Anyone have luck catching a feral chicken?? UPDATE: Rooster caught, no hen

[FlyingNunFarm]

@apryl29 @Suzi18 In the snow belt here! I feel ya on the blowing, drifting, driving, never ending snow!

Apryl29 where about in NE Ohio are you?

 

[apryl29]

I use quikrete all purpose sand in the coop. It's pretty cheap. Not to long ago I pushed all the old sand with little pits of poop I can't pick up out into the run. It's dirt and weeds so the kids had fun scattering the sand around.

Do you leave a non sand space for your bird to dust bathe, or do they just dig a hole? My girls have made a couple spots in the run, but do most of their bathing under some pine trees when they're free ranging. Obviously the free ranging will stop for the most part during winter. I was thinking about putting a couple dish pans of dirt in the coop for them to roll around in.

@apryl29 @Suzi18 In the snow belt here! I feel ya on the blowing, drifting, driving, never ending snow!

Apryl29 where about in NE Ohio are you?

I'm kind of southeast of you, over in Garrettsville. We occ get the snow belt stuff, but we get spared most of it.

 

[Suzi18]

@apryl29 @Suzi18 In the snow belt here! I feel ya on the blowing, drifting, driving, never ending snow!

Apryl29 where about in NE Ohio are you?

I'm in Sandusky.

 

[apryl29]

You get a lot of lake effect too, don't you? We're far enough away that we just get the edge at times.

 

[Suzi18]

You get a lot of lake effect too, don't you? We're far enough away that we just get the edge at times.

Yes we do.....we are right on the edge of the snowbelt so we don't usually get hit as hard but we certainly get our fair share

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

@apryl29 Their run area is hard to describe. There was already a permanent run attached to coop but it had no roofing or way to attach any. It is mostly dirt and big tall weeds. What I call Jurassic Park.
To protect them from above I bought a carport from Amazon. Found it in the warehouse deals area so not too bad of a price. Then I got game bird nesting to put over the carport frame.
They love to dig big holes under the weeds. Looks like the moon scape over there. I think they weeds suck up the water and provide cover. Much like the pine trees your girls prefer.
I do offer a dirt bath in the coop. I bought dish bussing tubs. Two for $13. I put dirt, sand, peat moss and a few pine shavings in it. They scratch around in it but I've not seen anyone actually bathe. I'm not sure they like my mixture. I may dump it and throw just dirt in it. Or maybe they use outside cause they can... chickens?
(The other from the set I use when they need a soak)

Got 2 at Sams Club

• WIDTH: 21 1/2"
• DEPTH: 17 1/8"
• HEIGHT: 7"

(Use 2 for litter boxes too)

 

[Molpet]

-in the winter mine use a buss tub w/sand and ash in it.... sometimes on rainy weeks.. they prefer their own holes outside.

 

[apryl29]

@apryl29 Their run area is hard to describe. There was already a permanent run attached to coop but it had no roofing or way to attach any. It is mostly dirt and big tall weeds. What I call Jurassic Park.
To protect them from above I bought a carport from Amazon. Found it in the warehouse deals area so not too bad of a price. Then I got game bird nesting to put over the carport frame.
They love to dig big holes under the weeds. Looks like the moon scape over there. I think they weeds suck up the water and provide cover. Much like the pine trees your girls prefer.
I do offer a dirt bath in the coop. I bought dish bussing tubs. Two for $13. I put dirt, sand, peat moss and a few pine shavings in it. They scratch around in it but I've not seen anyone actually bathe. I'm not sure they like my mixture. I may dump it and throw just dirt in it. Or maybe they use outside cause they can... chickens?
(The other from the set I use when they need a soak)
View attachment 1158574
Got 2 at Sams Club

• WIDTH: 21 1/2"
• DEPTH: 17 1/8"
• HEIGHT: 7"

(Use 2 for litter boxes too)

That's exactly what I was thinking. Everyone but my leghorn cockerel loves to dust bath, even my OEBB bantam cockerel has been seen fluffing around in a hole by the trees. I burned up some wood so I have a bag of ash to toss in w/ the dirt. I gets pretty muddy/ wet here in the winter/ spring and I can't see them being happy about not having their dirt to play in. I thought about just using a couple of the nesting boxes on the floor that they don't use, but then the dirt would probably end up coming out the cracks.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

That's exactly what I was thinking. Everyone but my leghorn cockerel loves to dust bath, even my OEBB bantam cockerel has been seen fluffing around in a hole by the trees. I burned up some wood so I have a bag of ash to toss in w/ the dirt. I gets pretty muddy/ wet here in the winter/ spring and I can't see them being happy about not having their dirt to play in. I thought about just using a couple of the nesting boxes on the floor that they don't use, but then the dirt would probably end up coming out the cracks.

The bus tub works remarkably well. It's deep enough they don't throw stuff too far out of it. And it's heavy duty enough they haven't damaged it. No tipping either.

 

[Suzi18]

Mine tend to dust bathe right inside the run...in the sand. I've never seen them dust bathe anywhere else which is fine with me. Easier on my garden and landscaping.