Comments on: “Backyard Chicken Coop”, Roosting Bar & Manure Box http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/ Cultivating the best of gardening, vintage containers, home-grown food, and vineyard lifestyle. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:58:15 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Bonnie Manion http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2142 Bonnie Manion Sun, 25 Jul 2010 14:42:29 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2142 Louise, your one chicken that is laying in the bush, might catch on from your other hen laying in the nesting box. Usually, if one hen starts to lay in a particular nesting box, the others will follow suit. You could just keep your hens in their coop for a while, and not let them outside. Your hen might catch on to the nesting box then if she has no other place to lay. Give them a bit of time, they are still quite young. Are your nesting boxes, quiet, non-bright light to invite your hens to lay in them? Thanks for your great question....VintageGardenGal Louise, your one chicken that is laying in the bush, might catch on from your other hen laying in the nesting box. Usually, if one hen starts to lay in a particular nesting box, the others will follow suit. You could just keep your hens in their coop for a while, and not let them outside. Your hen might catch on to the nesting box then if she has no other place to lay. Give them a bit of time, they are still quite young. Are your nesting boxes, quiet, non-bright light to invite your hens to lay in them? Thanks for your great question….VintageGardenGal

]]> By: louise http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2140 louise Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:06:00 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2140 Hi, I have one chicken that will only lay in the bush I didn't realise she had even started laying she has only laid 2 eggs but will not lay in the nesting boxes. The other chicken that has started laying is laying in the box. The chicks are 20 weeks old. Thanks Hi, I have one chicken that will only lay in the bush I didn’t realise she had even started laying she has only laid 2 eggs but will not lay in the nesting boxes. The other chicken that has started laying is laying in the box. The chicks are 20 weeks old. Thanks

]]> By: Bonnie Manion http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2137 Bonnie Manion Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:38:19 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2137 Anne, see my post, http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/ I think your roost might be a bit too low. My roosting bar is 2'6" above the coop floor. Try raising it to at least 2'. Your pullets are still young. As they mature they will most likely use their roosting bar at night. Right now they feel comfortable huddling together at night, which is normal. Have to watch out for the raccoons. Thanks for your great questions....VintageGardenGal Anne, see my post, http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/
I think your roost might be a bit too low. My roosting bar is 2′6″ above the coop floor. Try raising it to at least 2′. Your pullets are still young. As they mature they will most likely use their roosting bar at night. Right now they feel comfortable huddling together at night, which is normal. Have to watch out for the raccoons. Thanks for your great questions….VintageGardenGal

]]> By: Anne http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2132 Anne Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:17:04 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2132 I purchased 15 Buff Orpington chicks this spring. I only have 12 left. (A raccoon tore the chicken wire off the front of the coop and pulled out 3 and left two others with missing toes from which they have healed.) They arrived May 16th. I have them on Dumor starter/grower until 10 weeks and they seem to be doing great, except they do not roost. I have a roosting bar about 7" from the bottom of the coop and they sit on it during the day but huddle up together at night. I live in southern Ky so it is very hot here. They are about 9 weeks now and weigh 2-3 lbs so what can I do? Thank you for your response, Amme I purchased 15 Buff Orpington chicks this spring. I only have 12 left. (A raccoon tore the chicken wire off the front of the coop and pulled out 3 and left two others with missing toes from which they have healed.) They arrived May 16th. I have them on Dumor starter/grower until 10 weeks and they seem to be doing great, except they do not roost. I have a roosting bar about 7″ from the bottom of the coop and they sit on it during the day but huddle up together at night. I live in southern Ky so it is very hot here. They are about 9 weeks now and weigh 2-3 lbs so what can I do?
Thank you for your response,
Amme

]]> By: Bonnie Manion http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2040 Bonnie Manion Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:43:33 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2040 Steve, do you provide a roosting bar for them, too? Are they warm enough in their coop? I would just let them be, and they will figure it out. Thanks for your great question...VintageGardenGal Steve, do you provide a roosting bar for them, too? Are they warm enough in their coop? I would just let them be, and they will figure it out. Thanks for your great question…VintageGardenGal

]]> By: Steve http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2036 Steve Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:25:56 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2036 I can't keep my young pullets from sleeping in my nesting boxes. Any suggestions on how to keep them out? I can’t keep my young pullets from sleeping in my nesting boxes. Any suggestions on how to keep them out?

]]> By: Bonnie Manion http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2019 Bonnie Manion Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:45:34 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2019 Lynda, Yes, I think that it is too high for a roosting bar. As your hens age, it will be harder for them to reach that height, too. Also, having your roosting bar over your nesting boxes is not ideal, for cleaning and keeping your nesting boxes and eggs clean. Thanks for your great comment..VintageGardenGal. Lynda,
Yes, I think that it is too high for a roosting bar. As your hens age, it will be harder for them to reach that height, too. Also, having your roosting bar over your nesting boxes is not ideal, for cleaning and keeping your nesting boxes and eggs clean. Thanks for your great comment..VintageGardenGal.

]]> By: Lynda http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-2017 Lynda Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:41:18 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-2017 Hi Bonnie, I love your informative site! My husband and I just completed our chicken coop tonight and will pick up our three 6 month old hens this weekend. We have place their roost about 4' 6" off the ground over top of their laying boxes. Is that too high for them to reach? Thx Lynda Hi Bonnie,
I love your informative site! My husband and I just completed our chicken coop tonight and will pick up our three 6 month old hens this weekend. We have place their roost about 4′ 6″ off the ground over top of their laying boxes. Is that too high for them to reach?
Thx Lynda

]]> By: Bonnie Manion http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-1911 Bonnie Manion Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:49:01 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-1911 Joe, your chicken coop arrangement sounds wonderful. Some nice thought and design went into it for your chickens. Shortening your brooms and rakes for ease inside your chicken coop is a wonderful tip. Sandstone is a great floor for chickens. Thanks for your great comment...VintageGardenGal Joe, your chicken coop arrangement sounds wonderful. Some nice thought and design went into it for your chickens. Shortening your brooms and rakes for ease inside your chicken coop is a wonderful tip. Sandstone is a great floor for chickens. Thanks for your great comment…VintageGardenGal

]]> By: Joe Fosegan http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/03/31/backyard-chicken-coop-roosting-bar-manure-box/comment-page-1/#comment-1905 Joe Fosegan Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:50:20 +0000 http://www.vintagegardengal.com/?p=1845#comment-1905 I didn't see your question and about the sandstone, Bonnie. As I said in my earlier post, I have a short-handled dustpan and miniature leaf rake and they work great. I sweep the droppings into the pan morning and night--never much accumulation. They spend a lot of time out on their "sun porch." The long-handled tools didn't work very well in my small coop. The chickens do pack down the sandstone, but it loosens up easily with a bit of raking. I put in only about 2" of sand; I'm going to bring in some more--they like to dig in it and dust themselves. Joe I didn’t see your question and about the sandstone, Bonnie. As I said in my earlier post, I have a short-handled dustpan and miniature leaf rake and they work great. I sweep the droppings into the pan morning and night–never much accumulation. They spend a lot of time out on their “sun porch.” The long-handled tools didn’t work very well in my small coop.

The chickens do pack down the sandstone, but it loosens up easily with a bit of raking. I put in only about 2″ of sand; I’m going to bring in some more–they like to dig in it and dust themselves.

Joe

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