Connecticut!

[wantedman66]

How big is your run?

 

[jan12]

How big is your run?

One is about 4x4x6 feet tall, and the other is about 10x10x7 feet tall. All sides are covered except for the doors.

 

[wantedman66]

One is about 4x4x6 feet tall, and the other is about 10x10x7 feet tall. All sides are covered except for the doors.

I can't enclose mine it's to big and open on top but I did build a small overhang for them to come out if they want,but my coop is 10'x13 and when it's snows they prefer too stay in anyways.

 

[jan12]

I can't enclose mine it's to big and open on top but I did build a small overhang for them to come out if they want,but my coop is 10'x13 and when it's snows they prefer too stay in anyways.

Nice big coop! I wish I had one that big! Nice on days when they don't wanna go outside. How many chickens do you have?

I'm going to be building a complex of 4 coops/runs - 24x12 - in March! Gotta get my carpenter on I have a bunch of eggs coming and some incubating right now - and chicks coming too. I have plans for breeding/developing a few rare breeds.

 

[ll]

"chicken moat" - - - thank you very much for that bit of info !!

We are so

glad it wasn't worse too *nods* was definitely scary.
We're are viewing the unfortunate event as a warning sign to us to be more careful.
I used to look up for hawks every 30 minutes if they were freeranging, I've admittedly been slacking on this since Autumn ended. I wonder if those aprons with the eyes painted on work well.

Our run is 8'Wx8'L, hen house is an 8x10 shed and we're prepared to stay in a while, bring on the snow! We are predicted to get alot. My girls don't care for walking around in the snow and are content to stay in the coop & scratch around the chopped hay. I dumped an extra bag of autumn leaves in their run area yesterday. The leaves I dumped are from a massive oak type, wide and rounded, I wish I had mulched/crunched them down a bit first because they are way too fluffy. With only a few girls, they don't break down fast at all.
Very much loving our clear tarp from mytarp.com = good luck with yours.
How did your rooster heal from his frostbite? Did you use anything to prevent that didn't work?
Did you use something to help heal it?
I put this on if the forecast says single digit weather:


BabyGanics non-petroleum protective ointment with vitamins AD&E

 

[jan12]

I

"chicken moat" - - - thank you very much for that bit of info !! We are so glad it wasn't worse too *nods* was definitely scary. We're are viewing the unfortunate event as a warning sign to us to be more careful. I used to look up for hawks every 30 minutes if they were freeranging, I've admittedly been slacking on this since Autumn ended. I wonder if those aprons with the eyes painted on work well. Our run is 8'Wx8'L, hen house is an 8x10 shed and we're prepared to stay in a while, bring on the snow! We are predicted to get alot. My girls don't care for walking around in the snow and are content to stay in the coop & scratch around the chopped hay. I dumped an extra bag of autumn leaves in their run area yesterday. The leaves I dumped are from a massive oak type, wide and rounded, I wish I had mulched/crunched them down a bit first because they are way too fluffy. With only a few girls, they don't break down fast at all. Very much loving our clear tarp from mytarp.com = good luck with yours. How did your rooster heal from his frostbite? Did you use anything to prevent that didn't work? Did you use something to help heal it? I put this on if the forecast says single digit weather: BabyGanics non-petroleum protective ointment with vitamins AD&E

Scary about the hawk!! I'm glad she is ok! I work during the day so I got an electrified poultry fence. And on nicer days I let them out of their run while I'm gone. I worry a bit, but they have some cover. I probably shouldn't let them out while I'm gone, but their run is so small, I feel bad for them. In the spring I plan to plant a bunch of shrubs to give them more cover. Thanks for the tip on mytarp.com! It's working great so far, but the first snow storm test is tomorrow. I'll post some pics when I get a chance. As for my rooster, Greyson, I was using Vaseline every two or three days during the polar vortex. He got a few black areas on his comb, but most of them went away, and only one spike is turning white. I haven't touched it since. I'm afraid to hurt him, and I'm not sure what to do except to wait for it to fall off on its own. I'm not sure I want to put anything on it at this point either. The Vaseline didn't work! Now that I have the tarp around the run, I'm hoping it'll keep him from getting more frostbite. I'll probably add some more pine shavings in the coops as well in the next day or two. Good luck with the snow!! Can't wait for spring already!!

 

[ll]

Aww at the vaseline not working as a preventative! I'm sure the tarp will help, ours definitely breaks the wind's path. I wouldn't touch Greyson's white one either, I think it does fall off & looks raw before healing ~ good luck with him. I'm glad to be using Vetericyn Gel on my girl's slice because it's a direct spray; I don't have to pack neosporin into it = ouch.

After years of "feeling safe" and being "uneventful" I would often leave the girls out if I went shopping too. Always sure to be home in time to lock them up before dark of course. We have tons of bushes & trees and I have patio chairs & a swing & a kids play house and a kids sand table to go under for extra hiding spots. The pile of feathers were right next to the sand table maybe 10 feet away from our patio door.
This event has left us shaking in our boots ~ no more out unless we have the time to keep checking on them. My DH saved her life by being in close proximity. Thank goodness we were home, thank goodness she was screaming to alert us.... I've heard of them being taken quietly too....

Eyes to the sky

 

[jan12]

Aww at the vaseline not working as a preventative!  I'm sure the tarp will help, ours definitely breaks the wind's path.  I wouldn't touch Greyson's white one either, I think it does fall off & looks raw before healing ~ good luck with him.   I'm glad to be using Vetericyn Gel on my girl's slice because it's a direct spray; I don't have to pack neosporin into it = ouch.

After years of "feeling safe" and being "uneventful"  I would often leave the girls out if I went shopping too.  Always sure to be home in time to lock them up before dark of course.  We have tons of bushes & trees and I have patio chairs & a swing & a kids play house and a kids sand table to go under for extra hiding spots.  The pile of feathers were right next to the sand table   maybe 10 feet away from our patio door.  
This event has left us shaking in our boots ~ no more out unless we have the time to keep checking on them. My DH saved her life by being in close proximity. Thank goodness we were home, thank goodness she was screaming to alert us.... I've heard of them being taken quietly too....

Eyes to the sky  

Thanks for that bit of wisdom! I won't be as complacent from now on. Didn't the hawks migrate south or are those that do from farther north? I wonder.

 

[ll]

There is a migration period in the fall - idk if they're from farther north or what.

I did notice that as soon as the days started getting longer that the canadian geese started their pattern flying that they often do near our house.

They "say" that the hawks come back the next day....

So the next morning we were sitting on the bench outside putting spray on her injury and we hear

hawk/eagle/bird of prey-type screaming sound in the near distance.

We look at each other like "did we just hear what we thought we heard or are we freaking out from all this "excitement"? ... and then we look up... and sure enough ~

Above us was a pair of hawks circling over our head while our chicken is in my lap. Those 2 birds started a minute long scream fest - my husband grabbed a couple of pinwheels and waved his arms & they both took off across the sky like rockets. Beautiful birds, lots of white showing underneath.
I wish they were Ospreys that eat fish but nope, Hawks.

Edit: By the way, I looked back thru some pages of posts and your blue eggs are beautiful! Best of luck with those babies

 

[Vamvakas]

I don't understand why people in this state are suffering from frostcomb when I never had a bad case of frostcomb yet and I don't use heat lamps either. It's cold every winter don't know why this year is any different..

Edit: Not trying to be a troll but it's New England and even my Naked Necks don't mind the cold/snow.