Desperate for sloped run ideas!!!

[Eggette]

Eggette Is that a rabbit I see? The dog kennel is great, I saw someone using the same kind in their coop on a chicken coop tour. You can get lots of good ideas and meet fellow chicken owners. She also had a large plastic storage container in the run with a large hole cut out of the side for the chickens to lay eggs in. So many ideas out there just need more space. And A little flat space would be nice

.

Yes it is a

his name is Buster.

 

[SF411chicks]

The chicks are just so cute! Looks like a chicken paradise, and for you too! It is fun to see other set ups. Looks like you have a lot of space which is nice. Very nice, thanks so much for sharing.

 

[elizmartin]

Angiebubs, Love the lil Favs.looks like girls, oooooh, Would love to see what the Lav-brown chick looks like when older, please share.

I have Eagle and Hawk visitors and have used baling twine with and without old CD's, metalic streamers etc spaced about every 2 feet over the top of my runs. Doesn't scare the robins or starlings from stealing the chicken food though…...

I agree to always put small diameter wire (at least one inch small) around the bottom of the runs 1 foot good, 2 foot better. Mostly to keep any babies from getting out to explore…..Lost several to our cats before i could save them….Also sorta raccoon resistant…lost a young turkey and a pullet from a Raccoon trying to pull through the chain link.

Love the step and sandbox and branch ideas, but do make it easy for you to clean as necessary….think all seasons….dry is nice, wet is yucky.. tall is very good…..took a while for me to learn not to build something i have to bend down to clean. Don't know what Your weather is like but drainage paths are good too.

Bears and cougars, can't do much….so would still do something for the side that would be coyote resistant….chicken wire or netting a no go unless the backyard is fenced besides. Lattice works if the bottom has wire. Look to craigs list for free building supplies….can often find unusual goods..

Keep up posted, i too see lots of potential…..eliz

 

[Angiebubs]

Angiebubs, Love the lil Favs.looks like girls, oooooh, Would love to see what the Lav-brown chick looks like when older, please share.

I have Eagle and Hawk visitors and have used baling twine with and without old CD's, metalic streamers etc spaced about every 2 feet over the top of my runs. Doesn't scare the robins or starlings from stealing the chicken food though…...

I agree to always put small diameter wire (at least one inch small) around the bottom of the runs 1 foot good, 2 foot better. Mostly to keep any babies from getting out to explore…..Lost several to our cats before i could save them….Also sorta raccoon resistant…lost a young turkey and a pullet from a Raccoon trying to pull through the chain link.

Its looking more and more like I may only have 3-4 girls out of the 13!!! And today I noticed sneezing and gurgle sounds coming from the clutch that has 2 of the girls!!! So nervous right now. Have a family bday party tonight-tomorrow I plan on spraying down the coop and possible treating just the one clutch if they appear worse....We have the wettest spring on record and I had issues with the coop flooding at one point. I am afraid there may be something causing the resp. issues. Cross your fingers for me

 

[elizmartin]

Its looking more and more like I may only have 3-4 girls out of the 13!!! And today I noticed sneezing and gurgle sounds coming from the clutch that has 2 of the girls!!! So nervous right now. Have a family bday party tonight-tomorrow I plan on spraying down the coop and possible treating just the one clutch if they appear worse....We have the wettest spring on record and I had issues with the coop flooding at one point. I am afraid there may be something causing the resp. issues. Cross your fingers for me

I would go to you farm store and see what kind of antibiotic you can put into their water,( i use Sulmet liquid) and continue to have some kind of heat situation they can use if they want. I have problems when i have the high/low temperature swings in the summer……good luck

 

[Angiebubs]

So after researching and talking to a few experts on BYC, I am pretty sure that I have issues due to all the moisture this spring in my coop (had flooding in the coop & wettest spring in over 100 yrs). I found a great article on spraying coop down with Oxine and misting chicks. I completely cleaned out the coop (AGAIN) and sprayed the entire coop down yesterday. I have been misting the chicks with Oxine and crossing my fingers.

Here is a link to article if anyone is interested:
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm

 

[Eggette]

I hope your chicks get well.

I have a few who aren't doing well at the moment too due to the wet weather. I'm praying they get well, one is one of my favorite little EE's.

 

[Angiebubs]

I feel bad even saying this but one of the things I am the most upset about with this is: Out of 13 chicks, there are only 3 that I am positive are girls. And of course the clutch that has the gurgling and wheezing contains 2 of the girls. I dont want to lose any chicks....but this particular clutch-the mom is so sweet and it has caused the chicks to be so calm and friendly as well. Update: I am still hearing the sneezing and gurgle sounds but they dont seem any worse-they are still active, eating and no other signs of illness.

 

[SF411chicks]

Angiebubs,
So sorry to hear this! This is my first time having chicks, so I am not experienced enough to be much help. Do you follow the Chicken Chick and Fresh Eggs Daily blogs? They are also on facebook and have a lot of info and focus on doing things as natural as possible, when possible.
Sorry I can not be of much help. I do hope they all recover soon. Keep us updated!

 

[SF411chicks]

elizmartin,
Thanks for the idea. Do you think the twine works just as well without the cd's? With the twin about 2 ft apart that keeps the hawks out?