she knows she can get up and eat proper food if she wants to.

After work on Thursday I braced the new ramp and it's much sturdier now. Today's project relies on my brother's jigsaw. I'm going to ask him to reduce the edge of the coop sliding door by a smidge so it can be eased onto its runners. I left it off on purpose, but with the wide ramp, I'd prefer to close off the pop door to the roosting compartment. I could simply use screws to attach the pop door in a permanent way, but I'd prefer being able to slide it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mine won't touch alfalfa sprouts, but will eat the leaves and flowers grom the alfalfa bush that grew from some. They love sprouted wheat though. Only takes about a day. Soak over night, rinse and let sprout. Mine will eat them starting that first evening when they have just germinated.

Yes. That is what I do. They love it.

 

[Shadrach]

I do know about lockdown and have already put water and chick food in the nesting compartment of the maternity coop so Mary could learn about it in case she needs to show it to chicks. She's been eating it herself the last couple of days. I don't think it's a problem for her to eat chick crumbles for a week or so, especially as she knows she can get up and eat proper food if she wants to.

I don't do this. I have tried it and had a few problems.
Feeding at the nest proved to discourage some hens from getting off thier nest. Not too much of a problem if one can monitor the state of the nest and hen a couple of times a day. I prefer to get the hens used to the idea that if they want food they need to wake up and leave the coop. I find the broody trance a bit scary and I've had a couple of hens lock into the trance and just not leave the nest. By the time the chicks hatch the hens legs have become weaker/cramp/strain. A continuous sit is okay for the first couple to three days but after that I want them off the nest daily.
There are possible digestive problems for a chicken that eats sitting down.
Mostly though I don't want anything in the nest that will attract other hens to the nest and more importantly ants, rats, mice and other parasites that may take advantage of any spilled feed.

I wait until after the first chicks have hatched and then put food in the nest. Having water at the nest throughout the sit isn't so much of a problem and even help the hen with maintaining humidty.

 

[MaryJanet]

I don't do this. I have tried it and had a few problems.
Feeding at the nest proved to discourage some hens from getting off thier nest. Not too much of a problem if one can monitor the state of the nest and hen a couple of times a day.

I'm not sure why, but Mary has not been as reliable at getting up throughout the last few weeks. Maybe it's her age? Maybe it's the presence of eggs? In all her previous broody phases, she'd get up daily. Not this time.

My main reason for putting the crumble near her was so she could see it and taste it before she has to show it to chicks. A second reason was that I thought it might be a good idea for her to have snacks at hand, seeing as she wasn't getting up daily.

I prefer to get the hens used to the idea that if they want food they need to wake up and leave the coop. I find the broody trance a bit scary and I've had a couple of hens lock into the trance and just not leave the nest.

This is the first time I've ever placed food near a sitting hen. If she were getting up daily, I probably still would have put it down for her to see and think about, mainly because she's an older mum.

By the time the chicks hatch the hens legs have become weaker/cramp/strain. A continuous sit is okay for the first couple to three days but after that I want them off the nest daily.
There are possible digestive problems for a chicken that eats sitting down.
Mostly though I don't want anything in the nest that will attract other hens to the nest and more importantly ants, rats, mice and other parasites that may take advantage of any spilled feed.

I'm not worried about bugs because, after Mary carried so many ants to her vet appointment and I found so many ants in the ground-based nest, I sprayed the new coop with surface spray. I haven't seen a bug or ant anywhere near it. Nor have I seen any evidence of rats or mice. A few hours ago, my brother cut a little off the edge of the sliding pop door, so I should be able to ease it onto its tracks and slide it shut at night time from tonight, which will provide a little more protection against rodents.

I wait until after the first chicks have hatched and then put food in the nest.

I recall you shared this piece of info a few years ago when I was trying the first hatch.

Having water at the nest throughout the sit isn't so much of a problem and even help the hen with maintaining humidty.

That's good to know.

Now that Mary knows what the feeder is, I can take it away again until there's a chick to eat from it.

 

[MaryJanet]

The last few weeks i have been buying a bag of chopped greens (usually kale) for easy chicken treats. I buy bunches of greens for all those in our household that eat them, but when a chicken is screaming at you having that bag handy is a relief. Now that the rain has returned we will have grass again and less need.

Sounds like a good option!

 

[BY Bob]

Here's a quick construction update for you MJ because I know you like to see these projects. I think I have the drop door solution figured out.

Here is the rotted door.

I'm going to use 2x2 to build a door inside the coop frame and cover it with hardware cloth.

I have the 2x2s cut.

The side door on the extension is built that way.

But I'm out of hardware cloth. Off to tractor supply I am.

I'm going to get some high protein all flock pellets anyway and start the move away from chick food.

 

[MaryJanet]

Here's a quick construction update for you MJ because I know you like to see these projects. I think I have the drop door solution figured out.

Here is the rotted door.

View attachment 3978974View attachment 3978975

I'm going to use 2x2 to build a door inside the coop frame and cover it with hardware cloth.

I have the 2x2s cut.

View attachment 3978973

The side door on the extension is built that way.

View attachment 3978977

But I'm out of hardware cloth. Off to tractor supply I am.

I'm going to get some high protein all flock pellets anyway and start the move away from chick food.

I do appreciate coop improvements!

The door within the frame seems like a good way to go. It seems like it would hold less damp. Is that right?