Colorado

[cosbackyard]

How did it get in? Did it tear the fencing? Inquiring minds.....

Our neighborhood still has alot of 3' chain link fences between yards. You can see them in the pic below.



So it's pretty easy for a bear to get around. I was planning on upgrading to six foot fences this spring but it's just now warm enough to dig post holes! So the fence starts this weekend. Sure, a wooden fence won't stop a bear but it'll at least have to work to get in.

 

[coloradogal]

Our neighborhood still has alot of 3' chain link fences between yards. You can see them in the pic below.



So it's pretty easy for a bear to get around. I was planning on upgrading to six foot fences this spring but it's just now warm enough to dig post holes! So the fence starts this weekend. Sure, a wooden fence won't stop a bear but it'll at least have to work to get in.

What kind are they? I'm so sorry as I lost a big portion of my flock about 5 weeks ago.

 

[cosbackyard]

What kind are they? I'm so sorry as I lost a big portion of my flock about 5 weeks ago.

Those little guys are my khaki campbell ducklings. At 10 weeks old they're fully grown now. And very demanding when I get home from work. They really like being let out of the run

 

[Natural Mama]

I need your experienced opinions. I only have 2 birds. They are 6 weeks old and look fully feathered in my opinion. The low tonight is going to be 53F. can I start leaving the girls outside overnight?

 

[Pozees]

I need your experienced opinions. I only have 2 birds. They are 6 weeks old and look fully feathered in my opinion. The low tonight is going to be 53F. can I start leaving the girls outside overnight?

Yes, they will be fine I understand your concern with only the two of them, but if they are in a closed coop at night they will be fine.

 

[Pozees]

As usual my pictures did not come out very well, but I was too lazy to get out the Canon and boot the desktop its memory card fits into, so taken with my phone. 2 of each bird, with lots of nosy pen-mates These are the two Cochins.


Pullet

Pullet

Cockerel

Cockerel

 

[gardendufus]

Well, spent all day working on the coop. Does it EVER end? Put up a second roost as I figure 8' of roost will not be large enough for 13 birds, even tho my 6 ladies and 7-8 week olds all fit on one at the moment.

Removed the stuff I put up last year to provide some shade. 2 layers of stuff. Some of that cheap orange barricade fencing from Home Depot (that turned out not to work as well as what Wendell has) and then, when I got desperate, I went to ARC and picked up some sheets and just put them on on top of the orange stuff. Actually the sheets worked really well, lasted most of the summer and all winter, but finally started breaking down this spring.

So, then I put up some shade cloth I bought from the Tek Supply Remnant page. It's a 70% filter, and I think I like it. Not sure I shouldn't have gone for 80% or 90%, guess I will see how they do with it. Now I like to say that I have learned to do most anything around my place myself. I built my coop. I do my own plumbing. Yada Yada. It may not be fast or pretty, but I can get it done. BUT, I sure would have liked an extra pair of hands when I was dragging and lifting that 20 X 9 piece of shade cloth around, trying to get it over my 6' run. Whew was I glad when that was done.

So last night 4 of my 8 week olds got brave enough to get onto the roost with the big girls (well, actually they have gotten on before, but not been allowed to stay). This time they stayed. It was really kind of cute. 3 hens on the roost against one wall. 3 hens on the roost against the other wall. 4 babies right in the center, with lots of empty space between the 3 groups of birds. Tonight I went in and the lineup was 2H..4 babies...4H. I couldn't stand it so I picked up the 3 remaining babies and put them in the center with their broodmates. Then I sat there for about 1/2 hour watching everyone negotiate who was going to end up where. Woulda been easier if the babies would have settled for the second unoccupied roost, but who am I to interfere with chicken politics. Hopefully I wake up early enough tomorrow morning to sneak out and see how it all ended up.

 

[suncatcher]

As usual my pictures did not come out very well, but I was too lazy to get out the Canon and boot the desktop its memory card fits into, so taken with my phone. 2 of each bird, with lots of nosy pen-mates These are the two Cochins.


Pullet

Pullet

Cockerel

Cockerel

Nic!. Funny how that Silkie is in almost every picture!!!! lol

 

[samsr]

So last night 4 of my 8 week olds got brave enough to get onto the roost with the big girls (well, actually they have gotten on before, but not been allowed to stay). This time they stayed. It was really kind of cute. 3 hens on the roost against one wall. 3 hens on the roost against the other wall. 4 babies right in the center, with lots of empty space between the 3 groups of birds. Tonight I went in and the lineup was 2H..4 babies...4H. I couldn't stand it so I picked up the 3 remaining babies and put them in the center with their broodmates. Then I sat there for about 1/2 hour watching everyone negotiate who was going to end up where. Woulda been easier if the babies would have settled for the second unoccupied roost, but who am I to interfere with chicken politics. Hopefully I wake up early enough tomorrow morning to sneak out and see how it all ended up.

This sounds strangely like the politicians in our government. All except the finally getting along part.

 

[Pozees]

So, then I put up some shade cloth I bought from the Tek Supply Remnant page. It's a 70% filter, and I think I like it. Not sure I shouldn't have gone for 80% or 90%, guess I will see how they do with it. Now I like to say that I have learned to do most anything around my place myself. I built my coop. I do my own plumbing. Yada Yada. It may not be fast or pretty, but I can get it done. BUT, I sure would have liked an extra pair of hands when I was dragging and lifting that 20 X 9 piece of shade cloth around, trying to get it over my 6' run. Whew was I glad when that was done.

So last night 4 of my 8 week olds got brave enough to get onto the roost with the big girls (well, actually they have gotten on before, but not been allowed to stay). This time they stayed. It was really kind of cute. 3 hens on the roost against one wall. 3 hens on the roost against the other wall. 4 babies right in the center, with lots of empty space between the 3 groups of birds. Tonight I went in and the lineup was 2H..4 babies...4H. I couldn't stand it so I picked up the 3 remaining babies and put them in the center with their broodmates. Then I sat there for about 1/2 hour watching everyone negotiate who was going to end up where. Woulda been easier if the babies would have settled for the second unoccupied roost, but who am I to interfere with chicken politics. Hopefully I wake up early enough tomorrow morning to sneak out and see how it all ended up.

Wow, shade cloth can get heavy at that size, good job! Tell me about this Tek Supply Remnant page? Must go search ...