We have been building a 14x8 ft. shed for the chickens for the past *** months. It is taking a very long time. Much of that was my fault. I was afraid to start! But finally, I realized that the chicken population was expanding rapidly, and the little coop I built last year for the guineas was no longer big enough for all the birds.
You see, for some reason, chickens keep being brought to me by people who thought they wanted chickens but really didn't, or who thought they could get away with having chickens in town, but really couldn't. I figure that at least 30 chickens and 2 of my 3 ducks were all given to us to kind of rescue.
They all have thier little personalities. And they all like to eat. A lot.
Now, in the spring, summer and fall, my chickens can pretty much feed themselves because they are free-ranging. They can eat bugs and frogs and snakes and weeds and seeds. I always supplement them, but this time of year, after a few hard, hard freezes, the birds need more feed than usual.
And feed has nearly doubled in one year. There is a lot of corn in chicken feed, and you know all about that ethanol stuff, I'm sure.
Hopefully, all the girl chickens will start back to laying more regularly now that their chicken house is done enough that they can live in it at night. Then, I can afford to feed them the good stuff, because the feed store sells all the eggs my hens can lay, and then I can buy them the good grain.
But for the past 3 weeks, the hens have been pretty lazy - very few eggs. The shorter days of winter cause them to decrease their production.
Today I installed a light in the chicken house. This way, their days will lengthen and they will start laying again.
If anyone wants to help feed the Chickens of Argghhh! please hit the donate button on my sidebar!
Back to the chicken house - all is done but a second coat of paint and the roofing that goes on over the roofing felt. I'll take pics tomorrow!
You see, for some reason, chickens keep being brought to me by people who thought they wanted chickens but really didn't, or who thought they could get away with having chickens in town, but really couldn't. I figure that at least 30 chickens and 2 of my 3 ducks were all given to us to kind of rescue.
They all have thier little personalities. And they all like to eat. A lot.
Now, in the spring, summer and fall, my chickens can pretty much feed themselves because they are free-ranging. They can eat bugs and frogs and snakes and weeds and seeds. I always supplement them, but this time of year, after a few hard, hard freezes, the birds need more feed than usual.
And feed has nearly doubled in one year. There is a lot of corn in chicken feed, and you know all about that ethanol stuff, I'm sure.
Hopefully, all the girl chickens will start back to laying more regularly now that their chicken house is done enough that they can live in it at night. Then, I can afford to feed them the good stuff, because the feed store sells all the eggs my hens can lay, and then I can buy them the good grain.
But for the past 3 weeks, the hens have been pretty lazy - very few eggs. The shorter days of winter cause them to decrease their production.
Today I installed a light in the chicken house. This way, their days will lengthen and they will start laying again.
If anyone wants to help feed the Chickens of Argghhh! please hit the donate button on my sidebar!
Back to the chicken house - all is done but a second coat of paint and the roofing that goes on over the roofing felt. I'll take pics tomorrow!
Chickens eat snakes… ?
Yes, chickens eat snakes - small ones, mind you, but to the chickens, it is a great delicacy!
I picked up a rock, and there were several little garden snakes on the ground - the chickens ran over an literally fought over the snakes. One would grab one and run off and beat it against the ground, and the others would come and they pulled it apart and ate it up!
THat the second coat of paint didn’t get up wasn’t my fault! It was Her project, She claimed it, and then laid abed while I made busy on the other stuff on days it was good to paint(there were three days of good painting weather). Not my fault! NOt my fault!
And get a CLU to put the roofing on. They hire cheap.
Take care, SWWBO. I’ll see about swinging down in an off period to help out again.
Chickens eat LITTLE snakes, which they think are worms. ;-) Have to warn you, though, that snakes eat chickens, too, and chickens attract snakes, ‘speshly those sweet little baby chicks. Guess you know that already.