Hedge's chicken chronicles

[Hedgelj]

So last year this time i built a nice (imo) coop for some laying chickens.

Its built based upon a 4x8 sheet of plywood for the bottom. I put 2 4x4s along the length so we can pick it up with pallet forks to move it.

I did splurge on the automatic door. It's been great and only screwed up once so far.

My chickens are free range. They get out in the morning and come in at night. The rest of the time they are wherever they want. I've seen them foraging in the culvert next to the road, in the woods, in the field and wherever else. We got the hens as pullets from Meyer hatchery in Polk. Mixed because the kids picked from their layers.

The rooster was donated from my brothers coworker. The last photo shows them eating from one of my bee frames. It's a way to give the chickens a treat and also take care of a pest for the bees.

The rooster died this fall and we got a new one in December.

 

[Hedgelj]

Even though they are free range they get scratch grains a handful at a time a few times a week and i keep a feeder with layer crumbles in it near their coop until we get too many extra mouths and then the duke dp traps come out.

Early December the chickens went through a molt and it was obvious.... they looked scraggly and feathers EVERYWHERE.

I looked into it and got a "feather fixer" higher protein feed that i started to use. I got it from Rural king i think. The normal feed i get from our local equity is Kalmbach out of Bucyrus or thereabouts. I use the high omega formula to get more in the eggs.

Egg production was great once they started, slowed down a little as the fall started but still producing. Slowed down to just a few a week during the molt and then during the cold spell at Christmas I got one that froze and that was the last one I've seen.

 

[Hedgelj]

We had one go broody shortly after she started laying. Finally broke her of that and she only layed sporadically afterwards. She's the easter egger and the kids like her so i tolerate it.

But now that I'm getting none I'm concerned. I checked the one i was able to grab and they may have chicken lice. Their combs and wattles look paler red than the roosters. So I'm gonna order some effector psp and see if that helps.

Any other ideas?

 

[bowhunter1023]

Do you have nesting boxes? Are you sure they're not laying somewhere other than the coop?

 

[Hedgelj]

Do you have nesting boxes? Are you sure they're not laying somewhere other than the coop?

Yes i do and that thought has crossed my mind. I know what bushes they normally hide under so I'll have to check there. Why would they randomly stop using the boxes though?

 

[bowhunter1023]

Yes i do and that thought has crossed my mind. I know what bushes they normally hide under so I'll have to check there. Why would they randomly stop using the boxes though?

Yes. I built new boxes thinking that would help. They laid 4 eggs in them, then built a nest next to them on the floor of the coop. I've seen them lay outside on occasion as well.

 

[giles]

Because of a snake or anything else that they fear. They sound stressed to me.

Being free range with an open nesting box, I wouldn't put it past a snatcher of some sort either.

 

[Hedgelj]

Because of a snake or anything else that they fear. They sound stressed to me.

Being free range with an open nesting box, I wouldn't put it past a snatcher of some sort either.

I'm not sure what is stressing them unless it was the new Rooster back at the beginning of December...

The nesting box is in the coop, maybe i should put a trailcam out to watch the coop for a day or two?

 

[bowhunter1023]

Can't hurt to monitor it to see if there is an egg snatcher out there. If they're still not laying with this break in the weather, it's definitely odd. Their plumage looks great, so they're clearly over the molt. Maybe throw up a short run of wire and keep them close to home for a few days to see if eggs appear.

 

[giles]

Didn't you guys get a puppy around that time? Puppy's love eggs.

 

[Hedgelj]

Can't hurt to monitor it to see if there is an egg snatcher out there. If they're still not laying with this break in the weather, it's definitely odd. Their plumage looks great, so they're clearly over the molt. Maybe throw up a short run of wire and keep them close to home for a few days to see if eggs appear.

Those photos are old from this summer. I'll get more recent ones.

Didn't you guys get a puppy around that time? Puppy's love eggs.

He's got a fenced in run, no opportunity to get to the coop. Though he does love to chase and grab the chickens if he gets off the leash in his walks with the kids. I haven't had to make any zombie chickens to scare him with yet a'la a certain members dog.

 

[jagermeister]

I’ve heard of chickens stressing out and quit laying because of the addition of a new rooster. Sounds like a possibility in this case.

 

[Bigcountry40]

I’ve heard of chickens stressing out and quit laying because of the addition of a new rooster. Sounds like a possibility in this case.

Chickens have a social order, when a new male is introduced it definitely will upset things. Imagine a new dude coming into a towny bar with a ragin hard on humpin/hittin on all the women.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Chickens have a social order, when a new male is introduced it definitely will upset things. Imagine a new dude coming into a towny bar with a ragin hard on humpin/hittin on all the women.

I don't have to imagine. I've been him

 

[Left field]

I'm not sure what is stressing them unless it was the new Rooster back at the beginning of December...

The nesting box is in the coop, maybe i should put a trailcam out to watch the coop for a day or two?

I let ours free range , sometimes I’ll have to leave them in the cool for a few days to get them laying in their boxes , or they lay wherever they feel like it

 

[giles]

Of your boy likes turkey hunting...has he ever went full ICP?

Hit him with the 12 gauge, fuck it, chicken nuggets.

 

[Hedgelj]

Of your boy likes turkey hunting...has he ever went full ICP?

Hit him with the 12 gauge, fuck it, chicken nuggets.

No 12 gauge on premises (i don't own one)
I think the aftereffects of that might be noticeable

 

[Jackalope]

Of your boy likes turkey hunting...has he ever went full ICP?

Hit him with the 12 gauge, fuck it, chicken nuggets.

Somebody was hitting the hype heading to work!

 

[Jackalope]

No 12 gauge on premises (i don't own one)
I think the aftereffects of that might be noticeable

Nah just nick em in the head.

 

[giles]

Nah just nick em in the head.

Yup, fencing pliers is what I usually have around the coop.