Recent content by GeauxLSU

Yesterday was my wife's birthday. We have a partial fenced in yard and during the day I let our chickens out to free range and lock them up at night in their coop. Yesterday before church I let them out but did not let our two dogs out as they tend to bark (beagles) at every critter that comes...

Well we went with option 2. Some fussing and skittishness by the new addition but I believe everything will be well soon enough (fingers crossed). Thanks all.

OK, we are BRAND new to chickens. Plus we are having to have them in our neighborhood as 'inconspicuously' as possible.... We only got 3 to keep it manageable but wanted a little variety in color, so, in July we got a Black Copper Maran, an EE (blue layer) and an Olive egger. Well, the OE...

You're going to miss an opportunity for a frozen ice statue predator?

Great! I'll be interested to hear how it works out. Video from a motion activated trail cam would be awesome!

A light alone will NOT scare off most predators. How about?.... http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS

Thanks. We don't have weasels or minks. Like everywhere we do have rats but I can't say I've ever seen one in daylight hours. It would be awful to lose any. Ugh.... back to Home Depot I suspect... not like I don't know the way and they don't know me by now....

It's just inconceivable to me that anything would climb the fence during the day. Hasn't happened in 15 years but of course we've never had chicken bait. Other than snakes, what could defeat welded wire? On the other hand what's a few MORE dollars...

Thanks. It'll be a little tight as the layout will have them needing to walk under the perch to get to the nesting boxes but I think I can get 20" or so overhead and have enough for them to walk under. Half rounded half flat it is!

Thanks! (It actually looks better in 3d and I did pleasantly surprise myself) Inside right now is just a free standing (or sitting) divider for 4 - 12x12 next boxes. Need to get a perch figured out and installed. Not the best pic but at least you can see the flush drop down door for egg...

Thanks for the welcome and the links!

Newbie with related newbie questions. 1) I thought I read somewhere the perch was supposed to be rounded to help "prevent foot problems"? 2) How much distance from roof of coop to perch should be allowed? (Full size hens). Coop is 99% done. Waiting to install perch and wire fencing.... and...

Well.... knowing absolutely NOTHING about keeping chickens but always wanting some, and it being against county codes, I did what any mild mannered suburbanite with zero construction skills would do. Went out and bought a few chicks and built a coop. The trio... Supposedly a green...