Category: Coop

Autowash

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

In the summer I put out a chicken foot bath to help my hens cool off in the Texas heat. Yes, they tend to drink from the same water they stand in, but I haven’t yet lost a chicken to heat stroke. To keep the water relatively clean, I set up a hose on a timer to rinse the foot bath twice a day. I’ve hammered the hose end down to a slit to give the water spray some power, and it only takes a minute for the bath to do a water exchange. By putting the hose on the high side of the bath at an angle, the water swirls around the shallow dish, and floating materials, like pine shavings and feathers, spill out on the opposite side.

Photo description: chicken foot bath made from a large plant tray and a hose set up to autowash

Egg!

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop, eggs

Wing ding the Black Star hen has started laying again.

Photo description: metal nest box lined with straw with a golf ball and egg

This is a really good demonstration of the difference between a good layer and fair layers. My Faverolles stopped laying in September and I’m not entirely sure they will ever lay again. They are coming up on their sixth year and their winter egg break keeps getting longer and longer. Even when they are laying, it isn’t every day, but closer to every other day. Wing Ding lays nearly every day. So if you are going for egg production, get a good layer. If you want sweet docile chickens and aren’t as concerned about egg production, then get Faverolles. Know that Faverolles will also be at the bottom of the pecking order if you have a mixed flock. Our flock has everything worked out so that no one’s feathers are being picked to extreme, but they have plenty of space and food and places to hide.

I’m mostly excited the Wing Ding is now laying eggs in the nest boxes in the big coop. The temporary outside coop we set up when the flock was separated gets terribly hot in the summer.

Cuddles

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

The back corner of the roost in the coop is the prime sleeping position for the chickens. Since Wing Ding the Black Star hen has taken to the roost, it has been her domain and the Faverolles have given her space. I caught them on camera recently snuggling up, though. I’m not sure if Wing Ding let them, or she was asleep when they shuffled over. Positive outcome either way.

Photo description: three hens in a tight group on the corner of a roost made with dimensional lumber, pine flakes on the floor and wainscoting on the wall

All in

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

I checked my cameras in the chicken coop and was shocked to see all five hens in the coop! The new Black Star chickens have both finally accepted the roost. They took the prime corner spot, which sent Seashell off to the nest box, but she isn’t broody, so I’m not concerned.

Photo description: inside of my coop at night, two Black Star hens on the roost at the left, two Faverolle hens on the roost at the right, and the tail feathers of the third Faverolle hen in the top right of the nest boxes at the far right, mouths open because the high was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit that day

Molting has begun, and egg laying has stopped. They are all older hens as well, so we may have seen the last of the eggs until Spring (maybe).

Chillin’

On By CarynIn Cats, chickens, Coop
Photo description: Mr Tom the cat laying on the outside of the chicken runs, and two Faverolle hens investigating

When it is hot, Mr Tom, my neighbor’s cat, likes to lay in wet patches of grass. I had just watered the crossvine outside the corner of the coop, and he took it as an invitation. Two hens went over to say hi and remind him to watch his manners. He was unconcerned.