Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[armorfirelady]

Bee, Fred & Walt......... I have been taking your advice & making improvements to my coop/run area...........

Yesterday I made up a new larger run for them..........I used 2-50ft fences and used what I had around the house to make it. I thought of Bee when she said be creative. Its in their favorite area they liked to go to when I let them run free. Now they are more secure & have more room to run. I figure the shepard hooks can be used to hold a waterer for them in their new run.
There is netting over the top of the run. Its hard to see in the picture. Thats what the shepard hooks are doing is holding the roof netting up.

Comments/suggestions ?




The tarp was for a make shift shaded area. But with the high winds we had yesterday as I was setting it up the girls wouldnt go into the run.They didnt like the flapping noise it was making. It was close to 90 & I wanted to make sure they had a shady area. I plan on making a more pernament lean to for them soon.
They will also have use of the veggie garden as a run at the end of the season.

Next project for this week is a roof for the old run & close in the coop

 

[galanie]

Yeah that tarp flapping scares them good till they get used to it. As you've already learned, tarps have to be secured really well. And a hold poked in the low spots for rain to drain through so water doesn't collapse them.

 

[Goober1201]

Hi everyone may I join your thread?

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, Fred & Walt......... I have been taking your advice & making improvements to my coop/run area...........

Yesterday I made up a new larger run for them..........I used 2-50ft fences and used what I had around the house to make it. I thought of Bee when she said be creative. Its in their favorite area they liked to go to when I let them run free. Now they are more secure & have more room to run. I figure the shepard hooks can be used to hold a waterer for them in their new run.
There is netting over the top of the run. Its hard to see in the picture. Thats what the shepard hooks are doing is holding the roof netting up.

Comments/suggestions ?




The tarp was for a make shift shaded area. But with the high winds we had yesterday as I was setting it up the girls wouldnt go into the run.They didnt like the flapping noise it was making. It was close to 90 & I wanted to make sure they had a shady area. I plan on making a more pernament lean to for them soon.
They will also have use of the veggie garden as a run at the end of the season.

Next project for this week is a roof for the old run & close in the coop

Nice!!! Here's a way to have your shade without the instability of the tarp making a racket. I'd take some chunks of that wood and place supports, then I'd take those pallets and place them up on the supports, then I'd take that tarp and lay it flat over the pallets and fasten it down snug to the pallets. I'd place it right out in the middle over that brown spot and then I'd not worry about placing netting over this run...the chickens will have a "hide" to scoot under for hawk predation.

Unless you've actively seen hawks diving on your birds and such, the hide in that small of an area ought to suffice. Especially if you leave a dog outside all day, roaming around their territory...seems to keep the hawks from getting too daring if you have a dog running around.

 

[armorfirelady]

Nice!!! Here's a way to have your shade without the instability of the tarp making a racket. I'd take some chunks of that wood and place supports, then I'd take those pallets and place them up on the supports, then I'd take that tarp and lay it flat over the pallets and fasten it down snug to the pallets. I'd place it right out in the middle over that brown spot and then I'd not worry about placing netting over this run...the chickens will have a "hide" to scoot under for hawk predation.

Unless you've actively seen hawks diving on your birds and such, the hide in that small of an area ought to suffice. Especially if you leave a dog outside all day, roaming around their territory...seems to keep the hawks from getting too daring if you have a dog running around.

How high up should the pallets be? Just enough for the full sized hens to get under I am thinking? I dont normally leave the dogs out when I am gone. They would spend most of their time trying to get into the chicken run lol I hear hawks in the are but none circling above. There is some netting over the top just not in the middle

 

[Beekissed]

About 20" to 24" high oughta make for comfortable comings and goings under there. Will also allow them some room to scratch up a good dusting spot there. If you can throw some wood ashes in that spot, even better.

 

[armorfirelady]

About 20" to 24" high oughta make for comfortable comings and goings under there. Will also allow them some room to scratch up a good dusting spot there. If you can throw some wood ashes in that spot, even better.

Wood ashes? I have tons of those all winter (if u cant tell from my wood pile lol) Does it help with their bathing and to keep mites, etc away? Could I put some in their enclosed smaller run to? I am using the deep litter method in their and love it.

 

[Beekissed]

Wood ashes? I have tons of those all winter (if u cant tell from my wood pile lol) Does it help with their bathing and to keep mites, etc away? Could I put some in their enclosed smaller run to? I am using the deep litter method in their and love it.

Yes, it helps. They also will eat them and it can help any intestinal pests they may have. I would place some in the smaller run also...put some in one of the dusting spots and not in another and see if they won't use the wood ash one more. They do. Wild birds will eat the ashes also, if you notice.

I even place some in the nesting boxes.

 

[normanack]

Nice!!!  Here's a way to have your shade without the instability of the tarp making a racket.  I'd take some chunks of that wood and place supports, then I'd take those pallets and place them up on the supports, then I'd take that tarp and lay it flat over the pallets and fasten it down snug to the pallets.  I'd place it right out in the middle over that brown spot and then I'd not worry about placing netting over this run...the chickens will have a "hide" to scoot under for hawk predation. 

Unless you've actively seen hawks diving on your birds and such, the hide in that small of an area ought to suffice.   Especially if you leave a dog outside all day, roaming around their territory...seems to keep the hawks from getting too daring if you have a dog running around. 

I never thought of that -- a hidey-structure. Genius!

I kept re-fastening my old sheets over part of the chicken pen as the wind undid knots and ropes as soon as I re-tied them. Even a fairly light wind put a lot of force on them.

I suspect my flock would end up sunbathing on top the hideyhole as tasty sunbaked treats for the hawks. . . . but I'm going to make one anyway and see what the chickens do with it.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: The flat surface may tempt them to do this.....you could try making an A-frame "hideyhole" if you notice them using the platform to sunbathe.