Hi again Stanley! On the forum there is loads of information dotted about on how people keep their flock and I have suggested that there is a sticky topic dedicated to people’s coops and set-ups which I think is being looked into. I'm nosey too and like seeing how other people have their set up but mainly because I worry my set up isn't good enough and I like getting tips on what I can do to make it better...it's still a learning curve as we only got our girls at the end of September!
Currently our girls are in a permanetly fixed wooden coop on legs that came with a teeny run underneath which we extended. I'm still not happy that it's big enough so we'll be extending again soon. They have the run of the whole veg plot at weekends which has the additional worry of whether they can get out of there! One is very flighty and sometimes eyes up the fences as though she fancies breaking out on her own.
I feed them Smallholders layers pellets ad lib and am just trying to figure out a routine for Worming (Flubenvet, Verm-X in between), Apple cider vinegar, vitamin tonics, de-lousing, de-miteing, maggots for crop maintenance, entertainment when run bound, coop cleaning etc etc. I’d like to give them corn in the afternoon but they’re in bed by the time I get home at this time of year. I’m going to buy an automatic cat feeder so I can time it to open and let them have a bit of corn – seriously! I think as the weather gets colder this will be important!
They have access to mixed grit and oyster shell which I worry means the non-layers will be getting too much calcium. They have wood shavings on the floor of the coop which I poop scoop every morning, so far no sign of condensation, there is also long straw in the nest box but I’ll be getting the chopped stuff when that runs out to try and resist the dreaded red-mite! They won’t perch at night so I put plant pots in the nest boxes and am thinking of changing the coop floor covering to newspaper (maybe wood shavings are too comfortable and maybe the change will shock them into preferring the perch?)
Don’t know why I have so many worries really; I’m not usually a worrier! They are all currently healthy and happy. They are eating, drinking, not moulting, breathing fine, their poos are normal and they generally get along well (apart from the threat of a feather pecker rising through the ranks).
This forum has been a fantastic source of information and advice but I sometimes wonder if the snippets of information I read can get the mind whirring a little too much!!?
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Phew!
