A few months ago, I made a "temporary" tractor for two chicks. I just need something to get them out of the brooder during the day. I made a nice sturdy frame but used a plastic mesh for the walls as it was more or less temporary and I had a roll of it laying around.
Today I hear noises from the yard and look out and see a loose chicken running. My crazy dog is out there in the fenced (1/2 acre) yard as the chickens are all cooped up, everybody in the coop except my own girl in the temporary tractor. She is the one who I saw loose when I looked out. Loose and running, might I add.
You can see where this is going.
By the time I get out there, here was the trail leading down the steps.
And the little mini pen aka temporary tractor.
And she was laying next to the front of it. My dog came running right over and I got him put away and went back out to check on "stewie".
She was perfectly fine! She had been crouched next to the pen doing the "hey rooster baby baby" squat.
But the little pen was all cleaned out of chicken food and poop
She didn't even have a slobber mark on her?!?! Go figure. This is the same chicken who flipped an empty black bucket over her and got stuck under it cooking in the hot sun one day. I think she only has 7 lives left now.....The blood was all from my dog who had apparently gotten a dew claw caught in the mesh and ripped part way off.
So this is just a reminder that yes, that plastic stuff is NOT predator proof. I knew that but didn't think I would have any problems with it inside my own fenced yard and being used only as a day pen. Didn't take into account my OWN obnoxious dog.
Today I hear noises from the yard and look out and see a loose chicken running. My crazy dog is out there in the fenced (1/2 acre) yard as the chickens are all cooped up, everybody in the coop except my own girl in the temporary tractor. She is the one who I saw loose when I looked out. Loose and running, might I add.
You can see where this is going.
By the time I get out there, here was the trail leading down the steps.
And the little mini pen aka temporary tractor.
And she was laying next to the front of it. My dog came running right over and I got him put away and went back out to check on "stewie".
She was perfectly fine! She had been crouched next to the pen doing the "hey rooster baby baby" squat.
But the little pen was all cleaned out of chicken food and poop
She didn't even have a slobber mark on her?!?! Go figure. This is the same chicken who flipped an empty black bucket over her and got stuck under it cooking in the hot sun one day. I think she only has 7 lives left now.....The blood was all from my dog who had apparently gotten a dew claw caught in the mesh and ripped part way off.
So this is just a reminder that yes, that plastic stuff is NOT predator proof. I knew that but didn't think I would have any problems with it inside my own fenced yard and being used only as a day pen. Didn't take into account my OWN obnoxious dog.
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