Morgan and I found the chickens under the trailer bed again dusting in the relatively dry dirt. Well, at least it was dryer than the surrounding ground. Some chickens tried laying out in the sun which didn't work out all that well because of the clouds passing in front of the sun blocking the rays. (That Dark Brahma really doesn't look happy.) The hens are not happy staying inside because things are finally getting wet and messy. The pine I put down in the pen is muddy and needs changing as soon as it stops raining for a long spell. Maybe Saturday I can rake it out? Some of the hens are sleeping in the nest boxes and leaving chicken poo presents. I read that you should cover the boxes after they lay and you shouldn't let your chickens sleep in the nest boxes because then they poo and it can get on the eggs. Well, I wanted the chickens to sleep in the nest boxes when it got cold and snowy so they could keep warm. So, what to do? Well, I could get myself together in the morning and out to the coop and clean out the nest boxes before they lay. Yep! I think that's what I'm going to need to do.
While looking around for information about nest boxes, instead I found chicken and feed housing information here (Range Poultry Housing - pdf) and here (Pastured Poultry - pdf.)
Ah, Ha! Nest Box info Here I finally found some good information about nest boxes. I'm going to have to remodel the inside of the coop and move and rebuild the communal nest boxes I built last year. This all sounds much better. Then maybe the hens will not poo in the boxes anymore?
Ah, Ha! Nest Box info Here I finally found some good information about nest boxes. I'm going to have to remodel the inside of the coop and move and rebuild the communal nest boxes I built last year. This all sounds much better. Then maybe the hens will not poo in the boxes anymore?
Morgan went to the groomer this week and still looks white and clean even though she has been running around in the muddy leaves. I think she licks herself clean like a cat at night. I know she licks her paws.
Missy at Little Messy Missy has passed on an award to Chickens On The Porch. Thank you Missy and I really appreciate you thinking of my blog. Instead of me picking out blogs that I read to pass the award to, what I would like to do is ask those bloggers who would like to accept the award to hop on over to Missy's blog here and pick up the award. All the blogs I read are certainly worthy!
[6 eggs today]
The hens laid 5 early and 1 in the afternoon.
(February 12, 2009)
Wow! I remember those trees where sooo pretty.
Wow! I remember those trees where sooo pretty.
~:>
Smiles
7 comments:
Lots of great information again Callie! Thanks! And, congratulations on the award - you deserve it.
Hope Morgan stays white.
Great information on next boxes! Thank you so much. Also for visiting my blog and commenting, much appreciated. With ours being just hatchlings, we haven't gotten to nest boxes yet, but we need to start thinking about it and not procrastinate!
Callie, your blog is a fountain of information. I don't know how you do it, I can only keep mine up but once a week, what with all the chicken poop to clean up here,there,and everywhere. But I am sure glad you are doing all the homework!
It is so muddy here my eggs are covered in mud,I need little chicken floor mats and someone to teach them to wipe their little chicken feet before they get in their boxes!
Congrats on the blog award Callie. I'm afraid I have dirty eggs quite often when the weather is wet, as the hens trail mud and dirt into the hen house and onto the eggs, it's very annoying, also when they decide to sleep in the nest boxes too.
Great info Callie , glad you posted the link , we need to do a little remodeling at the hen house too. I hope to get 6 more hens over the next few weeks and I think smaller nesting boxes would work out better for all the hens.
~ Many Blessings ~
Good information. I made some twelve by twelve boxes, but my hens still have favorites. They will wait for one hen to hurry and finish so they can lay in that nest also.
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