I started converting my shed into a coop

[RiddleMe]

Even though I'm avoiding white birds now, I'd still like to get at least a pair of Lakenvelders some day.

You could always try golden lakenvelders, I got my first one this year at the local feed store, so some of the hatcheries must be carrying them now.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

The wire got stretched to some posts, so I could start working on the run again. It's bigger now, so I don't have enough chicken wire to keep them in. Yesterday my neighbor saw someone about to throw a bunch of screen in a dumpster, so he got it for me;



This morning I put a row of it along the bottom of the 4" wire, so it'll keep them in the run. After that, I started using the wire to cover the run. I only got part way done, and had to quit because of the heat, and my back acting up. I'll be out there again in the morning though.





The run is roughly 30'x12' now.
More room = more chickens? Hmmmmmm

I have water available for them at four different places. One is behind the house, and I use the hose to refresh it each morning. Since it's so hot right now, I did it three times today. Here they are enjoying the cool water;

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Since the nest boxes are on the floor now, I don't use the egg door anymore. I removed the door, covered the opening with hardware cloth, then reworked the door. It's hinged on the top now, so I can prop it open, to provide more ventilation while still protecting the opening from rain. Here's when I'd just finished installing the hardware cloth;

 

[Nyowpotopop]

Chicken wire won't keep out coyotes, foxes or coons.

 

[TinkyFeathers]

Chicken wire won't keep out coyotes, foxes or coons.

Don't they usually come at night? As long as you lock up the birds it should be okay. That's what I do and I've never lost any, only to a weasel that dug under the fence.


Rvl - your coop and birds look awesome!

 

[Nyowpotopop]

Well, O.P. was saying she was haviong chickens being taken while free-ranging during the day. The chick wire will prolly slow the predators down and she'll have fewer losses but believe me that foxes coyotes and coons come out during the day and can break through chicken wire (if not just jump over it!).

 

[Bullitt]

A dog that is trained not to bother the chickens is a good way to keep away predators like foxes, coyotes, racoons, etc. And the chickens are safe in the coop at night.

I see a large roll of wire in that picture of your chicken run. Are you planning to use that wire to cover the run?

I understand that you do not want to work in the heat. It has been very hot all over the United States.

A run that is 30 feet by 12 feet is 360 square feet. Divide that by 10 square feet per chicken, and that means your run is big enough for 36 chickens. I do not know if your coop is big enough for that many chickens though. You need about 4 square feet per chicken in the coop. I would guess that you could easily have space for 20 or 25 chickens. That would be a lot of eggs. That might be too many eggs.

 

[TinkyFeathers]

Well, O.P. was saying she was haviong chickens being taken while free-ranging during the day. The chick wire will prolly slow the predators down and she'll have fewer losses but believe me that foxes coyotes and coons come out during the day and can break through chicken wire (if not just jump over it!).

Oh i see what you mean. And actually I have two big dogs so they probably do keep a lot of predators away since their coop is right next to the kennel.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Chicken wire won't keep out coyotes, foxes or coons.

Well, O.P. was saying she was haviong chickens being taken while free-ranging during the day. The chick wire will prolly slow the predators down and she'll have fewer losses but believe me that foxes coyotes and coons come out during the day and can break through chicken wire (if not just jump over it!).

They're locked in the run from about 7:30am when I open the chicken door and let them out of the coop, until anywhere from 10am until noon. They free range the rest of the day, until I lure them back into the run with treats at around 6:30pm. That way I have them reasonably secure from the predators who are more active at twilight, sometimes I get a last minute egg or two before they roost, and I close them in the coop between 7:30 and 8pm. (Current time; obviously adjusted in Winter and DST).

The run isn't done yet, so predators could still get in there, but it'd take some work. When it's not hot like this, a lot of the time they're in the run, I'm sitting at the picnic table with a rifle. I like watching them, and if I see any predators (like if that fox returns) I'll shoot them.

Oh, I'm not a she.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

I like how your coop and your flock have evolved. It looks like you are doing a great job. I love the wire wall inside the coop. I'm sorry you've been hit with such losses, but your new rooster knows what he's doing.

I like to free range my flock for at least part of the day as well, knowing that there may be losses, but I think they enjoy their chicken-lives more because of their freedom to do natural activities. I think many decisions in life are about deciding where you stand in the freedom-or-safety spectrum. It would be fantastically safe to live in a concrete bunker, but for some reason my cats, dog, and husband refuse to stay in one.