Autumnal Habits - noticing changes?!

[Richard]

There's quite a anumber of new chicken keepers on Forum.

Are you noticing the Autumnal changes, especially cleaning out the housing compartment / shed?

Most chicken poo is done when they're bedded down at night, so the shorter days now mean more poo there!

In a few weeks time, it's all hands to the deck and you're up to your knees in it!

Also, there's a possibility that the egg production may start to waver soon. This can go down a bit during the winter month's and / or, like mine two years ago, didn't lay any atall for over three month's and I had 13 hens at the time!

At least some of the summer buggies start to decrease.

Richard

[T_Steadman]

Forgive me for being so dumb but is autumn also the time for the annual moult? I know that my chickens are being nasty blighters to each other, but the wing area on them looks like the feathers are moulting and I keep finding the clipped feathers around the garden! I also read that the moult can trigger vent and feather pecking.

Is there anything I should be doing at this time? Their coop is cleaned every 2-3 days and rinsed with jeyes fluid, weather permitting, once a week. Is this enough/too much? Should we increase the cleaning rota?

[Richard]

Firstly I'd say you're doing a grand job.

Yes, moulting usually occurs when the days get shorter, but there are always the exceptions.

Broodiness and moulting are the two most trialing times I think.

They do tend to peck each other when they moult, but this is quite natural and as long as you don't have a Hannibal Lecter amongst them, there shouldn't be too much trouble.

The problem is more in the gathering of the feathers.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that not all of mine do moult every year. I think I'd have noticed it more.

[T_Steadman]

I keep a close eye on them throughout the day, as you know, they are being mean to each other lately. But I thought I was going mad when I kept seeing feathers all over the garden!!
At least I know that I'm not seeing things!

What do you mean, "the gathering of the feathers"?

Am I being dumb again?

[Richard]

Cleaning them up!! You go to sweep them or pick them up and they're off!!

[T_Steadman]

Ohhhh. lol

I wasn't sure if you meant the way the feathers were gathered on the actual chicken!!!

Silly me!!!!

I've found that my neices and nephews are young enough, and the chickens new enough to still be a novelty, that they like to pick them up for me and take them home!!
I'm sure it'll be different next year though.

[AnnaB]

Hi Toni
I clear the fecal matter out of the coop every day using a glove!
Mo has posted that she uses a wallpaper scraper if anythings stuck which I now do but only when I am doing a complete change of litter (which is monthly).
As long as you are clearing daily I think you may be making a lot of hard work for yourself (not a criticism)
I do use powders in the coop and nest boxes.
I agree with Richard about the moult sometimes there are loads of feathers (very good for berry bushes) and sometimes not. I am trying hard to totally re feather the new girls in time for the 'winter' although they are quite good this time the last ones were really bare (like Wendy's)

[Richard]

Now as I'm down to 7 chickens, I'm seriously considering burning the larger old 'Nettle Cottage' shed and moving them all into 'Lower Nettle Cottage'.

Although smaller, about 5feet x 3feet, they'd have ample room, but the old shed's getting a bit past it's sell by date.
Some you just can't scrape off!! It's served well for 8 years.

I must admit that's where the plastic sheds and runs are nice, but you need a second mortgage to buy one.

I clean mine once a week, but need to empty their toilet trays almost daily through winter.

[T_Steadman]

As long as you are clearing daily I think you may be making a lot of hard work for yourself (not a criticism)

Thank you for putting that Anna. I have found on forums that it can sometimes be quite difficult understanding the tone in which something has been written, understandably. Although to make ourselves completely understood would be a waste of time and space so I'm not saying that we should all explain ourselves all of the time, either!!

But I digress.........

We use a wallpaper scraper too!! I have tried clearing the poo daily, but I end up taking so much straw with it, that by the time I replace it, I may as well have cleaned it all properly! I am obviously doing something wrong! We powder the coop and chickens monthly (or as we've only had them coming up 7 weeks, we will be) but I really must try harder with the daily clean, because you're right about making it hard work for myself. Not to mention the extra money spent!

Thanks

[T_Steadman]

I must admit Richard, that I liked the look of the plastic ones too at first. And the no red mite worries was a great attraction. But looking at the pics on the website, I also got a brochure too, they didn't look very roomy and the perches were right there as they walked in. I like to think that chickens like roosting high up away from predators, like they always had to in the wild. To me, that's natural behaviour.
Also, I like to be 'traditional' (not old fashioned )in chicken keeping and there's something really rustic about the wooden ones.

Although I am completely biased, because I couldn't afford one!! I am now thinking of Wendy's wheelie bin conversion for when the time comes to replace mine!

[melons]

Apparently........so i've read on their forum, some plastic houses have leaked, I call it teething problems, but sheesh would I be wild having spent 700 squidlys on a hen house to have a puddle in it, I also didn't like the idea of the whole floor being a roost, & people have complained that the hens have to walk over all the 3 nest boxs to get in & out of the nest area, especially if they use the furthest nest area, result....broken eggs :(
So there you go, I am a gossip

Our local guy who supplies the wood for the perches for them, was absolutely amazed at how many they sell......thousands.

mel

[AnnaB]

Hi again Toni
I use the compacted wood (untreated) litter from the pet stores. about £5 a big bag. This will do the 2 coops and nest boxes 3 times and it is very easy to pick out what shouldn't be there.
I did use straw in the past and like you found there was so much waste. I only use straw now in the run (stops me treading in things!)
Best wishes Anna
ps there is a paper one as well but I haven't tried it

[wendy]

Hi.
My hen house is great. It has been through all this glorious summer and not leaked at all. I clean it once a week. It has little shelves at the top where I leave the Mr Muscle cleaner, scraper [which I haven't had to use] dust pan and brush.
I just take some water with me and it is totally cleaned out within minutes. I really feel that, if I wanted I could give it a good go with the high pressure hose, if the need be.
I also take off the poop daily and just renew the straw properly once a week.
I also agree the blessed feathers are a pain. I am sure if I had kept them this year I could have made a duvet or three.
Wendy

[Richard]

Yes, plastic has it's advantages doesn't it.

Someone on here mentioned they converted a Wendy House which I liked the idea of.

The perching high is interesting. Old Nettle Cottage has perches at all heights but they always go for the top one's, about five feet up. They have a couple of flappy jumps to get there as well!
The one's who sleep in Lower Nettle Cottage sleep about three feet up.

I guess they just like air under them, so if you have a lower one it's not the end of the world.

Main thing is they're comfortably and safely tucked up at night.

Let's face it - they'd sleep anywhere!!

[AnnaB]

Yes Richard they would roost anywhere. When I had the 2 girls last year I went into the greenhouse (where they were living) on the first night and found that one had perched on the aluminium staging. I found that so sad as she had come out of battery that day and I didn't know they could perch.