Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

Well I wondered about two in jail and I tried it. Things turned violent. And Calypso doesn't like sharing. In an update from earlier, Bernie booted Calypso off the nest. Don't know if she will stay off, but Bernie was patrolling and Calypso was staying out of her way!

Edited to add: I also think that one would try and sit on the other. I have had that happen in the nest boxes, and it would rather defeat the point of the broody jail!

Oh dear, no gibbet!. I was thinking I could suspend the whole cage. More like a shark viewing cage than a gibbet. I am not sure though if it would be a problem if it swung back and forth or twisted around as the hen inside moved. My worry at the moment is whether it will get dislodged and fall over. I am always fighting the steep hill inside the Chicken Palace. Maybe I could use a chain to the rafters like a safety line rather than suspend the cage. So if the cage does get dislodged it won't fall because it will be held by the chain. Hmmm - need to explore that option. Could be viable.

Use 2 chains, mounted to the rafters and clipped to the cage. If you level the bottom of the chains, then clip to the cage, should hold. We had a bed hung from the ceiling studs on chains. Worked surprisingly well

 

[rural mouse]

Good point. I was thinking one chain, in which case it would swing and turn. But you are right, if I had 3 chains it would be pretty stable.
Need to see if that could work with the distance between the rafters.
Hmmm. Lots to think about!

Our bed had 4 chains in pairs with 2x4connecting the pairs. Bed frame laid on the 2x4s.

 

[featherhead007]

Our bed had 4 chains in pairs with 2x4connecting the pairs. Bed frame laid on the 2x4s.

My mind wanders off into many different directions!

 

[featherhead007]

Some chain tax:

 

[rural mouse]

@RoyalChick

Something like this. (Not taking time to figure out how to blank screen that).

Red is bed (or in your case the cage and could be zip tied to the 2x4s), blue the 2x4s, and the black/yellow the eyebolts and chains. We had those C shaped links with the screw thing to close the C connecting the chains and eyebolts.

 

[notabitail]

@RoyalChick

View attachment 3919671Something like this. (Not taking time to figure out how to blank screen that).

Red is bed (or in your case the cage and could be zip tied to the 2x4s), blue the 2x4s, and the black/yellow the eyebolts and chains. We had those C shaped links with the screw thing to close the C connecting the chains and eyebolts.

I thought that was a chicken with jewelry drawn on .

 

[featherhead007]

I don’t know about you guys, but I need another fix of Mr. Pompeii
Kelly can you please send pics of him?

 

[featherhead007]

I only have one picture of him I have saved. Not his best moment:

 

[rural mouse]

I thought that was a chicken with jewelry drawn on .

No, that's my home screen: Silver, my first flock queen.

 

[RoyalChick]

@RoyalChick

View attachment 3919671Something like this. (Not taking time to figure out how to blank screen that).

Red is bed (or in your case the cage and could be zip tied to the 2x4s), blue the 2x4s, and the black/yellow the eyebolts and chains. We had those C shaped links with the screw thing to close the C connecting the chains and eyebolts.

Yes. I think this could work.
What I have at the moment is one end of the cage resting on a triangular piece of framing for the coop that acts as the doorstep for the chicken door. That is solid and horizontal - so the only issue is that of course it is like a floor so doesn't allow for air flow and as you can see in the picture, Tassels makes sure to sit herself at that end! Then I put a combination of tree stumps and bits of lumber and other 'stuff' to prop up the other end more or less at the same level. Nothing in the Chicken Palace is flat (except the triangular bit of framing on the right of the picture) so it really is a bit dangerous. I dug a bit to flatten the dirt for the tree stump and the scrap 6x6 that are the main supports. It has lasted constant use this summer so not too bad apparently!
If I want to use the dog crate for other things I would have to make the supports removable.
Also, why not just clip the crate to chains directly rather than having a 2x4 frame? Would it be strong enough? I could clip it with a carabiner in each corner to 4 chains that go up to the ceiling.
Hmmm. Lots to think about.
In your sketch the 4 chains go vertically up to 4 separate anchor points. Any reason I couldn't have them go up to just one or two anchor points on the ceiling? Still a chain in each corner of the crate but fewer ceiling anchors.

And WTH? More eggs on the floor. And whose eggs? That is the third blue egg today. Can Calypso really be laying again so soon.
My chickens are weird!
Off out to collect those eggs and look at the rafter situation.