Can chicks sense predators???? Or are they just having me on???

[socks]

Thanks Ivan3 for that info, going out to bet betadine and some more polysporin and will look out for the lidocaine. and I'll look for some polyvisol vitamins minus iron....read that somewhere

I couldn't sleep last night fearing another attack so went out and brought everybody back into the basement suite in 3 separate containers (one the melon box I had but hadn't used). It's a good thing because while I had the rugs down on the floor my husbands defense system (poor guy done in the pitch black at 1:30 p.m. after a hard day of slaving over the run) would be merely snickered at by coons.

Right now everyone is outside, the 4 untouched ones in the chicken tractor and the 3 wounded in the melon box, got to check again and make sure no one is picking on anyone but it is kind of dark in the box because of the solid walls and it is under a tree.
We are now in the process of rethinking the coop and run and if there is a way to enclose the coop in the run or extend the run to enclose the coop. The coop is just a large but strongly built rabbit hutch which apparently sat under a coon tree for years with no break ins (I guess rabbit parts don't stick out the bottom through the wire????). It seems like even if the coon can't get in it could terrorize the chickens so we really don't want it being able to get within swatting or hopping on the coop range.
We aren't builders (but husband has experience at hoop greenhouses and we chose that style for our run) so thought this was the best cheap solution but obviously we will pay for that choice as I have ordered another 100 ft of 1" hardware cloth (will double it up and stagger it for the bottom 3ft of the run).
I will be putting pics up of it soon on my page. sorry, pretty disjointed post....distracted and distraught. Who knew I would love my chicks so much!

Should I be continuing with the betadine or polysporin??? sorry I know I should search for more answers but have B&B guests coming and have to prepare for those 'critters' too

 

[ivan3]

You can combine water with betadine (make a `tea' - just pour in until you can't see through it) in a small spray bottle or apply with clean material (heck they're little - daub on with Q-tips). Yes, after cleaning apply polysporin/neosporin.

Check out the COOPS subject line and nose around - lots of good ideas on what and how to build.

Glad I caught your post, have a better day!

 

[socks]

just added two pics of coop and run under construction, your comments appreciated.

 

[NotTheMomma]

HUGS! What a trying time for you and your chick lucks.

No idea why I started calling them chick lucks, but it works.

Ok, looking at your coop and run. No reason at all that coop can't sit inside the run. Just pick it up and sit it down maybe in the middle of the run, so nothing can reach it through the run. BTW, what type of wire are you using over the hoop? If it's just bird netting, it won't stop a predator from getting in. If you put hardware cloth only on the bottom, and still have netting, the predators will just climb up the hardware cloth, and get through that way. You might be better off just buying some electic fencing, and putting it around the entire run, with the coop inside the run. That way nothing could get in, unless it decided to start digging way out, and go under, which would be a very rare thing to happen! Looks plenty tall for that to happen. And what a nice, large run they have! I'd plant a tree or two in there. You know, the small kind, like a dogwood or similar. Anyway, with the coop inside the run, and the hardware cloth over that run, your plan should work well. Granted you'll have to go into the run to get the eggs, but I think that's a good trade off for having a safe coop.

BTW, are those arching buildings hard to build? I'd like one to keep the tractor in, and another to have for the horses to hang out in if they wanted.

Hugs, and good luck.

 

[socks]

I must be hooked because the first thing I want to do with my lottery win (oh yeah, I'm planning on a nice fat windfall any day soon

) is spend it on a truly impermeable, I'm talkin' unscaleable cement walls, 24 hour guards (o.k. kidding on the the guards) coop and run.....in the meantime, as it has been a very rough week financially (vehicle, don't ask!!

) I am stuck with my reality.

We are using 1" hardware cloth on the run which we also intend to double up staggered to make it smaller on the bottom 3ft....Believe it or not I am still leaning towards not putting the coop in the actual run, I do want it to be honkin' big (even planned on doing a split run that I switch every 6 or so months....maybe even planting half of it in the summer.....ahhhh the dreams of a newbie you say, yep! that's me).

The reason why I don't want the coop in there is, it would have to be smack in the middle to open (the run is really only about 7ft high) as it opens from the top.. Also, the icky poo factor i.e. them roosting all over it and going potty (eek!) all over it and yes the gooey shoe thing. But also I think we will probably need extra support for the run because of snow load. Half at least we intend to tarp or something like that but even without that I have heard that the snow will build up on the hardware cloth so we intend to put supports down the middle....oh, not to mention that coop weighs a ton!!

I really do want a gracious big run (trees sound like a great idea! They wouldn't trash it?? Would I get any fruit if I put a dwarf apple in or would they eat them??)
I have begged a knowledgeable friend for advice/help on the run as I really want to either extend it over the coop in the form of a squared off addition or continue the hoop and hopefully he will come through as we need some building intervention.

Nothemomma, to be honest if you have access to 'cattle panels' that is the way you should probably make your hoop house. They look easier to build and stronger. Unfortunately everyone I have called here has gone 'duh?' when I mentioned the panels and the cost of getting them to me when I find them would likely be prohibitive. The other really intersting alternative is using a trampoline broken down into a semi circle. I have some pics from another byc-er again for the strength factor and you can find these things free (you don't need the cloth or springs just the frame of a large round trampoline). We wanted to do that but couldn't find one in time. If you don't have any snow then the pvc thing should be fine and you can email me so I can send you a bunch of links for hoophouse greenhouses.

Well I'm not sure if I cleaned the chicks up enough today, I didn't have the heart to scrub their wounded feet so I ran warm water over them and then stood them in a betadine/water solution as per ivan3 and them swabbed them with the polysporin. Not sure how long to keep them separated from the others.....maybe I follow my mom's old rule "if you are well enough to fight you're well enough to go back to school"

Well thanks everyone, don't know what I would do without your good advice and support, so far books have failed me and this forum is amazing...just trying to get a good knowledge base for those winter days when the power goes out and I don't have you (oh, also the reason why I am not too hot on electric fencing but then....maybe I could use batteries...)

um....sorry this is soooo long