Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

OK - this is what I got https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Camel...07BFPQ9PL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I wanted one that was moveable, so not too heavy. Like a car port might work (without the cover) but they are tough to move. So it flexes when I move it, but I taped all the connections (that you tap in with a rubber mallet anyway) with black duct tape - to also keep water out and hopefully extend it's life - and it stays together well. I've moved it a LOT so far.

If you look at the pictures you can see the tiny bracing bars in the corners - this is great for attaching netting to it with C-clips, but you can also just gather a bit of netting on either side of a tube bar and clip it. I wanted a walk-in height. I love this height, but I found the top hard to put together, my DH helped a lot on the first one. I got smart about the second one I bought later and used two step ladders and some added wood pieces and a plank for support.

I first thought I would keep the netting on them through the winter, but for three reasons I didn't. Well, after I decided I would re-do the netting a different way the next season, two other reasons convinced me:

1) Because everyone who uses the netting (2" size) says it's easy to knock off the snow when it does collect, and the 2" size does not collect that much, I saw it could be one more potential maintenance chore for me for something that wasn't going to be used. The Buckeyes do NOT venture onto snow. They are wimps. They stand at the door and look, and crouch down to eat some of it. That's all. I actually think they don't like the way snow suddenly gives way, I've seen them try it.

The netting its not hard to put on, and it's a breeze to pull off, it's actually annoyingly slippery, but that can be good. Taking it down would extend it's life by sparing it the UV light also.

2) I used one of the frames as a support for the extension cord coming across from the woods (barn to tree, to tree, to tree, etc) and it goes across a steep slope to the run. That's where the frame is. OK please forgive the non-engineering lingo here -- notice how there's no angled bracing between the right and left sides? It's so you can go in and out and through it. But that leaves it vulnerable to side forces, aka wiggling.

The frame tubes have reasonable straight-up-and-down strength and some back-and-forth lengthwise strength due to the little braces, but pretty much zero side-to-side strength, much less on a hill. Extra weight on it from a big overnight wet snowfall, while it's sitting on the steep hillside, would cause the top to want to go downhill with it's load. I pictured that the top will slant over, the legs & bottom bar of each side would probably stay there, frozen into the snow, so some tube(s) somewhere will have no choice but to crinkle, and it would all become a crumpled and twisted mess.

Hmmm it's darker than I thought, took these this morning. Here are the two frames with one net draped over them, only partially clipped down
View attachment 3031969

View attachment 3031970

I spy a couple of hens on the perch...
The rag strips are what I use to tie the netting together every ten feet or so as I gather it, easier to deal with
View attachment 3031971

Oooh thank you! And that is 2" aviary netting? A link to that would help too.
You are giving me all sorts of ideas!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Where did you get your aviary netting?

Pinnon Hatch Farms https://pinnonhatch.com/poultry-sup...hicken-pen-fencing/poultry-protection-netting
But the size and type I ordered, and about the same price, seems easier to find on Ebay (same manufacturer - same seller - Pinnon Hatch) https://www.ebay.com/itm/280937025834
Whatever you get should be knotted and strong, and probably polyethylene.

If you can find and afford it, the square knotted is easier to deal with than the diagonal knotted. When loose it drapes like a blanket and keeps an even shape. The diagonal wants to squinch together length-wise. The square knotted "holes" keep a square shape, and it all keeps a fairly straight edge when strung from corner to corner, so for sports netting it is easy and fast. The diagonal type holes naturally want to be in a diamond shape, so when strung only by the corners it looks like a rectangle with squinched middle - you have to pull the edges out to make the holes square and the edge straight.

Since for bird security one would have to secure all along the edge anyway, I'm not sure the extra cost (seriously more $), is worth it. I got the diagonal knotted as my first purchase to try, and spent a week cursing it, it is designed to catch things, and it will, even you. Then, you can stretch it out by the corners and the middle will be half the width. I eventually put it on a clothesline, to make a canopy with it, but as we know the hawk went around through a gap between the fencing and the netting. I knew then I had to make all sides and corners impenetrable with no gaps.

I found it best to tie it up with rags every 5 -10 feet, like a long bundle, and working from one end to the other. Having loose netting around, it catches on EVERYTHING, every little weed or stick gets caught up in it. So now that I know how to work with it I would get it again. Maybe 25x25 pieces, 50 feet is heavy to deal with. I cut it, but it is difficult to cut straight.

There is a great video online about choosing and how to work with both types, I will post it if I can find it, it is very explanatory. Basically running a rope along the edge, then securing the rope as you go, or working along one edge, securing every 2 feet at least, is how many people do it.

 

[BY Bob]

Sounds wonderful. I am surprised about dandelions, I only have to look at a spot and dozens appear overnight - including in cracks in concrete where there doesn't appear to be any soil. I think the deer keep them short rather than eradicating them and the chickens eat the leaves but don't seem to prevent them from reseeding.

That's surprising. My chickens have virtually wiped the dandelions out of the backyard. Hattie keeps a couple of secret ones around the deck but that is it.

 

[BY Bob]

Tax is due...
View attachment 3031929
Not very good, but I think May looks like she's smiling, so I love this picture.

She is indeed smiling. That is truly wall worthy.

 

[BY Bob]

Flexi girl
View attachment 3031959

The greedy girls flexi and princess
View attachment 3031958

Great photos!

 

[BY Bob]

Mugshot Monday pic of the day (so far)
View attachment 3031972

That one is really good!

 

[bgmathteach]

OK - this is what I got https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Camel...07BFPQ9PL/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I wanted one that was moveable, so not too heavy. Like a car port might work (without the cover) but they are tough to move. So it flexes when I move it, but I taped all the connections (that you tap in with a rubber mallet anyway) with black duct tape - to also keep water out and hopefully extend it's life - and it stays together well. I've moved it a LOT so far.

If you look at the pictures you can see the tiny bracing bars in the corners - this is great for attaching netting to it with C-clips, but you can also just gather a bit of netting on either side of a tube bar and clip it. I wanted a walk-in height. I love this height, but I found the top hard to put together, my DH helped a lot on the first one. I got smart about the second one I bought later and used two step ladders and some added wood pieces and a plank for support.

I first thought I would keep the netting on them through the winter, but for three reasons I didn't. Well, after I decided I would re-do the netting a different way the next season, two other reasons convinced me:

1) Because everyone who uses the netting (2" size) says it's easy to knock off the snow when it does collect, and the 2" size does not collect that much, I saw it could be one more potential maintenance chore for me for something that wasn't going to be used. The Buckeyes do NOT venture onto snow. They are wimps. They stand at the door and look, and crouch down to eat some of it. That's all. I actually think they don't like the way snow suddenly gives way, I've seen them try it.

The netting its not hard to put on, and it's a breeze to pull off, it's actually annoyingly slippery, but that can be good. Taking it down would extend it's life by sparing it the UV light also.

2) I used one of the frames as a support for the extension cord coming across from the woods (barn to tree, to tree, to tree, etc) and it goes across a steep slope to the run. That's where the frame is. OK please forgive the non-engineering lingo here -- notice how there's no angled bracing between the right and left sides? It's so you can go in and out and through it. But that leaves it vulnerable to side forces, aka wiggling.

The frame tubes have reasonable straight-up-and-down strength and some back-and-forth lengthwise strength due to the little braces, but pretty much zero side-to-side strength, much less on a hill. Extra weight on it from a big overnight wet snowfall, while it's sitting on the steep hillside, would cause the top to want to go downhill with it's load. I pictured that the top will slant over, the legs & bottom bar of each side would probably stay there, frozen into the snow, so some tube(s) somewhere will have no choice but to crinkle, and it would all become a crumpled and twisted mess.

Hmmm it's darker than I thought, took these this morning. Here are the two frames with one net draped over them, only partially clipped down
View attachment 3031969

View attachment 3031970

I spy a couple of hens on the perch...
The rag strips are what I use to tie the netting together every ten feet or so as I gather it, easier to deal with
View attachment 3031971

While it would make it a little heavier, would you consider putting a wood frame under it? There are small u clamps for plumbing that you could use to fasten the bottom to 2X4s. It would make it much more stable for moving, and would also allow you to add wheels to one end so would be easier to move.

 

[RoyalChick]

Pinnon Hatch Farms https://pinnonhatch.com/poultry-sup...hicken-pen-fencing/poultry-protection-netting
But the size and type I ordered, and about the same price, seems easier to find on Ebay (same manufacturer - same seller - Pinnon Hatch) https://www.ebay.com/itm/280937025834
Whatever you get should be knotted and strong, and probably polyethylene.

If you can find and afford it, the square knotted is easier to deal with than the diagonal knotted. When loose it drapes like a blanket and keeps an even shape. The diagonal wants to squinch together length-wise. The square knotted "holes" keep a square shape, and it all keeps a fairly straight edge when strung from corner to corner, so for sports netting it is easy and fast. The diagonal type holes naturally want to be in a diamond shape, so when strung only by the corners it looks like a rectangle with squinched middle - you have to pull the edges out to make the holes square and the edge straight.

Since for bird security one would have to secure all along the edge anyway, I'm not sure the extra cost (seriously more $), is worth it. I got the diagonal knotted as my first purchase to try, and spent a week cursing it, it is designed to catch things, and it will, even you. Then, you can stretch it out by the corners and the middle will be half the width. I eventually put it on a clothesline, to make a canopy with it, but as we know the hawk went around through a gap between the fencing and the netting. I knew then I had to make all sides and corners impenetrable with no gaps.

I found it best to tie it up with rags every 5 -10 feet, like a long bundle, and working from one end to the other. Having loose netting around, it catches on EVERYTHING, every little weed or stick gets caught up in it. So now that I know how to work with it I would get it again. Maybe 25x25 pieces, 50 feet is heavy to deal with. I cut it, but it is difficult to cut straight.

There is a great video online about choosing and how to work with both types, I will post it if I can find it, it is very explanatory. Basically running a rope along the edge, then securing the rope as you go, or working along one edge, securing every 2 feet at least, is how many people do it.

Thank you. Bookmarked.
I just got a longer (and easier to handle) electric net fence. I am still setting it up but I let the Princesses out to enjoy their larger area anyway and they are having a grand old time.
Of course the first thing that happened is a hawk came and sat high up watching them.
This is causing me all sorts of angst about the right balance of security vs freedom and I am going round in circles on what to do.
I wish I could figure out how to make the place more attractive to crows. They do a great job, but are a bit unreliable. Where are they today when I need them?!

Here are the ladies enjoying their new space.

 

[bgmathteach]

That's surprising. My chickens have virtually wiped the dandelions out of the backyard. Hattie keeps a couple of secret ones around the deck but that is it.

You are going to have to go 'dandelion fluff' hunting so you can seed a few more in your yard. Have to do it at night so the girls don't see, and cover the seed for a week for it to sprout first...so it has half a chance!!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

Thank you. Bookmarked.
I just got a longer (and easier to handle) electric net fence. I am still setting it up but I let the Princesses out to enjoy their larger area anyway and they are having a grand old time.
Of course the first thing that happened is a hawk came and sat high up watching them.
This is causing me all sorts of angst about the right balance of security vs freedom and I am going round in circles on what to do.
I wish I could figure out how to make the place more attractive to crows. They do a great job, but are a bit unreliable. Where are they today when I need them?!

Here are the ladies enjoying their new space.

View attachment 3032173View attachment 3032175View attachment 3032176

I am contemplating making a 'chunnel' chicken tunnel and a home made gate to my chain link fencing to replace the actual gate (for this time of year), with a pop door for chickens built into it. Attach the 'chunnel' to the chicken pop door in the gate...and have it lead to a pen. I bought a 10X7 late last year (what I linked to for @micstrachan ) that, now that it is nicer (i.e. no snow!) need to get covered in garden mesh. I love @ChicoryBlue 's greenhouse thing. The reality is that it would require constant moving for me with the numbers of chickens I have....but if I can do this with my electric netting (for when I am home & watching) to expand it even more...it may be somewhat viable but safer until I get a new 'summer pen' made. The reality is, though, that I will never be able to completely fortify the summer pens from hawks given the sizes they will be...I'll have to rely more on lots of escape places and no dead-ends.