Xerocles
Songster
My first time to post here. I have been following BYC for about 5 months, and a member for about three months.
At the request (bribery) of my GF, we bought six Easter Egger chicks the first week of April. I live on a small rural estate in South Carolina. And I have no experience with chickens. But I enjoy research, and new things. So I spent countless hours perusing all the information on BYC. I built a 16 ft by 16 ft run (1/2" hardware cloth) (covered) with a 4 ft wide wire apron and a 4ft by 6ft coop with three laying boxes. I have no knowledge of predators in the area, but short of wolves, bears, or mountain lions, I anticipate a full range of predation. I am suitably paranoid. The chickens stay inside the Run 24/7. Although last week I built a 4 ft by 10 ft tractor, (daytime use only) which I am gradually introducing the chickens to, so they get some grass time. The gate of the run is secured with a hasp and a screw-type carabiner, as is the door for the coop. Open at 7 a.m. and closed after the chickens go to roost, between 8 and 8:30 p.m.
Now for the complacency part. I looked out my kitchen window this morning to discover my 6 chickens wandering around the yard. Also, somewhere in the yard, was my 50 + pound dog who has been introduced to the chickens, but certainly not trusted. Immediately the dog was invited inside the house. She is an inside / outside dog. Then upon inspection of the run, I discovered the entry gate was ajar. I had gotten into the habit of closing the hasp without inserting the carabiner during the daytime. I presume that somehow the hasp had come loose and the wind blew the gate open. No harm, no foul. The dog didn't eat the chickens, no hawks swooped out of the sky, and Ricky raccoon was not standing by mid-morning to attack. But I did mention I'm paranoid? What if? Anyhow, a handful of food and the chickens headed right back into the Run. And the hasp is secured with a carabiner. And henceforth always will be. Complacency. It can be a killer.
BTW. Many thanks to all the people here on BYC for all the knowledge that I have gained from this forum. Invaluable. Side note. Even though I didn't especially want the chickens, they outlasted the GF. So now the chickens are my full responsibility. I understand the Forum is for questions and I haven't asked any. But this is been a long introduction, and I do have one question that I have not seen introduced on the Forum. As soon as I post this, I will then post myquestion.
At the request (bribery) of my GF, we bought six Easter Egger chicks the first week of April. I live on a small rural estate in South Carolina. And I have no experience with chickens. But I enjoy research, and new things. So I spent countless hours perusing all the information on BYC. I built a 16 ft by 16 ft run (1/2" hardware cloth) (covered) with a 4 ft wide wire apron and a 4ft by 6ft coop with three laying boxes. I have no knowledge of predators in the area, but short of wolves, bears, or mountain lions, I anticipate a full range of predation. I am suitably paranoid. The chickens stay inside the Run 24/7. Although last week I built a 4 ft by 10 ft tractor, (daytime use only) which I am gradually introducing the chickens to, so they get some grass time. The gate of the run is secured with a hasp and a screw-type carabiner, as is the door for the coop. Open at 7 a.m. and closed after the chickens go to roost, between 8 and 8:30 p.m.
Now for the complacency part. I looked out my kitchen window this morning to discover my 6 chickens wandering around the yard. Also, somewhere in the yard, was my 50 + pound dog who has been introduced to the chickens, but certainly not trusted. Immediately the dog was invited inside the house. She is an inside / outside dog. Then upon inspection of the run, I discovered the entry gate was ajar. I had gotten into the habit of closing the hasp without inserting the carabiner during the daytime. I presume that somehow the hasp had come loose and the wind blew the gate open. No harm, no foul. The dog didn't eat the chickens, no hawks swooped out of the sky, and Ricky raccoon was not standing by mid-morning to attack. But I did mention I'm paranoid? What if? Anyhow, a handful of food and the chickens headed right back into the Run. And the hasp is secured with a carabiner. And henceforth always will be. Complacency. It can be a killer.
BTW. Many thanks to all the people here on BYC for all the knowledge that I have gained from this forum. Invaluable. Side note. Even though I didn't especially want the chickens, they outlasted the GF. So now the chickens are my full responsibility. I understand the Forum is for questions and I haven't asked any. But this is been a long introduction, and I do have one question that I have not seen introduced on the Forum. As soon as I post this, I will then post myquestion.
Hi, Xerocles, and welcome to the Forum. That is without a doubt, hands down, the best intro I have ever seen here! Sorry about the GF, but sounds like you're doing a great job chickening! And good dog, by the way! 
