Animal welfare and miscellaneous enclosure design topics

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
He also built the house I live in, with lumber that was cut here on the farm
The house was built in 1895

Front:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k238/Bearfootfarm/FrontView_edited.jpg\\

West Side:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k238/Bearfootfarm/House003.jpg

Southeast Corner:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k238/Bearfootfarm/House007.jpg

Gorgeous home!! How cool to live in such a place!

 

[Lumenos]

Quote:
I'm raising my first chicks. They are about 2 months old now. They are somewhat larger than if they were just eating their chick starter. They were in a wire pen outside but after schellie69 comments I'm letting them free range when I'm not out there, sometimes. But I don't have any protective dogs so this is riskier. In the pen, they sound like they are whining after a while, if I don't let them out, even though they have chick starter, grass, and clean water. They have got some weeds and other stuff to hide under. Probably not enough though. I'm more worried about the big gray cat than the hawks. Humm I think I'm going to put them in their pen now, at least till they start whining and maybe I get some other opinions... They were all by the pen and went in when I put their food and water in there.

In the house they have four boxes that are connected, but they are outgrowing these. When I put them in, they seem to whine for a while, until they get used to it again. I'm making a temporary coop in the garage. They should be in there in the next couple days. I don't know if a raccoon, skunk, or opossum can squeeze though a wooden garage door, or if a dog or coyote may get in there in the morning when the doors are open. (It is not my house so I don't have much control over this.) It is basically four 4' x 8' standing up longways. Not impossible to dog-proof but...
Quote:
I considered a hot wire instead of a floor (also for a hog panel hoop coop) but there is a risk of fire. I use a lot of mulch and the weeds may dry out. My current coop plan is much smaller so 1/2" hardware cloth is not too expensive for floor, although I am considering putting it on the cement to avoid that cost.

Quote:
I would not have wanted to be one of my pets!

I was never taught to respect animals, but now I refuse to buy animal products from those who seem to maximize profit through cruelty. I've seen some documentaries like Earthlings, but I'm not really certain how the animals lives were, who were used to produce the products that I could buy. Now that I have my own chickens I can see and hear them on a daily basis, and try to judge from that.

It is not just a matter of how much you are willing to pay to protect them. It is a matter of whether freedom is worth risking one's life. I mean, I might be able to connect the roof of the house to the wall with hardware cloth, but that much money could support many chickens or humans. To me, death doesn't seem to be such a negative thing for an animal, so long as it is quick and unexpected. I'm more concerned with the quality of their life.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
I'm raising my first chicks. They are about 2 months old now. They are somewhat larger than if they were just eating their chick starter. They were in a wire pen outside but after schellie69 comments I'm letting them free range when I'm not out there, sometimes. But I don't have any protective dogs so this is riskier. In the pen, they sound like they are whining after a while, if I don't let them out, even though they have chick starter, grass, and clean water. They have got some weeds and other stuff to hide under. Probably not enough though. I'm more worried about the big gray cat than the hawks. Humm I think I'm going to put them in their pen now, at least till they start whining and maybe I get some other opinions... They were all by the pen and went in when I put their food and water in there.

In the house they have four boxes that are connected, but they are outgrowing these. When I put them in, they seem to whine for a while, until they get used to it again. I'm making a temporary coop in the garage. They should be in there in the next couple days. I don't know if a raccoon, skunk, or opossum can squeeze though a wooden garage door, or if a dog or coyote may get in there in the morning when the doors are open. (It is not my house so I don't have much control over this.) It is basically four 4' x 8' standing up longways. Not impossible to dog-proof but...
Quote:
I considered a hot wire instead of a floor (also for a hog panel hoop coop) but there is a risk of fire. I use a lot of mulch and the weeds may dry out. My current coop plan is much smaller so 1/2" hardware cloth is not too expensive for floor, although I am considering putting it on the cement to avoid that cost.

Quote:
I would not have wanted to be one of my pets!

I was never taught to respect animals, but now I refuse to buy animal products from those who seem to maximize profit through cruelty. I've seen some documentaries like Earthlings, but I'm not really certain how the animals lives were, who were used to produce the products that I could buy. Now that I have my own chickens I can see and hear them on a daily basis, and try to judge from that.

It is not just a matter of how much you are willing to pay to protect them. It is a matter of whether freedom is worth risking one's life. I mean, I might be able to connect the roof of the house to the wall with hardware cloth, but that much money could support many chickens or humans. To me, death doesn't seem to be such a negative thing for an animal, so long as it is quick and unexpected. I'm more concerned with the quality of their life.

I don't think you need a big dog to protect your chickens, I have smaller dogs that will chase off cats and other animals that don't belong in the yard. I do have a fenced in yard that they free range in all day its not covered but so far have not lost a chicken to a predator I think a coop/pen like was posted on here is a great idea this is similar to my pen/coop set up where I keep their water and feed then I let them out at 7am and lock them in at night. they do have some things that they can run under if a bird of prey where to come by so I don't worry to much about that I have plans to make a movable hoop trailer when I get my farm for my meat birds and will have my others free range depending what what size of farm and such that i buy when we move to Texas next year. I think there a lot of great coop ideas and pen ideas for just about everyone one here and the ones that have had chickens for years seem to know what they are talking about so I listen chickens are not always the smartest creature in the world but I think they do learn to hide and flee from a predator I hope you find the right coop/pen for you and your chickens,