Coop Two Point OH!

And … LOWER! We finally gave in to our reservations about the high poop bar and perches in the big coop. After trying ramps – then hay bales – then steps – then various levels of shelving … I realized that what I REALLY NEEDED was to lower the roosts!

Prior to this the perches and poop bar were way up at window height. When the Orpingtons would jump down I would hear WHOMP! after WHOMP! after WHOMP! They are sooooo big – and heavy! Landing sounded painful. But the shelving and ramps to help them down really took up too much space. It is much more open now – with lots of room for feeding and drinking and hanging out.

This means the nesting boxes are on the floor. They love using the covered kitty litter boxes. Gives them a bit of privacy and a cozy place to snuggle down into. Paddy had double duty today. He was answering the calls of every hen who felt anxious about the ‘newbies’ – and he was running interference between any spats that popped up as they established the new pecking order.

The ‘Aunties’ (Red Sex Links) called their quarantine DONE yesterday. No matter how many times I ‘helped’ one back into their area another would pop over the fence and into the main paddock. They were right into the main coop, through the jenny’s barns and in the faces of the older hens.

All this time I thought I was protecting the Aunties from the Orpingtons! Turns out they are JUST FINE out in the main mix. Funny how different they are from the first pair I brought home two years ago. Maybe it is because they are a group of five? They sure are a lot more confident. I had given them the screened in area at the end of the coop that had been Audrey’s brooder pen. After one night of having the screen in place they busted that idea down tonight too! They were having nothing of being separated.

That all works just fine. Audrey and her chicks are quite happy to be in their own coop. Once those little ones are too big to squeeze through a 2 inch by 4 inch hole they’ll be out checking out the woods.

The Brahmas have graduated from their central coop and covered run to the outdoor run. They are so leggy!! Reminds me of ostriches running around! 😉

They are at the gangly stage where their feathers are just coming in. They look a bit of a wreck.

They are friendly and talkative. A nice background while I’m doing my chores. I’m guessing that there is at least one rooster … maybe two. I am going to keep wishing for just one … I hate having to send roosters off to stew pots. The little guy who stands out keeps watch over the other eight. He could be a keeper.

This week’s efforts have pretty much been all about the birds!