Well I hpoe I don't get to long winded but I want to thank every one for there help now I find it was just opening night gitters. Sheepish started me on the right track and the rest of you joined in to pull me through. When it rains it pours I went to the local feed store (30 miles away)and picked up some health grit and some more feed (starter for layers)and meet a nice lady rose who was a costumer also She had ordered some bantams from McMurry instead of 25 she received 100 1/4 didn't make it but still had to many so she gave me five. My 4 I started with were the sane age and doing well bright eyed and curious eating and drinking well but the bantams dont look as well so i put together another small pen today better eating rolling in the dirt and grooming in the warm sun I'll wait a for a bit befor i put them together. One more question that 31/2 foot per chicken is that just in the coop. I'm at nine now and my coop is the one in Countryside Nov/Dec 1998 roof is 4'/8'plywood (why cut) I think that should work with a big run. Always look forward to your posts

Thanks again!! Shaun

P.S. Gerbil you taught Sheepish well.

-- shaun cornish (shaun-terri@juno.com), March 17, 2000

Answers

Hey Shaun!

I have been wondering how your little flock is doing. Sounds like ok. Sheesh. I have heard 2 bad things about mailorder chickens lately...I think both from McMurray, too. Wonder if it's shipping, receiving or???

Our henhouse is about 8 X 6 and our hens are pretty crowded. I think we have about 2 dozen these days. Of course all they do in there is sleep on roosts and lay eggs (altho we only have 6 nest boxes). They have an enormous fenced yard (30 x 40 I think) and they can free range on our 5 acres of pasture. I think we have broken the square foot rule (did you say 3 1/2 feet per bird) but our hens are ok. However maybe they could be doing better maybe if not so crowded.

Hope your banties do well. Those guys can fly! You might need to contain them with a high fence ( I think 6' might be the minimum), or else you can clip a feather. We didn't do that when we had banties, but I am sure someone here can tell you how to do it!

Keep in touch!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), March 17, 2000.

Shaun, the 3 1/2 feet deal is when they are under constant confinement. That is the minimum space needed for large size chickens when they have no access to anything else--no run, no free range, etc. The larger chicks were probably pushing off the smaller bantam chicks and not letting them get food, water and adequate heat.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), March 17, 2000.