Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Weapons of mass destruction do not disqualify you from being a rodenteer.
And as one rodenteer to another I have gone over a week without any rodent being spotted anywhere in the Chicken Palace. I am cautiously optimistic but watching warily!

That is very exciting. I don't think I will ever relax fully though. I am also still very waryl

 

[LozzyR]

Weapons of mass destruction do not disqualify you from being a rodenteer.
And as one rodenteer to another I have gone over a week without any rodent being spotted anywhere in the Chicken Palace. I am cautiously optimistic but watching warily!

Would you like to come to my place and show off your rodenteering expertise here? A mouse just ran past me in the laundry; it skittered past Lucy and she didn’t even react!

 

[RoyalChick]

That is very exciting. I don't think I will ever relax fully though. I am also still very waryl

Indeed - wary is good. In all the nights of watching on camera I have learned a bit about mouse behavior and that means I can use the cameras more effectively to spot a problem. Having a camera on after dark but early evening trained on the food container is a pretty good indicator of an issue.

 

[RoyalChick]

Would you like to come to my place and show off your rodenteering expertise here? A mouse just ran past me in the laundry; it skittered past Lucy and she didn’t even react!

I won't bore everyone with everything I have learned as a rodenteer - but start by finding where they are getting in. Small (1/2") cracks close to the foundation is most likely - but they can come in from the roof. There are a range of ways to seal up the cracks - I found copper mesh stuffed in to be the best but I also used some specialty foam.
Good luck!

 

[MaryJanet]

I just ducked out before it got too dark to measure.

Their current coop is about 68cm (~26 ") internally from the floor to the highest point of the sloping ceiling. Their perches are about 27cm (~10.5") off the floor leaving them with about 41cm (~16") headroom currently.

My girls are about 35-40cm (~14"-15.75") tall when standing upright and relaxed so the current coop is a little snug.

The new coop will have lower perches that are just high enough to get a rake under. The distance from floor to ceiling is 69cm (~27") the whole length. Since I will be using a branch for the main perch, the height off the floor will vary from about 10cm (~3") to about 25cm (~9.75"). Head clearance will be from 59cm to 44cm (~23.5" to 17.5")

Ideally I would like a lot more head room too, so the heat has somewhere to go, but there should be enough to be comfortable at least.

We are mostly recycling left over wood from other projects and the frame of an old water bed so we are limited in the size we can make and the finished coop will be extremely heavy.

I'd be interested in your coop dimensions if you are able to share Shad. I'd also love a photo or two to show to hubby. I know you have shared photos before but I don't know where to find them amongst all our threads!
Do your chooks use a ramp or ladder to access the coops?

69cm seems quite spacious to me. Unless you branch out into really large chickens.

 

[MaryJanet]

Le Rat est Morte

I feel confident in saying that the rat problem has been resolved. Sansa demonstrated to me on the Mars cam this morning how one of the tunnels was reopened. There has been no sign of any activity at the shed. While I am not declaring victory, I am feeling confident and much better about leaving them in the complex.

I will be closing off the rat tunnels this afternoon.

Does this make me an official rodenteer or do I need to hunt them one at time for that title?

Rip M. Le Rat

 

[Shadrach]

I didn't get my full beauty sleep last night. Around mid afternoon after a fairly busy day I hit that must have a nap bump and went to lie down for a while.
My bed has a permenant mosquito net around it which gives a tent like cosy feel and after covering myself with a blanket, I drifted into that almost getting warm again type fuzziness.
I head Tribe 1 arrive. They were quiet but I could here their beaks tapping the base of the plastic food tray I keep near the door. I did fall asleep for a while and woke due to a brief outbreak of bickering between Hurry and Moon.
I was just about to throw aside the net and swing my legs out when I saw Fat Bird, still with her eyes closed, in the bedroom, partially lying on the edge of the net right next to my bed. Cillin was standing just on the right side of the black tape I have stuck to the floor looking slightly anxious.
The only adult chicken that has ever gone into my bedroom has been Fat Bird a few years ago. For whatever reason, they just don't. I do evict the pullets and cockerels immediately if I see them cross the tape and they learn that the bedroom is a forbidden area for them.
Fat Bird snores. I'm sure she didn't used to.

 

[Ribh]

I didn't get my full beauty sleep last night. Around mid afternoon after a fairly busy day I hit that must have a nap bump and went to lie down for a while.
My bed has a permenant mosquito net around it which gives a tent like cosy feel and after covering myself with a blanket, I drifted into that almost getting warm again type fuzziness.
I head Tribe 1 arrive. They were quiet but I could here their beaks tapping the base of the plastic food tray I keep near the door. I did fall asleep for a while and woke due to a brief outbreak of bickering between Hurry and Moon.
I was just about to throw aside the net and swing my legs out when I saw Fat Bird, still with her eyes closed, in the bedroom, partially lying on the edge of the net right next to my bed. Cillin was standing just on the right side of the black tape I have stuck to the floor looking slightly anxious.
The only adult chicken that has ever gone into my bedroom has been Fat Bird a few years ago. For whatever reason, they just don't. I do evict the pullets and cockerels immediately if I see them cross the tape and they learn that the bedroom is a forbidden area for them.
Fat Bird snores. I'm sure she didn't used to.

That is so lovely. You are her safe space!

 

[MaryJanet]

I didn't get my full beauty sleep last night. Around mid afternoon after a fairly busy day I hit that must have a nap bump and went to lie down for a while.
My bed has a permenant mosquito net around it which gives a tent like cosy feel and after covering myself with a blanket, I drifted into that almost getting warm again type fuzziness.
I head Tribe 1 arrive. They were quiet but I could here their beaks tapping the base of the plastic food tray I keep near the door. I did fall asleep for a while and woke due to a brief outbreak of bickering between Hurry and Moon.
I was just about to throw aside the net and swing my legs out when I saw Fat Bird, still with her eyes closed, in the bedroom, partially lying on the edge of the net right next to my bed. Cillin was standing just on the right side of the black tape I have stuck to the floor looking slightly anxious.
The only adult chicken that has ever gone into my bedroom has been Fat Bird a few years ago. For whatever reason, they just don't. I do evict the pullets and cockerels immediately if I see them cross the tape and they learn that the bedroom is a forbidden area for them.
Fat Bird snores. I'm sure she didn't used to.

So touching.

 

[featherhead007]

I won't bore everyone with everything I have learned as a rodenteer - but start by finding where they are getting in. Small (1/2") cracks close to the foundation is most likely - but they can come in from the roof. There are a range of ways to seal up the cracks - I found copper mesh stuffed in to be the best but I also used some specialty foam.
Good luck!

I heard they can parachute in, and land behind enemy lines. to get in!