c/backyard-chicken-keepers

My neighbor's comment about my coop floor made me switch from straw to sand

I used deep litter straw for three winters, dealing with the damp smell and heavy cleanup each spring. She mentioned her sand floor stays dry and just needs a quick sift, so I swapped last fall. Anyone else find sand way easier to manage in a wet climate?

1 comments

terryallen•10h ago

I called total nonsense on the garlic in water trick for chicken mites

For years, I saw people online saying to crush garlic into their flock's water to prevent mites. I thought it was pure old wives' tale stuff, no better than waving a crystal over the coop. Then, last summer, my girls in Austin got hit hard with mites right during a heat wave. I was desperate and didn't want to use chemicals in that heat. I crushed two whole bulbs into their 5-gallon waterer as a last-ditch effort. Within three days, the scratching had almost stopped. I checked under wings and the mites were gone. I still don't know the science, but I can't argue with the results. Has anyone else had a weird home remedy actually work when you were sure it wouldn't?

2 comments

marknelson•14h ago

Looking back on my first coop build versus the one I just finished

My first coop, built about five years ago, was basically a wooden box with a door and some chicken wire stapled to a frame. I thought it was fine, but I spent a ton of time cleaning it, and the girls seemed stressed in bad weather. This spring, I built a new one with a raised, slanted floor and proper hardware cloth over every opening, even the small ones. The difference is night and day. Cleaning takes half the time because everything just slides out, and I haven't seen a single sign of a predator trying to get in, not even a raccoon paw print. It cost me about $200 more in materials, but the peace of mind and the extra hour I get back each week is worth it. Has anyone else made a switch like that and been shocked by how much easier it made everything?

2 comments

emma_perez•2d ago

Vent: My aunt used to think my chickens were a phase, but now she asks for eggs every Sunday

It's funny how she went from rolling her eyes at the coop to texting me egg recipes every other day.

2 comments

jessicajohnson•2d ago

I chill my fresh eggs before making breakfast, against common advice

Everyone in my local group says to use eggs warm from the nest for cooking. I think cooling them down first gives me way better results for things like quiche. The texture just comes out smoother every time.

2 comments

the_elizabeth•4d ago

Warning: Plain cooking oil sorted my hen's leg mites in a week

My barred rock had those rough, crusty legs from mites. I coated them with regular cooking oil each day after letting the kids out for school. The gunk sloughed off and her legs smoothed right out. Cheap, simple, and it saved a vet call.

3 comments

grace197•5d ago

Got the feed bins sealed up tight at last

Spent the afternoon putting lids on all the grain containers. No more mice getting into the chicken food, which is a huge relief.

3 comments

umabailey•6d ago

My niece decided our rooster needs a bedtime story

My niece came over last weekend and saw our rooster, Clucky, pacing in the coop before sunset. She got it in her head that he was afraid of the dark and needed a story to settle down. She dragged a little stool right into the run, opened her picture book, and started reading 'Goodnight Moon' out loud. Clucky just stood there, cocking his head, while the hens peeked over from their perch. My brother was watching from the porch and laughed so hard he spilled his drink. Now, my niece asks to visit every evening to read to the chickens, and Clucky actually seems to cluck less at night. I guess we have a new family tradition, even if the neighbors think we're nuts.

3 comments

daniel_patel27•7d ago

DAE think free-ranging chickens hurts more than helps the land?

Everyone says letting chickens roam is great for the environment, but mine tore up the soil and ate all the good bugs. I switched to a fenced run that I move around, and my yard's actually recovering now.

3 comments

jenniferlane•9d ago

TIL my tight coop policy was missing the point of keeping chickens

I used to never let my hens out, thinking it was safer to keep them penned up all day. But lately, I've noticed more folks in my neighborhood just open the coops in the morning. I chatted with someone down the street who said her birds are calmer and lay better with some room to roam. So I started letting mine out for a few hours, and now I get it. They seem so much more content, and I feel like a better chicken owner.

3 comments