Raising Chickens

[Bigcorona]

Fed the chickens a large bowl of spent grain yesterday. This morning, our first egg.
Coincidence?

 

[MaddBaggins]

This is my second year with backyard chickens. We have 4 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Barred Rocks and one Rhode Island Red.

They love the spent grain on brew day. We also let them roam the yard on a regular basis, but always put them up in the evening. too many coyotes, bobcats and raccoons around here, not to mention the redtail hawks and owls. Notice the blocks in the pics. I used hardware cloth on the lower end of the run, it's also buried 6" in the ground. Then the whole coop/run is surrounded by the blocks. If something starts digging, the blocks fall in. So far, all is fine. I've even walked out and seen coyotes in my yard staring at the hens. The hens were just staring right back thru the wire.

Brew day


The coop build pics are here
http://s421.photobucket.com/user/MaddBaggins/library/The Green Dragon Roost?sort=3&page=1

 

[Zuljin]

Fed the chickens a large bowl of spent grain yesterday. This morning, our first egg.
Coincidence?

That's a golf ball. Don't eat it.

 

[Bigcorona]

Great looking flock and coop MB. How many eggs do you get each day?
I had 2 barred rocks, but both turned out to be roosters. They went off to freezer camp along with 2 buff roos.

 

[Bigcorona]

That's a golf ball. Don't eat it.

Hi Z. Where you been? Never mind, it is me that has been gone.

Too late, I ate the golf ball for breakfast. Tasted just like an egg.

 

[MaddBaggins]

Great looking flock and coop MB. How many eggs do you get each day?

I had 2 barred rocks, but both turned out to be roosters. They went off to freezer camp along with 2 buff roos.

Thanks! I was getting 7-8 a day last summer. This summer I'm only getting about 5 a day. Over the winter I got about 5 a day. I sell some at work and keep about 12-18 a week for us.
I don't supplement their light, which I've read will increase production.
They are funny critters an make me laugh a lot.


Sent from my magic box, using only my thumbs.

 

[Zuljin]

Me? Just harassing people, as usual.

Stupid city doesn't allow chickens. No gorillas, either. They're actually specific about that one. No gorillas. They also spelled out no araucanas and and no guineas. Maybe I should start a petition.

 

[Bigcorona]

Wow Z. First no porch couch, then no chickens, and now no gorillas. Maybe you should look into moving to McKinney.

 

[Zuljin]

Wow Z. First no porch couch, then no chickens, and now no gorillas. Maybe you should look into moving to McKinney.

Ha! With the kind of people who live up there? Whut they do on their porches and driveways? No thank you!