Hello from Western NY

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Pjm14624 said:
Hello, everyone! I am a 68 year old female retired Army veteran and live in a suburb of Rochester, NY. My town allows us to have up to 6 backyard chickens (must get a license) so I took the plunge.

My ex and I had 11 acres a dozen or so years ago, and we had just shy of 2 dozen chickens (Barred Rock, RI Reds and NH Reds), along with about a dozen Guinea fowl (about 50/50 male /female). We had about 2 acres planted with vegetables, and we ran a Community Supported Agriculture program. The birds were our natural “pesticide.” As we moved up and down rows either weeding or harvesting, they would move with us and clean bugs off the plants. We split, and I couldn't have the chickens in the town where I lived, so the ex got them.

It was a rocky start here at first when I was finally able to have chickens again. I bought 6 Barred Rock, 5-day-old chicks and raised them in a brooder. While they grew in there, I began making arrangements for their living situation. I set up six 10’L by 6’H freestanding dog kennel panels in a configuration that gave them a pen 10’x20’ along the back property line that backs to a wooded “oasis” of sorts. I busted the buck for a Formex SnapLock coop, which was extraordinarily easy to assemble and when closed and fastened shit, virtually impenetrable. It sits about 2 feet away from any fencing. We call this the “Chick Inn.” On the opposite end of the pen is an old child's playhouse in which I put their food - we call that “The Mess Hall.” It keeps their food out of the rain and their water from cooking in the sun. Next to that I put in a 4’x4’ ShelterLogic tent-like structure so they have a shady spot in which to hang on a hot summer day. A couple of patio umbrellas strategically placed to block out the worse/hottest part of the afternoon sun rounds out the setup.

I put the girls out there after a couple of weeks after they were fully feathered - having transferred them to an x-large dog crate once they were feathered. I kept them in the garage for this phase. Outside, they were ecstatic to have all that room and they zoomed around, exercising their legs, and enjoying their newfound freedom.

Fast forward about a month. I got too comfortable with not locking them up in their coop at night, and went outside one morning to find two dead, headless chickens that had been partially consumed around the legs and mid-section. When I went out that night to lock them in their coop, I found another dead one.

I was able to locate two younger bluey orpingtons, and purchased them, hoping to get my flock numbers back up. I put those two younger ones in the dog crate in the garage and, once the weather broke, moved that crate out into the pen. I left the little ones in the crate, just wanted everyone to get used to being around each other. After dinner one night, I went out to check food and water before bedtime, and to move the little guys back into the garage. One of the little ones, in the dog crate, was headless.

The next day I got two trail cameras, because I wanted to see not only WHAT was killing my girls, but HOW it was getting in. The very first morning after I set up the trail cams, I watched video of a freakin' FRAT PARTY of raccoons in my chicken pen - literally pulling the fence away and shimmying under. I counted eight, maybe nine kits working at the hasps on the coop, eating the food, and just generally being a pain, until one tiny hand actually covered the camera lens for a few seconds.

Then I ordered the largest, longest anti-dig panels I could get (30, for $300) and installed them. The next morning, the cameras showed a possum worrying the fence line as well, but not getting in. I believe my chickens were killed by the possum(s) based on the condition of their bodies. I then cut plywood into 2’x4’ pieces, slapped some exterior paint on both sides, drilled some small holes in it, and zip tied it to the bottom edges of the actual chain link, so the varmints can't pull the chain link away and weasel in, nor can they reach in and grab a girl.

I have chicken wire protecting the top of the pen, but it's a crappy job putting it up, and I want something sturdier anyway. Still puzzling that out.

In the meantime, last weekend I found a lady who rescues chickens, and got three from her. I currently have six Barred Rocks, and that Bluey (ssssshhhhhh, I'm only allowed six, so don’t say anything too loud).

I was the recipient of a gift of 3 dozen large landscape blocks, as well as a couple of dozen scalloped edge blocks. They now sit along the bottom edges of the pen. My trail cameras have picked up nothing INSIDE the pen in more than a week now.

When I am not doing all the physical work to keep my girls safe, I spend my time maintaining my home, snuggling with my 3 cats, knitting or crocheting, binge watching TV and helping my son and his fiancée plan a wedding for October of next year. I volunteer at an agency that serves the 60 and over community, teaching them how to use technology - phones, streaming devices, laptops, tablets, Amazon Alexa devices, etc. Oh, and I drink wine with my 83 year old neighbor. LOL

So…that’s me.
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