tinamiller1
Chirping
- Aug 3, 2020
- 20
- 31
- 71
I have done extensive research on coops and really wanted something mobile. I have a 30-acre farm with about 15 acres that are wooded. We have lots of critters and predators. Have a feral dog family the dog catcher will not come and catch. I have gone around and around about safety. I have decided to go with the Omlet, the very large one with the largest run as well as the largest walk-in run. I have read their reviews and there are a few bad ones between 2009-2013; however, they were design issues that seem to be rectified. For the most part, people love the safety and security. I ordered my stuff from them over a month ago and it was just dispatched today. That is fine. I did my planning so I ordered my 6 Rhode Island chicks a few weeks ago from McMurray. They were born on the 15th of July 2020 and they arrived on the 17th. They are near three weeks old and full of energy. Trying to fly. Trying to roost. Love to eat from my hand and love mealworms. I watched the setup video of the Omlet and do see a few issues that concern me. The first is the opening in the run area seems a little large. I have decided to put hardware fabric around it where the holes are like the size of a dime. Fill in where I believe something could slither or run in. The next issue I have is raccoons. I have read they cannot open the levers as they are set up on the hen house; however, I am still leary about it. I saw one of the members here got some of that wired strand stuff and put it through the venting areas and back around with a lock on the outside of the nesting area and I see where that could be done to the back. I also opted for the automatic door. I also have five predator eyes. Placing at varying levels. I purchased a dog barking alarm that is motion detected. I bought motion detector floodlights that are so bright I am thankful I am off the beaten path because they would wake the dead. I am wondering if there is anything else I should consider for security. I will have my shotgun ready in case I need to shoot a predator. Oh, I also have a motion detected WiFi Camera to watch the coop and notify me. I have just read horror stories especially about raccoons riping chickens to shreds and I just will lose it. The 2nd day I had the babies I noticed one was hobbling and after research and online vet advice who stated cull her (slipped tendon), I found a bird vet two hours away. Took her and found out a sprain. Got Metacam. Came home and they are going to be 21 days old on Wed and she is doing great. I gave the online vets a piece of my mind and one said, this is a $5 dollar chick. You drove four hours, took time off from work, and spent $82 on a $5 dollar chick? I reported this vet to the state she is licensed. She has no business being a vet with that lack of care for life. My husband told me even before I got these chicks I would not have the heart to kill them when they stop laying and use them for food and boy, was he right. I am going to buy another coop and have two. One that will be senior housing and the other newbies. I will let them live out their lives and that is that. So, any other security recommendations would be great.
