California - Northern

[lawatt]

We dug trenches and buried 1 x2 welded wire. Goes down 14/16 inches and then comes out another 8 inches. Works well to stabilize lighter structures in windy locations also. We knew we had every chicken eating varmit around and wanted to make it tough enough that they couldn't get in in a single night. Wish we would have put in drainage at the same time though.

i would have buried the wire deeper myself, except we built the coop in July when the ground was rock-hard -- and, when i did research on-line, there didn't seem to be any consensus as to which is "better," wire that goes down into the soil vs. wire that just extends outward -- i think they are equally good.

 

[ChickNmamma]

i would have buried the wire deeper myself, except we built the coop in July when the ground was rock-hard -- and, when i did research on-line, there didn't seem to be any consensus as to which is "better," wire that goes down into the soil vs. wire that just extends outward -- i think they are equally good.

I have built a few coops both ways - and I found the chickens scratched down to the under wire along the edges - and the dampness and their tweaking the wire eventually broke it (not for years though). I started doing the "away from the coop" in a outward skirt - but it still rusts and breaks through where the chickens love to scratch - right next to the fencing! Next time I may go with a perimeter concrete foundation around the coop - but I don't want to forget the french drain to let the water out. Somehow all my yards end up with a big pile in the middle and a trench around by the edges... silly chickens!

 

[cherylcohen]

Stockton Stockton cha-cha-cha! Pips n Peeps started a thread for pre-sales for the Stockton show - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...on-ca-pacific-poultry-breeders-show-1-25-1-27 (yes, I added my available birds )
There is a separate thread for show discussions too - the link above is just for posting available or wanted birds.
Hope to see a lot of you there!

Are you going both days? I'm giving Sarah some tolbunts that she will raise at her place that we will both show

 

[cherylcohen]

ok, my flock of 12 are going to have to say goodbye to their all-female existence -- picked up a beautiful swedish flower hen rooster, 11 months old, from Deann this afternoon -- i think i'll call him Max: hello handsome! the girls are quite perplexed -- half of them are mad (especially frances the most-dominant SPPR and eleanor the basque, who's most-dominant of the younger flock), the other half are in love (especially Daisy the australorp) dixie and ethel do not look particularly impressed... thank you, Deann! Max bounced all around the run, pecking at things and crowing a few times and looking totally bewildered -- hung around for a while after all the girls went up into their henhouse to sleep, but eventually followed them. will see what everyone thinks of the arrangement tomorrow morning!

So handsome

 

[lawatt]

So handsome

thanks -- although, i must admit, he's rather irritating this early in the morning (he actually started at 4:30) -- hoping he'll settle down a bit & not be *quite* as noisy...

 

[cherylcohen]

It's been really sad liquidating all my beautiful breeder birds but my passion for my backyard flock has been renewed. Quite a few of my pullets are getting close to lay and my anticipation for a full eating egg basket has returned. I'm excited to be able to give them all names again.

Sarah is bringing me two of sir Giles babies for my flock. So excited about their addition to my very spotted and speckled flock!

Abby my old speckled Sussex that always goes broody at least twice a year still has 5 of the show quality babies she hatched following her around, they are 4 months old and HUGE, at least they don't all follow her into the nest box anymore! She had been trying to lay with 5 fat birds all sitting on and around her!

The waterproof run has become a muddy wet mess. Next up trying to diagnose the issues with the French drains and leaking roof

 

[cherylcohen]

Congrats Jason. Looks like a fabulous property

 

[cherylcohen]

thanks -- although, i must admit, he's rather irritating this early in the morning (he actually started at 4:30) -- hoping he'll settle down a bit & not be *quite* as noisy...

Good luck with that! Maybe sedatives?

 

[cherylcohen]

Also if there are NorCal peeps on here that would like to continue my work with my line of Mille Fleur leghorns can you send me another PM? I've been getting overdosed in emails and my meds don't help in the memory department!

I'm only charging for them because I want to make sure whoever gets them is really serious about continuing the work. I probably have 6 amazing trios available.

 

[cherylcohen]

Oh I'm such a blabber mouth this am! My last son now 20 finished his auto mechanic schooling at the top of his class and got invited with a full scholarship to be in the BMW school in Phoenix. So proud it was his dream. He left at 5am to drive to Phoenix. I miss him already but with all my boys I'm so happy to kick them out so they can follow their dreams