Arizona Chickens

[nurseronda]

New and improved Chick Hotel:

 

[nurseronda]

Quote:
Right. The chicken wire is a secondary containment. I have these bad visions of a coyote digging under the fence to get to the coop, so hardware cloth will be doing the heavy lifting. People I know have been having good luck with chicken wire alone, but I just don't trust it. It can, however, do other useful things. Such as keeping the birds out of the garden!

Whoa! I was about to put chicken wire over the dog run fence because a chicken keeping neighbor did the same and hasn't had a problem with predators since, but I need to rethink this. I knew chicken wire was flexible and wondered about the bobcats being able to rip it open... But what exactly is hardware cloth made of that it will keep big paws from dessimating my birds again?

 

[squeakyballs]

Quote:
Right. The chicken wire is a secondary containment. I have these bad visions of a coyote digging under the fence to get to the coop, so hardware cloth will be doing the heavy lifting. People I know have been having good luck with chicken wire alone, but I just don't trust it. It can, however, do other useful things. Such as keeping the birds out of the garden!

Whoa! I was about to put chicken wire over the dog run fence because a chicken keeping neighbor did the same and hasn't had a problem with predators since, but I need to rethink this. I knew chicken wire was flexible and wondered about the bobcats being able to rip it open... But what exactly is hardware cloth made of that it will keep big paws from dessimating my birds again?

Thicker wire, welded instead of twisted.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

nurserhonda, nice chick hotel! It somehow reminds me of a miniature shark cage.

Hardware cloth is stronger because of how it is welded (rather than woven like chicken wire). Plus, with half-inch hardware cloth, the number of connections between the wires per unit area are greater, which adds strength. The smaller holes also make it hard or impossible for many predators to fit their paws through to grab at chicks or to pull away at the wire. I should also add a caution about dog run fencing. When I first got my chicks I also picked up two extras and fostered them for a friend (who is also a nurse!) until they feathered out and she could get her coop and run built. Everything went fine for her until she had to take in two dogs from one of her grown children. Within a few days the dogs went through the wire and killed all her chickens. It was devastating to all of us. When I saw the wire and what the dogs had done, I couldn't believe it. I felt really bad because I told her that I thought the kennel fencing would be fine. I've since seen a number of cases just like this in Predator and Pests here on byc. I don't know if all dog run/chain link fencing is created equal (I'm guessing not) and maybe poorer quality of some has something to do with it. I'm not saying don't use the dog run fence, that might be the best trade-off for protection and cost for you. I think it is best to arm yourself with as much information as you can.

 

[5pinkarrows]

Y'all are making me nervous. My coop is all chicken wire, and then the bottom 4 feet also has rabbit fencing. We just used what we already had around the house. I thought the two together would be able to keep out predators and that those kinds of predators wouldn't be trying to get in above 4 feet. We have had coyotes try to get in, but were not successful. Are bobcats smarter? We live way out and we are the only house on the street. There are an awful lot of critters out here. The good thing is that animals like bobcats seem to be more shy here. I know they are here, but I have never seen one in 6 years. Do I need to completely rebuild the coops? And where do you buy hardware cloth?

And Laree, I love watching Dirty Jobs. That guy is perfect for that show. My favorite episode is the one where they had to make the snakes throw up and he kept getting bit. There is nothing as funny as someone in pain.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

5pinkarrows, What you use to fence your coop/run has to be a trade-off between your potential risk, the price of the materials and the risk you are willing to accept. For some people, it may balance out in favor of chicken wire. You just have to keep in mind that you've increased your potential risk with that choice of fencing. That doesn't mean you'll necessarily always lose your animals with such a tactic--your risk is just higher. I think that for a lot of applications, 2" X 4" galvanized welded wire is a good option for the price. It'll perform reasonably well against most things. I have not yet seen photos of anything tearing this kind of wire here on byc (although I may have missed it--it doesn't seem common at all). You still have the issues of grab-through, but that can be dealt with smaller opening wire strategically placed. Maybe 2X4 welded wire with chicken wire over top is a good option for some. Hardware cloth will likely always be the option with the lowest potential risk, but it is pricey. I should note that I always drool over the 1/2" X 2" 12 gauge galvanized welded wire that I see at O.K. Feeds, but the price will take your breath away. Keep your eyes peeled at garage sales, estate sales and CL for people getting rid of their wire. The great thing about wire is it doesn't have to be new, used works pretty well too. Home Depot and Lowes also sell it. I'm not sure if your run is covered, but keep in mind that a 6' fence wouldn't even slow down a coyote or bobcat from leaping over it. My guess is that bobcats are pretty smart.

Another thing to consider. You can have the most predator proof coop possible, but it all won't mean a thing if you free-range and if you forget to lock them in at night. I have to keep reminding myself of that everyday. I'm sure that is how I'll suffer my first loss. But like a lot of us here, it seems to be a risk I'm willing to take. They just love to wander around the yard.

 

[LarryPQ]

Okalie dokalie-

So it DID freeze last night, so I am very glad I covered all the plants.

When I went to uncover all the garden plants, the stoopid broody dove in the garden flittered away, and I got to see its new chick! The little thing must be braaaaand new, because it hadn't even fluffed out yet. There had been two eggs, but since it was still cold out, I didn't investigate any further. I wanted the momma to come back and warm poor baby up.

Here is the ode to the stoopid broody I wrote last week:
http://thehenway.com/2011/04/03/broodies-broodies-everywhere/

I will get a pic once the sun starts warming that portion of the garden.

 

[squeakyballs]

I enjoyed the ode, Laree! I love your blog. You are hysterical!

 

[constance]

Quote:
Nice! I thought about getting Blue Andalusian chicks at one time. They are beautiful birds.

Is that a dining room chair I see in the background?

 

[LarryPQ]

TT! :

I enjoyed the ode, Laree! I love your blog. You are hysterical!

Thanks! You should have seen how ugly the little dove was, all wet and grody. They have black skin, like silkies.

Haha! I've started relating EVERYTHIGN back to chickens.


Random facts about dove-ish rat-birds:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/lifehistory​