one chicken slept outside last night

[bj taylor]

this one hen who tends to be a loner didn't make into the coop last night. I didn't go out to do my last check on them until just at dark thirty. I looked and called for her. no luck. I got up this morning to start my look for her and there she was in the run, acting like nothing had happened. little sneak.
i'll have to get out there sooner tonight to watch what happens.

 

[baymule]

And people think they're just dumb chickens........... but we know better, don't we

 

[catjac1975]

I had one hen that I just could not keep in the pen and coup. She did not like the boys. She lived ourdoors for 6 months until something got her. She was very smart. She would hide so well I could not see her standing right next to her. I guess that's how she lasted so long.

 

[bj taylor]

if there's one thing I've learned about chickens - they're not dumb. she was present and accounted for tonight.

 

[secuono]

I have a leghorn hen who refuses to sleep in the coop and then all 7 of my growing chicks also refuse to sleep in the coop. They sleep outside the run or in the barn on the hay.
Critter yard is protected by hotwire, so I don't worry. Rest of the property has my LGD protecting, so I worry only a little when they are out there.

 

[mrcman]

I never knew how smart and "entertaining" chickens were until we got our own chicks. We've been in it about 4 years now. We used to let ours free range...then after a neighbor dog attack I bought some of that electric poultry netting to keep the hens in and the predators out. This is our second year with the netting and it seems to work pretty good. It certainly makes it easier getting them in at night. lol

We live in the county and have an abundance of coons, possums, coyotes and one mean neighbor dog.

Sequono: What's a LGD??



Tony

 

[bj taylor]

mrcman, thanks for joining. after 4 yrs you're an old pro.
a lgd is livestock guardian dog.
i'm still doing the free range thing. i'm willing to take the risk & my risk is relatively small. my place is very well fenced, our predator load is fairly small, and I've got two good dogs.

 

[Smart Red]

This is my third year free-ranging my chickens. (knock on wood) So far I haven't had any problems. I know there are skunk, coons, coyotes, and other predators out and around, but my coop is tight and we are home most of the time. I would like to get a secure run built, but there is so much to do and chickens don't rate very high with anyone but me around here.

I have spent the past three nights trying to convince Hilda and her three 2-month olds that the nesting box IS NOT a good place to sleep anymore. I think finally I have them trained, as they tried roosting with the big folks for a while -- until a roo firmly and roughly forced them down to the lower roost when he thought they were taking HIS space. I suppose my next assignment is to install another high roost. They are out of room on the one I do have and no one likes the lower roost anymore.

I am in the process of making a pit for their dust bathing in hopes of keeping them away from the house foundation. My Maverick (11 YO grandson) filled, wheeled, emptied, and spread two wheelbarrows -- soil and sand -- to the site beside the coop. I could hardly move the wheelbarrows myself! That little guy sure is a good worker. Of course $3.00 per load was a great incentive, but I never expected he'd fill them that full. One load of ashes, some DE, and a tarp roof to keep it dry and protected should do the trick.

Today was hatching day! "Tres Olivia" had been setting on the six eggs I put under her for 21 days. So far I have seen two babies. . . the youngest one is really tiny. I don't know the status of the other four eggs. I figure Sunday night is soon enough to start worrying about them if they don't hatch. With two eager roos (I've got to get one into the soup pot.) and only seven hens I can't imagine having any non-fertile eggs being laid.

Sure glad all my flock seem to prefer the coop to the open air. I do have a couple that wait until everyone else is roosting before they go inside the coop, but inside they all go. I sure do enjoy my chickens!

 

[vfem]

Those sneaky butts!


I had a chicken do it once, and she did not come home in the morning. We only ever found a pile of white feathers near the woods that evening. I never asked my daughter to go out and shut the coop door for me again. Then again, we don't free range any longer either.