MtViking- A little piece of paradise.

[MtViking]

Mr. @MtViking,

Refresh my senile memory -- did you get a lot of snow this year or was there only a little?

We didn’t get hardly any compared to a normal winter. I guess we got quite a bit up in the mountains. The snow pack is reporting normal anyways. I don’t know if I believe that report. We will see what happens this summer.

 

[MtViking]

We got our chickens and the coop already to go! We got straight run of some rare breeds I can’t remember what we got the wife knows all about the chickens and she got some maran hens too. We lost four marans in the first two days unfortunately. But she was quick to order more birds. Our goal was six layers and I think at last count we will have around 25 birds if all of the next shipment survives!! The first group is about ready for the chicken coop and the next shipment can be put in the brooder until they are big enough to be introduced to the flock. Next on the adventure is either goats or pigs. I haven’t decided on which ones yet, your opinions are welcome and what you think we should get next.

 

[MtViking]

 

[MtViking]

Nesting boxes

 

[Bruce]

I have a suggestion - unless it is an optical illusion that makes them look high lower those nest boxes A LOT or the birds will be sleeping in them. They will sleep at the highest point they can access. I'd put the lower part 18" off the ground, that keeps the floor space open for the birds' use.

 

[MtViking]

I have a suggestion - unless it is an optical illusion that makes them look high lower those nest boxes A LOT or the birds will be sleeping in them. They will sleep at the highest point they can access. I'd put the lower part 18" off the ground, that keeps the floor space open for the birds' use.

The lowest part is about 22inches off the ground. I built them into the wall so lowering them at this point would not be an easy task so hopefully they will work the way they are . My wife did make curtains for each cubicle too maybe that will deter them from using them as a hotel. I also added about 6 inches of wood shavings and straw so they aren’t quite as tall of the ground as from the concrete. They’re a pretty permanent structure of the shed at this point lol. I was putting them at a good height for my wife to beable to collect the eggs easy. She has sever arthritis so the less bending down the better for her.

 

[Bruce]

My DW has RA, similar issues. I've noticed the ground has moved farther away from my hands as I've gotten older Arthritis does that to people even before they get older! As far as collecting the eggs, could you make an access panel on the outside of the coop so she could collect without going in the coop? Less chicken poop in the ground outside

How high is that lower roost off the floor and how far below the upper one? It seems like the lower one is lower than the higher nest box. Also it looks like the 2 "dimensional lumber" roosts are directly over each other, is that the case? If so you might have some birds getting an undesired "gift" from the ones above every night. Maybe you could move it forward a foot and up some so it is a bit higher than the top nest box level?

One thing I've noticed is that ALL of my chickens have always gone as high as they could get. I have an 8' roost at 2' off the ground and in 8 years not one chicken has roosted on it. Not even when they first went up to roost at about 4 weeks of age. They always go up to the 4' high bars. For a time, before I had too many chickens to do so and had less roost space I had the broody buster on the upper roosts (12' long parallel at 4' high). One of the girls decided the best way to sleep was to squeeze herself between the top of the buster and the ceiling. Depending on how many chickens you have, the lower dimensional roost and the branch at that level may not get used for roosting in which case .... NEVERMIND.

 

[Baymule]

My old hen, Robin, RIP, always took the left end on the top roost. Chickens come, chickens go, but Robin died of old age at 7 years old. New hens hogged the top, but Robin would get on the roost long before dusk to ensure that she got her preferred spot. LOL

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Mr. @MtViking, sir!

Where are you? We haven't seen any of your posts lately. Do you not like us any more?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[MtViking]

Mr. @MtViking, sir!

Where are you? We haven't seen any of your posts lately. Do you not like us any more?

Senile Texas Aggie

Sorry just been busy with the warm weather. Trying to get the garden ready and planted, we have 20 more chickens in the brooder, apparently wives are addicted to chickens once they’ve seen one baby chick. Oh well she’s happy I’m happy I’ll build bigger coops if I have too. All the schools are canceled for the rest of the year so it’s a little more hectic around the house with everyone home. I’m thankfully working as is the wife so that’s good. Rabbits are doing good I have to build some ground runs for my grow outs and get rid of two extra bucks that where given to me to help get things going, they’re not needed anymore and just are taking up space and food. We’re planning on putting in a wood stove this summer to cut back on heating cost that will probably be our house upgrade for this year. I’m doing the research on what’s next for the homestead. I’m still tossed between goats and pigs either way I don’t think they’re in the budget for this year but possibly next spring, which will be here soon enough so I better be ready for it.