Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

Cash Larue , I think I recall you bought pellets at a Big R. Do you have chickens and feed this brand I believe they carry too?

 

We had bears in Bellvue (next to Livermore) in the mountains, but I'm on dry plains here, have not seen or heard about a bear here. It was sad, during the multi decade drought a starving bear went by our house during a Labor Day BBQ we had, broad daylight and he didn't look good. My poor neighbor in Bellvue went to crazy lengths for his chickens but bears just tore through the electrical shock and even cattle gates on the cattle panels Here the preditors are raccons, a couple Martins, eagles and yotes. Oh, and of course skunks for doggie There was a badger, but a neighbor's dog attacked it (jerk, he told him to) and the next morning husband saw him run over on the road, can't help but wonder if he ran it over too. Anyway husband went to a feed store near his work and found pellets for less, still Rocky Mountain (boo) but so convenient for him. I was asking chicken food because my hens stopped laying in September, and feeding Country Companion. We're trying a new brand (poss Purina?)

I don't blame you for not tempting the bears with chickens/eggs. I didn't either in Bellvue though I could have had the coolest set up!

 

No worries Just thought I'd ask incase you did feed that chickens and if they stopped laying. Never mind

 

Hi LC Still not one egg for 4 months now. Turns out there are zero wild game bird nor high protein chicken feed in this town. Husaband finally picked up some crumbles for me, 20% protein. I ordered game bird food from Chewy, should be delivered any time now. He also bought a bag of mash that I'll try as scratch soon. Even the pullets hatched last March arent' laying.

 

Thanks guys 4 hens will be 3 y/o this spring. the other 4 will be 1 y/o this spring. The older ones layed through the last two winters, though less than summer. Unfortunately I don't have a plug open for a light, nor able to go out there to turn it on/off. I'll ask the chicken caretaker (kiddo) to add mostly cracked corn to their feeder.

 

I have a heavy duty extension cord with 3 plugs on the end, heated water pail, infrared heater and panel heater. But moreso all the dust that flies around in the coop with electricity makes me uneasy. No worries, I'm going to up the protein and carbs (cracked corn) and cross my fingers and wait for longer days. BTW, the Chewey order I put in last week is still "prepping for shipping". Weird.

I bought all the fixings for the coop after WWW bought it 2 summers ago, automatic door and electrical kit with wiring and 2 outlets, and light fixture for the ceiling for a ceramic heat lamp. All still in boxes in the garage

 

Just collected some eggs!! It's been awhile since kiddo looked, so many or all were frozen, but they're laying again, atleast a few of them.

The Chewy food is still in the box on the stoop , so must be a mixture of longer days, the mash, and another treat I bought (seeds, fruit, worms mix). My rooster and 2 older hens kick/scratch out all the bedding in the nesting boxes.

Tonight the low is single digits, 10 day forecast says 20'/30's for low, Hopefully our buying eggs days are over.

 

I asked for organic eggs last week and he said they were $9/dz at Safeway.