Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

After weeks of being 100+ pgs behind I finally made it! Busy busy. This time of year is when our Broadway shows start coming through, while I am grateful for the work, it makes for a very long week. Did one show the week or so before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving with all the family, a show last weekend and on Sunday my mother in law passed away.
Our weather has been swinging like crazy. Below freezing for 3 days followed by torrential rain and almost 70! Yesterday was a mostly sunny if cool reprieve. Today has been cold and wet, don't think we got above 38. The days are so short I hardly see my chickens, but I popped out to hang with them for a min or two recently.
How many animals can you find?
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Caturday special
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So sorry to hear about your mother in law.

 

[BY Bob]

WOW - good job!

Thank you. It was pretty quick and turned out well so I'm pleased.

 

[BY Bob]

Oh I don't like it at all - but don't know what else I can do. The ladies so love being out and about that I cannot imagine confining them. I try and make myself pretty visible when they are out and as dusk comes I am always out there.
It is a risk I know. Also hawks are a risk. But when I see how happy the girls are digging around then I believe I have to take the risk.

That I understand. I can't keep them coopied up all the time. They are too happy out in the yard.

With me it's hawks. I just can't confine the ladies. All I can do is provide obstacles and trust them to be aware.

 

[BY Bob]

What. A. Photo!

She looks like the Cheshire cat.

 

[BY Bob]

So, just the usual fox everywhere! They were hopefully all inside your 250 feet?

I'm with Bob. Fox are smart and will eventually figure out how to grab and run in an instant if/when one is outside the fence. They have nothing but interest in studying the situation!

It just needs to be harder to get at the chickens than the rabbits or squirrels. As long as there are plenty of easier prey they should leave the chickens alone.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I know. I hope that all the rabbits provide easier prey.
I will be particularly nervous in the snow.
Yes, everyone was inside the electric fence. I might re-bait the fence to make sure the foxes remember.

I am totally with you in the balancing act of their quality life versus their safety. I tend to more worry now than I used to, and this gang aren't world explorers like some others, so they appear fairly happy with their protected yard. Unless the weather is "chicken perfect" they don't go out even to that.

This year I am keeping my fence up and running as long as I can. The last couple of years have had such big variations in weather through December and into January that I'm going to go until winter and deep snow has really set in. I went around and shook the wet snow off the base the other day, and today shook off wet leaves. That helps. I also find the plug-in charger is great, there's no chance a bleed-off will drain it. Interesting - last week we had five inches of cold dry snow, thoroughly covering the first three to four hot strands. Tested the line - there was great voltage! So snow itself won't diminish the "lift" - it's how wet it is and the connection to the ground it's making.

 

[BY Bob]

Great job, and I'm going to guess snow load won't be a problem for that overhang, it's not that big, and the metal is way stronger than plastic. It will be great for better weather protection for the side. But your tiny, very little, oh-so-delicate kitty, if she does that Cheshire Cat thing on the edge again, she might bend it....maybe think about a wood brace under there held up by shelf brackets or something? Doesn't have to be attached to both the roof and the side, just there if needed...
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She says, Who, me?

I do have a couple of L brackets I could put under there. They are 90° but might stop any bend at that point. Something to consider.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It just needs to be harder to get at the chickens than the rabbits or squirrels. As long as there are plenty of easier prey they should leave the chickens alone.

Maybe @RoyalChick could source some dead rabbits and mice and keep them supplied through the winter. I have no idea how. But I had a band-mate that kept a big snake and had frozen mice in his freezer that he bought from somewhere.

 

[RoyalChick]

It just needs to be harder to get at the chickens than the rabbits or squirrels. As long as there are plenty of easier prey they should leave the chickens alone.

That is my hope and why I will be extra nervous in winter.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I do have a couple of L brackets I could put under there. They are 90° but might stop any bend at that point. Something to consider.

I was picturing a length of 2x4 and that held up by brackets, so the pressure would be even across it.