gunDriller
17th August 2015, 12:32 PM
I have a chicken coop with a door (1/2 inch aviary wire on 5 sides, metal ceiling), about 7 foot by 9 foot.
I took some of your's advice, and added more hay. Also watered it, to build up the local bug & worm community.
I remember when the big one was about a pound and they found their first large locust type bug. They turned it into a hot potato/ game of tag like usual. So they know they like bugs.
And worms - fed them their first worms at about 2 weeks.
The 2 chickens know there's "good stuff" in the ground. They have learned to scratch etc. The big one is 2 pounds, the little one about 1 1/2 pounds. Now about 6 weeks old.
The 7x9 coop that the spoiled birds refuse to leave, is in a larger area, 20 x 25.
I have been conscientiously preparing it with a sprinkler, building up the "animal community" (food source), like I did with the straw inside the coop (actually watered it with a sprinkler.)
The 2 or 3 times I have left the door to the coop open, the 2 younger chickens just stay in the enclosed coop.
I'm not eager to push them. One of those days when I was watering the larger coop area (which is basically new blackberry growth about 2 feet high), in the area outside the fence there was a skunk tail. I don't think it was held high in defense. It was just out there with some wild birds, enjoying the water. The blackberries straddle the fenced area outside the coop, and wild forest, where the skunk was hanging out when the sprinkler was running.
I'm not surprised that the animals like the "oasis effect" that happens when you regularly water what would otherwise be brittle-hot forest.
But I am a little surprised that the little ones are not taking advantage of the advanced Chicken Cuisine opportunities that abound, right outside their coop.
Generally, I don't like to force them.
I let them have it their way today, and just shut up the coop and gave them their food. I'll re-water the larger fenced area probably today, maybe even get a pic of the skunk.
Then try again what they wouldn't touch yesterday - put corn on the ground outside the coop.
Maybe they have enough bugs & worms inside the coop.
2 Spoiled Birds
http://gold-silver.us/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7788&d=1439839079
That's a picture of the coop - not my kitchen :)
I took some of your's advice, and added more hay. Also watered it, to build up the local bug & worm community.
I remember when the big one was about a pound and they found their first large locust type bug. They turned it into a hot potato/ game of tag like usual. So they know they like bugs.
And worms - fed them their first worms at about 2 weeks.
The 2 chickens know there's "good stuff" in the ground. They have learned to scratch etc. The big one is 2 pounds, the little one about 1 1/2 pounds. Now about 6 weeks old.
The 7x9 coop that the spoiled birds refuse to leave, is in a larger area, 20 x 25.
I have been conscientiously preparing it with a sprinkler, building up the "animal community" (food source), like I did with the straw inside the coop (actually watered it with a sprinkler.)
The 2 or 3 times I have left the door to the coop open, the 2 younger chickens just stay in the enclosed coop.
I'm not eager to push them. One of those days when I was watering the larger coop area (which is basically new blackberry growth about 2 feet high), in the area outside the fence there was a skunk tail. I don't think it was held high in defense. It was just out there with some wild birds, enjoying the water. The blackberries straddle the fenced area outside the coop, and wild forest, where the skunk was hanging out when the sprinkler was running.
I'm not surprised that the animals like the "oasis effect" that happens when you regularly water what would otherwise be brittle-hot forest.
But I am a little surprised that the little ones are not taking advantage of the advanced Chicken Cuisine opportunities that abound, right outside their coop.
Generally, I don't like to force them.
I let them have it their way today, and just shut up the coop and gave them their food. I'll re-water the larger fenced area probably today, maybe even get a pic of the skunk.
Then try again what they wouldn't touch yesterday - put corn on the ground outside the coop.
Maybe they have enough bugs & worms inside the coop.
2 Spoiled Birds
http://gold-silver.us/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7788&d=1439839079
That's a picture of the coop - not my kitchen :)