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

[Redhead Rae]

Well, I'm off to bed. Catch you all in the morning!

 

[TexasSam]

Yay, I'm not the baby!

 

[CSAchook]

Well, I'm off to bed. Catch you all in the morning!

Good night

 

[Sassysouth]

It’s done got cold!!!! Brrrr

Air conditioning today, heat tomorrow! I have had on rain gear, shorts and fuzzy pj’s. Typical AL weather!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

You could us a tarp on the run but I would think you would need to remove the snow once a day. My question is will the chickens be okay to range in the snow

My run doesn't have a real structure to it. I used a carport frame to hold up netting. It came with a top to use but I'm afraid the snow would be to heavy.

I would think they would be fine. If they get cold they go inside. More concern would be if they can't move quickly enough to escape predators. I've heard of people shoveling paths and throwing straw down over the snow. That wouldn't work well here. I'd do it one day and it would be buried the next.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Partner In Chickens! (In this case, her child )

See guys, I pay attention! I just have an unfortunate tendency to lurk

Buuuut since we are playing an age game, I am .... 29!

My chickens hate the snow too. I am going to build them one or two of those cattle panel green houses so they can stretch their legs a bit and we can keep their food and water warmer

Cattle panel greenhouse?!? What the what?!?

@TexasSam PIC is my 8 y/o kiddo. He became my established PIC (Partner in Chickens = Partner in Crime), when my 4 person family, to include my 72 y/o mother AND my DH, went outside one night to put eggs under our broody pullet. I told EVERYONE to be quiet about a thousand times... yet the only one who could follow directions and keep their mouth SHUT was my kiddo. He goes outside with me every morning to put food out for the Nuggets (our 2 week old hatchlings), our main flock of FlufferButters and Littles, AND our newest hens, the Brat Pack. OH, and Assless.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

My run doesn't have a real structure to it. I used a carport frame to hold up netting. It came with a top to use but I'm afraid the snow would be to heavy.

I would think they would be fine. If they get cold they go inside. More concern would be if they can't move quickly enough to escape predators. I've heard of people shoveling paths and throwing straw down over the snow. That wouldn't work well here. I'd do it one day and it would be buried the next.

Aren't carports built to be used in all weather? So, I'd think snow wouldn't cripple it. but slide off before it became too heavy...

 

[Sassysouth]

This may be a dumb comment or question. Why do chicken coops need to be so big if chickens spend most of their awakening time outside? Mine slept and laid eggs in the coop and that is it. I think I am trying to justify my small coop.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

This may be a dumb comment or question. Why do chicken coops need to be so big if chickens spend most of their awakening time outside? Mine slept and laid eggs in the coop and that is it. I think I am trying to justify my small coop.

For stretching I'd guess. It's *only* 4 ft of space per chicken, but that 4 ft really makes a difference!

 

[CSAchook]

This may be a dumb comment or question. Why do chicken coops need to be so big if chickens spend most of their awakening time outside? Mine slept and laid eggs in the coop and that is it. I think I am trying to justify my small coop.

I *think* the idea is that in most climates, there may be days when the hens can't or won't go outside. So they need enough indoor room. I personally also keep my feeders in my coop so there needs to be enough room at chow time too. Not a dumb question though! I had an itty bitty pre-fab coop I used to house bullies during integration. They seemed just fine in the small space Now that they all live in the same coop though, I am grateful the "littles" have space to get away from the "bigs"