new arrivals

[sip64]

hi just took delivery of my 6 new chooks this afternoon.put them all safely to bed this evening but i was wondering what you do with the food trough and water container at night
also my run as a fence that is about 6 ft high would my girls be able to fly out over it
thanks in advance

[RedThorn]

congrats on your girls. Can we please have some pics We usually leave the food out, and only bring in the water at night if it's gonna freeze. As to the fence, I've not heard of a chicken flying that high.... I think the longest recorded flight of a chook is 13 seconds.......

[Birdie Wife]

My minorca cockerel flew over a deer fence 10' high last week (he noticed I was dishing out the wheat ). Mine would never go anywhere I think if it weren't for the cockerels leading them astray If they were frightened they would have a good go but unless you've got a flighty breed like a light bantam breed then I'd say your hens will probably be absolutely fine.

[sip64]

i have 2 sussexs,2 bluebelles and 2 warrens and ill try to post pics as soon as possible

EDIT: oh sorry but forgot to ask about grit, do I need it?

[RedThorn]

thanks loonking forward to them

[Suechooks]

hi just took delivery of my 6 new chooks this afternoon.put them all safely to bed this evening but i was wondering what you do with the food trough and water container at night
also my run as a fence that is about 6 ft high would my girls be able to fly out over it
thanks in advance

I hang my feeder up under cover and just raise it higher in case of rats - mine are on an allotment so rats are there anyway but I think leaving food around will encourage them - found one nesting behind a straw bale a few weeks ago! In freezing weather I up-end the drinker and loosen the base and put it into the loose straw in the covered run. Stops it from freezing. Otherwise just leave it out.
Your chooks may not fly over a 6' fence but a fox will climb in unless you take precautions to stop it.
As for grit - if you're using a layers pellet it usually contains enough grit and oyster shell plus they'll pick up digestive grit from the ground if free ranging. Having said that I do have a pot of mixed grit for mine which they do eat so really it's up to you!

[vicky]

I leave my drinker out in the run and the feeder inside the coop...watch out for attracting rodents wherever you leave it!
One of my girls can fly onto the roof of the coop - about 6fy - but she has never flown out of the run and the wire is the same height.
Congrats on the girls - and where's the piccies?

[sip64]

hi still no pics yet to take anybut i was too "eggcited" to take any because they laid 4 eggs and they have only been here 24 hours.
regarding the run i have put a lid on it today

[jamjellybina]

Congrats on your new girls, I'm new to this myself so hopefully we'll be just as taken as everyone else here seems to be.