c/backyard-chickens

My chicken's favorite treat is a weird choice

I had to pick between giving my Barred Rock, Mabel, a handful of mealworms or a single, plain tortilla chip. She always goes nuts for the chip. The other day she saw the bag and chased me across the yard, squawking like a maniac until I gave her a piece. Now she ignores the worms completely and just stares at the back door, waiting for chips. Has anyone else's flock developed a totally random junk food habit?

I finally gave up on the automatic coop door after the third failure

The motor on my 'ChickSafe 500' burned out last Tuesday, leaving my six hens locked out overnight in the rain. I've spent over $200 on repairs and replacements in the last year, and each time it's a different part that fails. Has anyone else had better luck with a specific manual latch system they'd recommend instead?

Honestly, my run looked like a mud pit for a year, then I put down 6 inches of wood chips last fall and now it's a dry, clean paradise. What's your best ground cover tip?

Saw a neighbor in Tacoma using a kiddie pool as a chicken dust bath

I was walking my dog last Tuesday and saw their flock of 5 hens all happily rolling around in a bright blue plastic kiddie pool filled with dirt and wood ash. They had it tucked under a big maple tree for shade. Has anyone else tried something like this instead of the usual shallow box or hole in the ground?

Hit 100 eggs in a week from just 8 hens

I always thought my flock's production would drop off in the summer heat, but they proved me wrong. We're in Georgia and it's been over 90 degrees, but they kept laying like crazy. Anyone else see a weird spike when it got hot?

I thought the 'chicken diaper' idea was a total joke until my Buff Orpington, Bertha, got sick.

She had to stay inside for a week, and a friend in Austin swore by these little fabric diapers with a pouch. I tried one, and it kept my couch totally clean while she healed. Has anyone else used these for a housebound hen, or did you find a better way?

The day my entire flock decided to lay their eggs in the compost pile

I spent a good twenty minutes searching the coop and nesting boxes last Tuesday, convinced a predator had gotten in. My husband finally called from the garden, 'Hey Claire, you might want to see this.' All eight hens had laid their daily eggs in a neat little pile right on top of the fresh grass clippings. It was a sunny 75 degrees, and I guess they liked the warm, soft spot. Has anyone else's chickens ever completely boycotted their nesting boxes for a week straight?

Remember when everyone said you needed a big, fancy coop? My setup from 2015 was a palace compared to my simple run now.

Rant: The time I tried to save a chick with a heat lamp and a shoebox

Three years ago in my garage, I found a runt that was cold and not moving. I put it in a shoebox with a towel and a 60-watt bulb, checking every hour. By morning it was peeping and trying to stand. That cheap lamp and a quiet spot did more than any fancy brooder plate I've bought since. What's your go-to method for a weak chick?

I used to think a $20 coop lock was enough until a raccoon in my Atlanta yard broke in and took three hens before I scared it off with a flashlight.

Has anyone else found a truly raccoon-proof latch they'd recommend?

Just realized I was wrong about needing a big coop

My neighbor in Boise saw my setup and said, 'Your girls just need a dry place to sleep and lay, not a palace.' I moved them into a smaller, simpler coop last month and they seem happier. Anyone else find a smaller space works better?

Everyone told me to get a coop with a run attached, but I went with two separate structures and it's been way better for my flock in Seattle.

Wasted $40 on a fancy automatic coop door that my hens were terrified of

A talk with my neighbor made me question my whole coop setup

I was chatting with my neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, over the fence yesterday. She's had chickens for about 20 years, way longer than my three. I was complaining about how my four hens just stand around in their run, not really doing much. She looked at it and said, 'Chickens are foragers, not statues. That's just a dirt box to them.' She pointed out that my run is just flat, packed dirt with nothing in it. She said to throw in some leaves, a few old logs for them to hop on, and maybe a pile of straw to scratch through. I spent maybe 30 minutes yesterday tossing in some yard waste and an old cinder block. This morning, they were all over it, digging and pecking. It was like a different flock. I feel a bit silly for not seeing it sooner. What are some other cheap or free things you all add to your runs to keep the birds busy?

My hen decided to roost in the neighbor's tree last Tuesday

I was out in my yard in Portland around sunset when I saw my Buff Orpington, Bertha, fly up into a big maple tree on the other side of the fence. I spent the next hour trying to coax her down with a rake and a bowl of mealworms, but she just clucked at me. Finally, I had to drag my step ladder over and climb up to get her, which my neighbor watched from his window. Has anyone else had a chicken decide to become a tree chicken?

My 'cozy' coop design was suffocating my birds during a heatwave in July.

I built a cute little A-frame with minimal ventilation because I was worried about drafts in winter. We hit 98 degrees for three days straight and I lost two hens. The vet said it was heat stress from poor air flow. I felt like an idiot. Now I've got two big screened windows on opposite sides and a small fan for summer. What's the best way you've found to keep air moving without creating a wind tunnel in the winter?

Why does nobody talk about how loud a rooster can be at 4 AM?

Last month in my suburban neighborhood, my new Barred Rock rooster, Hank, started crowing before sunrise every single day. I had to give him to a friend with more land after three noise complaints from neighbors. Has anyone found a way to keep a rooster quiet without rehoming him?

Serious question, has anyone else had a coop door motor burn out in the cold?

Mine quit on me Tuesday morning when it was about 15 degrees outside. The little plastic gears just ground to a halt and I could smell that hot electric smell. I had to manually open the run and was late for work. Ended up ordering a new motor unit from the same company, but it won't be here until next week. What do you all use for automatic doors when it gets really cold?

Just counted my egg cartons from this month and the number blew my mind

I have three Rhode Island Reds in a coop I built myself, and I finally got around to stacking up the empty cartons from April. I hit 17 full dozen, which is way more than I expected from just those three birds. What's a normal monthly count for your small flock?

I saw a hawk circling my run and realized my mistake

I was watching from my kitchen window in Boise and saw it eyeing my girls. I had left a big open space in the middle of the run with no cover. Has anyone else added a simple overhead net or string grid that worked well?

I read a comment online about how chickens see the world, and it changed how I set up my run.

Someone on a forum mentioned that chickens have a wider field of view than us, but they get stressed by open spaces overhead because they're prey animals. I always had a big open run with just a roof. After reading that, I hung some old CDs and strips of fabric from the ceiling to break up the sightlines. My three hens seem way more relaxed now, they're not as jumpy. Has anyone else tried adding visual clutter to their coop or run?

My automatic coop door failed to open at sunrise this morning, what's a good backup plan?

Debate: My $150 automatic coop door was either a lifesaver or a huge mistake

I bought it after a raccoon scare last fall, and it works great for letting the birds out at dawn. But now I'm worried about power outages and if it fails closed, they're stuck inside. Anyone else have strong feelings about these doors?

I thought those automatic coop door openers were just a silly gadget

For years I told myself I didn't need one, that getting up at dawn to let the girls out was just part of the deal. Then last winter I got the flu and was stuck in bed for a week, and my partner had to leave for work before sunrise. We came out to find a possum had tried to dig under the closed coop door, and that was the push I needed. I bought a basic 'ChickenGuard' timer model for about $90 and set it up. Now the door opens and closes with the sun, rain or shine, and I haven't had a single predator scare since. Anyone else switch to an auto-door after being stubborn about it?

I left the coop door open for 20 minutes and a hawk got in

It was just after lunch yesterday, and I ran back inside to grab my phone. I came out to find feathers everywhere and one of my Buff Orpingtons gone. I had to move the rest of the flock into the garage for the afternoon to calm them down. Has anyone else had a hawk strike that fast, and what did you do to make the run safer?