Hens scared off when yard pole falls

Just a quickie from the other day when a PVC pole fell down that was holding up a sagging tarp. I went back into the feed to find out what made it fall so I could get it right the next time.

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Oh no! It scared someone right out of the nest box

That’s a nice big chicken coop, beautiful chickens.

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Thanks. The one on the left is the first coop we got for a dozen chicks (my daughter & I went in on it together). Someone had made it with plastic tarp sides that go up and down. I can walk inside with no problem. I keep this side up most of the time because the winds will blow rain in, and so we can see into the nesting boxes better when looking through the cam.
The one on the right I built and is half the size that’ll fit 6 chickens comfortably. I put the door at the end so I can grab eggs from 2 boxes and step inside if need be.
The box in front of it that the hen was scared out of is a dust bath box, with sand, dirt, diatomaceous earth, and ashes.
I’ll stand outside that window (outside of the fencing) when I have to chase Dottie out of that coop at night. There screening just below the roofing goes all the way around the coop.

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That’s awesome!

Question about the dust bath box. Our coop of pretty large for 8 chickens, and there’s hay and dirt on the floor.

Do you provide a dust box just because, or is the floor of your coop not good for bathing. If so? Is there any other info yoy have on how I should be doing a dust box? Thanks

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The coops are for sleeping and laying eggs. When they’re roosting they poop a lot, and I don’t want them dust bathing in that during the day.
I did have a kiddy pool in the run with the first, sand etc., and they used it. But when the back tarp caved in, the pool flooded because I didn’t have enough holes on the bottom for drainage. I got it out of there and still need to clean it out yet. They do get a little poop in there too and the rain made a soup out of it all. I’m giving it some time to make sure the tarps won’t cave in anymore. I have three canopies under the tarps now, along with some poles strategically placed in saggy areas. They’ve been dust bathing on the ground, but I like the added ingredients and the kiddy pool keeps it all contained.

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That’s a fun setup, bet the ladies love it :smiley:

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They’re spoiled. I have several milk crates sitting in the yard sideways so that when I want to sit down I just tip them back. Some of them come and jump up on my lap for hugs and petting. I have a 100’ (electric) moveable chicken fencing around the yard. That gives them all plenty of room to play in. And most of it is covered with 20’ tarps and bird netting.

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Awe, they must be so friendly! We “trained” ours to come running for food when we go BOCK BOCK BOCK!

Just make that noise everytime you feed them for less than a month. They catch on real quick!

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Haha, yeah I trained them to come when I say chick chick chick. And if I shake a plastic cup with something in it they come running too. They learned that when I gave them dried soldier fly larvae. Not it’s scratch.

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This is quite interesting and informative, almost to the point where I’m thinking of…

…reading more posts about it. :slight_smile:

Alas (seriously) we don’t have enough room between us and our neighbors in an urban neighborhood to house the girls (code)…

I LOVE BOCK BOCK BOCK!

Tried this in the clubs as a kid. Didn’t work. :wink:

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:rofl:

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Haha, took me a second to realize what kind of clubs you meant. :woman_facepalming:

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@AnnWithAPlan

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Bahahaha

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