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Hi there poop-ranchers. We recently acquired some backyard chickens hatched and I want to share! We started with two (Lucille Bluth and Ann Perkins) and added a third (Nadja) that was hatched from my dad's flock. He had an extra pre-fab coop kit that we are still using. Lucille and Ann on their first day:  I have a Ring camera someone gave us and had that in the coop for the first few days to keep an eye on things. Eventually I replaced that with outdoor wireless Nest cameras (which started me down a home assistant/automation journey):  Outside of the coop I created a run area with PVC and plastic netting. Here is Nadja added to the group. She was picked on for a few days but everyone gets along now:  Recently we've started to let them roam around the yard. At first just before dusk and with close supervision:  Lately we've just let them out during the day if someone is home and they are getting more adventurous, digging dust bath holes, climbing on the patio furniture, and making GBS threads everywhere:  Today I noticed Ann digging around in our raised herb bed:  During one of my regular checks I found a little surprise:   And we have eggsign! Next I want to establish a better run structure and look into a rainwater collection system for their water. I have a leak-detector sensor to measure their water level in one of their tanks but it needs more work.
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Oct 4, 2023 19:51
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| # ¿ May 4, 2024 02:44 |
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I have some stuff coming today to heat our small coop as its forecast to drop to 30 F tomorrow night. Also:  In other news all 3 of our birds are now egg laying machines!
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Oct 31, 2023 16:07
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That is terrifying! We tried to do something similar. This started out as your standard triangle-features jack-o-lantern: 
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Nov 3, 2023 02:54
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Does anyone else sometimes just stare out a window at their chickens and think: "These are some weird, dirty rear end, goofy birds that are just constantly making GBS threads all over my stuff and loving up my mulch. I really do enjoy watching them though. I wonder if they pooped out another egg for me. I should give them more worms." Because this is what I do for at least an hour most days now.
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Dec 2, 2023 06:55
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Get you some, boy
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Feb 2, 2024 01:17
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One of our birds has figured out how to jump the backyard fence. She tries to jump the fence every single time we let them roam in the yard. They are on coop arrest now and it sucks. We really want to let them roam around and explore but we can't have them escaping the backyard. I'm looking into tunnels around the perimeter of the yard now. Dumb rear end birds.
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Feb 14, 2024 06:35
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BaronVonVaderham posted:I also jacked it off... enjoy. I'm here all night folks.
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Mar 12, 2024 02:28
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freeedr posted:Guys I know this is crazy, but I feel like I can share this with you. Is it crazy? Or is it crazy to make your own pog slammers to put on your "chicken shoes" (aka poo poo shoes)? I'm told these are called jibbitz but that name is stupid and I refuse to use it. My wife now has a pog slammer kit: 
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Mar 16, 2024 22:13
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We did a thing yesterday. More specifically, a tunnel thing. Our hens now have a perimeter tunnel that goes around about 1/2 of our backyard fence. Now we can let them sorta range a little bit without them eating the entire garden and plant beds! Pretty pleased with how it turned out, and the ladies seem to be, too:   We'll be planting bunch of things along the edge of the fence to give them some shade, snacks and protection. We have a bunch of big hostas that we can split and transplant. Any recommendations for plants to add? Hostas, lavender, and rosemary are on the short list right now. There is some mint growing in one section already, and I hope they'll help keep it in check. We also moved the coop/run trailer park into a shadier part of the yard. It's been getting hot here and their coop has been in the upper 80s. This is where the tunnel connects to the coop and their current setup:    And a short video. I love their waddle when they hear the worm bag: https://i.imgur.com/5bALwu7.mp4 Next project: solar-powered PC case fans for better airflow in the coop! I have some parts but either my fans need too much power or my solar panel isn't providing enough juice. BaronVonVaderham posted:I have some news.....our impending hatch will be live streamed!
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Apr 14, 2024 17:05
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Egg magic is happening on stream
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Apr 15, 2024 03:04
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Joburg posted:This looks really great! Thanks! I like the idea of something vining over the top. Appreciate the suggestions. e: chicken for new page 
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Apr 16, 2024 16:10
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| # ¿ May 4, 2024 02:44 |
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Joburg posted:All 5 have hatched, one is fully feathered so it is probably from the White Rock rooster we had at the time these were laid. Two are still in the incubator drying off and three have graduated to the brooder. pouring one out for the two in the incubator
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Apr 18, 2024 23:01
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