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if you scoop your run/coop daily, what do you use for bedding? What is your favorite thing to use and why? Right now the run is dirt and I like that, I am scooping it 2x daily and composting what I scoop. In the morning I scoop and scrape inside the coop (the door threshold, roosts, and poop...

Now that my girls are in their coop outdoors, I have some questions. Do you give your chickens water overnight in the coop? I’d prefer not to put the waterer in the coop if I can avoid it. Can I train them to the coop at night any other way than locking them in for days? I don’t love that...

The fun “roo or hen” posts… No comb development really but the tail feathers look a little suspect to me but I admittedly don’t know enough about the breed and if coloration matters, Etc. The leg shafts are much thicker than my other chicks but this is the only EE.

My girls will be going out this week, they’re just about 7 weeks and feathered. It’s going to be raining Weds-Sun :( They have a covered run and I will plan to leave the coop open for them during the day. My plan is to take them outside for the day and then return them to their brooding pen...

Our silkie is about 6 weeks and some change old (picked up 3/23, 1-3 days old) she is definitely getting actual feathers but I cannot tell if she’s “fully feathered” yet. I want to put her outside on Tuesday with the rest of my flock (they’re all around the same age and fully feathered and not...

Show me all your hard work! I’m trying to cover the HWC without rocks so something can dig and figure out they can’t get in. So far I’ve covered with topsoil and added some pine mulch. I think I’m going to make exterior skirts with pressed decorative tin. The area doesn’t get much sun and...

My roost is highish (40 inches) I wanted the floor room beneath for sq footage in the coop because it’s on the smaller side for our bird/sq ft ratio. We are building a ramp but I’m concerned about our single silkie. She was one of a pair, her friend died. I know they don’t always roost but she...

Hey everyone, Last night we had our first real big thunderstorm since we put the coop/run up. Our coop is bone dry (yay!) but the edges around the inside of the run have damp soil. Our girls are not inside the coop yet (hoping this weekend) but I was wondering if this is concerning? It’s not...

Any plans/ideas for run “screen” door? I’m thinking building one would be the best idea. Anyone build their own? HWC on the inside or outside? Did you put trim over the edges of the HWC after you attached it?

Hi all… We are trying to solidify details for the coop interior. I want to have detailed specs written out for my husband when he is ready to finish the specifics. Roosts: someone once recommended 2x4s because of our cold climate and the chickens ability to basically cover their feet with...

I am at the point where we are ready to attach a hardware cloth skirt around the base of the run and coop. I want to use staples I can hammer in, I am doing this myself and don’t have access to power tools or the skills to use them. My husband will be attaching composite trim boards over for...

Our girls got their first short trip outdoors today. Silkie (unnamed), Olive (olive egger), Opal (lavender Orpington), Pearl (Australorp), Eleanor (Black Copper Marans) are all roughly 4 weeks old and Coconut “coco” (leghorn), and Bluebell (EE) are roughly 5 weeks old. We did about 30 min...

Hi all! We have 7 chicks that are roughly 3-4 weeks old. We are working on finishing our coop (weather has not played nicely with us) and we should be done when they all hit 6-7 weeks. That will be the 2nd and 3rd week of May. They are currently using standard watered and feeders for chicks...

Hi all, I have 7 chicks they’re roughly 3 weeks old (this Saturday) This morning I went to clean the top of the brooder and there is blood tinged mucous in some of the poop. They are vaccinated to my knowledge, I did message the hatchery to confirm. My question is, when treating them, I’m only...

Hi all! I am currently raising 7 chicks in my basement bedroom. Temp in the room is over 80 with a space heater on low. I have a heat plate brooder. My chicks are all roughly 7 days. I do have one small silkie, everyone seems happy, chirping, eating, drinking, sleeping, pooping. I had...

Hi all! I have 7 chicks. I need to clean their container today. I plan to put shavings in my compost. 1, is it true chicken manure should compost for 3 years prior to using? My dad who avidly used it in the past said it had to be aged. 2, I have a chick with mid brown bubbly poop. Seems...

Hi all, we are in the midst of building our coop and just started raising our chicks. Coop and run is slated to be finished in early May. I’m trying to decide on a pop door. I am not huge on technology and usually prefer old fashioned designs and such but it’s been recommended to get an...

I have a friend who is currently raising my chicks because we don’t have a coop yet (it’s in construction now) and I wasn’t sure where to raise them. I’ve since figured that out. She loves hatching. She is full of chickens but wanted to hatch and offered to hatch me some. I also wanted a...

Hi all. We are currently building our coop and run. We are trying to decide if we want to have a solid floor in the run or leave it dirt and then put sand or some other bedding down. We live in gardening zone 5a, it does get cold here. Our coop floor is pressure treated 4x4s with 1/2 inch...

Hi all. I have been researching and wanting to have chickens for years. My husband and I are working to solidify the coop plan. He will be building (he is a carpenter). We decided on an 8x8 “run-under coop” design. We have a smaller yard but would like 6 chickens. I figure this gives them more...