Recent content by perkolator

  1. perkolator

    How do you handle dust?

    Ah, sorry I dunno what would work best in your situation if you're trying to keep things that clean. I try to avoid giving myself chores and just add bedding regularly with a deep dry bedding system; I only clean out once a year or less.
  2. perkolator

    Overhead fencing on run is working as intended

    Been hearing and seeing this red shouldered hawk (?) around the property lately. I don’t think he’s quite 100% interested in the chickens, as it’s been out in the yard while they were free-ranging a few times. Fairly small hawk compared to a chicken but very cool looking! It’s let me get within...
  3. perkolator

    How do you handle dust?

    Moisture is one of the only things that will suppress dust aside from using chemicals. Something like a deep litter/moist bedding system might possibly work if your setup allows for it, and would be the least effort on your part. Dust doesn't bother me aside from during a maintenance session...
  4. perkolator

    Run on gravel; how to prepare

    How big of a footprint for this temporary setup? If it's small like less than 8x8, I'd consider just sitting it right on top of the gravel; for cleanup scoop up the bedding and leaf blower the rest off the gravel. If you want a barrier, maybe a permeable barrier like a piece of cloth or cheap...
  5. perkolator

    Extending a run

    If you're planning to build the frame of the new run extension from wood, simply drill some holes through the metal square tube frame, and pass screws through into the wood frame. If that's too much, use plumber's strapping/hanger strap. Could even use J-bolts, zipties, clamps, or many other...
  6. perkolator

    How would you go about dividing this space?

    ^Solid advice there! I too would divide into 8ft bays where the pole structures visually divide it already, likely using HC wall panel if you have extra material; if you don't, you can use cheaper fencing like chicken wire or maybe even netting since it's not the exterior predator barrier. Use...
  7. perkolator

    My yard and coop idea

    The idea sounds interesting, but I'm having trouble deciphering what's going on in your renderings and figuring out where this "chicken moat" is vs planter beds vs coop space - can you explain or label things to clarify? With the mentioned mobility issues, how are you going to fabricate this...
  8. perkolator

    What is a good fire resistant but economical material to build a large quail house with?

    I was going to suggest Hardie cement board too. There are other choices aside from the lap siding, such as the solid panels. Heck, you could probably even just use Hardie backer board, often used behind tile installation, just paint it; it's much cheaper than the other "finished" versions...
  9. perkolator

    Slickly Chicken Bridge

    I used to have a steep ramp in my setup. First I made rungs closer together. Later I elevated the low-side on a cinder block to lessen the angle. Even later, I just eliminated the ramp entirely, in favor of branch "ladders" instead. Everyone seems fine using the ladders, they take up less...
  10. perkolator

    Do your silkies roost?

    I have one silkie, a buff bantam silkie rooster named Pipsqueak. He roosts with 12 full-size hens that all tower over him, 6ft in the air on a tree branch roost bar out in the run. There are branch "stairs" for them to get up/down to the top level, spaced ~12" vertically apart. If yours...
  11. perkolator

    Small shelter within run; material?

    I was going to make one of these this year with a piece of scrap metal roofing that isn’t really big enough for anything else. I was originally laying it on top of the run overhead fencing to give shade. I don’t feel the edges are sharper than other things the chickens are exposed to regularly -...
  12. perkolator

    Coop Roof OSB

    I still have my old chicken coop, and most of it's made with OSB plywood. The roof just has shingles laid directly on top, without any underlayment tar paper. I'd guess the structure is at least 20yrs old. Keep in mind this is CA where we hardly get rain, but I also see MANY house builds in...
  13. perkolator

    Ideas on connecting coop to run? Follow up to first post!

    Make a simple "door frame" so you can have an open section in the middle of the screened wall. Add crossbars horizontally on the run structure at roofline height you want, then add two vertical bars below inline with the width of the coop; fence everything that will be enclosed. If there's a...
  14. perkolator

    16x16 Run Roof or No Roof Suggestions

    A center beam and posts would likely help, yes. 1x2 welded wire should be sufficient for the majority of predators out there, but there are some that can fit through those openings if you have them, such as weasel-type predators. 1/2" hardware cloth is usually the recommended protection from...
  15. perkolator

    16x16 Run Roof or No Roof Suggestions

    Just to add to the comments above....if you're adding more structural components for a roof, you'll also likely want to improve the foundation, since I only see 2x4s and they're in direct soil contact
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