In the emergency of a natural disaster where do you move your chickens?

[gtaus]

Do you have space to make them grazing frames? This could stretch your grain further too.

I have made raised beds out of old tyres in the chicken run.

View attachment 2050459View attachment 2050460

Herbs in the first tyre and grass in the second. I have 12 tyres in the run altogether with a mix of grass seeds and oats in most of them. They are covered in wire mesh so that the girls can't dig them out but can peck at the green that grows through. Grass, flat leaved parsley and comfrey are very popular!

Interesting use of those old tires. Is there a better way to attach the wire to the tire? For example, would staples or screws with washers work better? I have been planning on making grazing frames out of scrap 2x4's, but using old tires like these would allow the greens to grow higher before the chickens could eat it. 2x4's are only 3 1/2 inches wide, and most tires I have laying around must be about 6 inches wide.

I personally don't care much for the look of old tires laying around, but it seems to me that I could easily dig out a spot of my deep litter in the chicken run, lay down the tire with attached wire, and repile the deep litter around and on top of the tire so you can't really notice it. My deep litter in the chicken run is about 10 inches deep at the moment. So it would easy to "bury" a grazing frame tire into that.

Anyway, the old tires would probably last a lot longer than wood sitting on the ground and rotting. Thanks for the idea. It's an option that I had not considered.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Interesting use of those old tires. Is there a better way to attach the wire to the tire? For example, would staples or screws with washers work better? I have been planning on making grazing frames out of scrap 2x4's, but using old tires like these would allow the greens to grow higher before the chickens could eat it. 2x4's are only 3 1/2 inches wide, and most tires I have laying around must be about 6 inches wide.

I personally don't care much for the look of old tires laying around, but it seems to me that I could easily dig out a spot of my deep litter in the chicken run, lay down the tire with attached wire, and repile the deep litter around and on top of the tire so you can't really notice it. My deep litter in the chicken run is about 10 inches deep at the moment. So it would easy to "bury" a grazing frame tire into that.

Anyway, the old tires would probably last a lot longer than wood sitting on the ground and rotting. Thanks for the idea. It's an option that I had not considered.

Glad you like the idea. I've settled on using a rigid mesh to cover the top as it doesn't bend under the chicken's weight and they can't get their beaks all the way to the soil and pull the grass up by the roots. I hadn't thought of using screws and washers to secure them. Thanks for the idea @gtaus . I might try using the swiveling catches we use on fly screens as I want to be able to take the covers off easily so the chooks can dig over the soil before I want to replant.

I have found that I get a good height of grass is I fill the tyre with soil all the way up to the inner rim. Not too long and not too short.

The chickens enjoy perching on the tyres and wire. I think it must absorb heat from the sun on those chilly mornings.

I tried making wooden frames but they rotted away so quickly. The tyres are lasting well and the soil is full of worms when the hens dig it up before replanting.

 

[gtaus]

Glad you like the idea. I've settled on using a rigid mesh to cover the top as it doesn't bend under the chicken's weight and they can't get their beaks all the way to the soil and pull the grass up by the roots. I hadn't thought of using screws and washers to secure them. Thanks for the idea @gtaus . I might try using the swiveling catches we use on fly screens as I want to be able to take the covers off easily so the chooks can dig over the soil before I want to replant.

I have found that I get a good height of grass is I fill the tyre with soil all the way up to the inner rim. Not too long and not too short.
View attachment 2092131

The chickens enjoy perching on the tyres and wire. I think it must absorb heat from the sun on those chilly mornings.

I tried making wooden frames but they rotted away so quickly. The tyres are lasting well and the soil is full of worms when the hens dig it up before replanting.

View attachment 2092130

I see where you fill the tires up with soil for planting. My idea was to use the empty tires more as a frame. That way, if/when I wanted to move the tire to a different location, I could easily lift it up and roll it away.

Swiveling catches might be a good way to attach the screen to the tire, and I can see the advantage to that if you wanted to remove the screen and just let the chickens tear up grass and soil. I was thinking more in terms of using screws and those large flat fender washers. If I wanted/needed to remove the screws, my little powered drill would make that job really easy.

Anyway, I thought your idea of using old tires to make feeding frames/planters for your chickens was a good idea. I have a number of old tires behind the garage and they would last forever as grazing frames. It give me another option for grazing frames that I had not considered. Thanks.

 

[JFire82]

Ok I apologise if this is in the wrong section but I couldn’t decide where’s to post this. I have 7 hens and a rooster, I live in nsw Australia. It is catastrophic fire conditions down here featuring hot winds and dry grass and already crazy fires. This doesn’t just apply to me but I’m almost certain multiple other families all over the world are thinking the same things I am. If we have to evacuate tomorrow how do we move the animals? In particular the chickens. Rabbits and guinea pigs are easy as are the horses and dogs but the chickens. How long can they sit in a car? Where are suggestions of places we can move them? You see our friends with property May and possibly are under the same conditions. This could apply to all sorts of natural disasters. But in particular my situation is bad because we have a under control bush fire burning not 50 k’s away from us....
Thanks in advance for your response.

My plan is to put a small tent in my basement...

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I know this thread is dead but I wanted to say a huge thanks to everyone who supported us Australians through that really difficult period. I cannot express in words my gratitude to those firefighters who fought those fires for us.
I’m quite certain I would have lost my home if it wasn’t for the containment line that protected the valley I’m in. This thread has been dead for a bit now so I thought I’d thank you all for the prayers that helped get myself and my family through that.
Thanks for the suggestions and thoughts and everything you have done to help us. I will forever be grateful.

I'm glad to know that you and your family are safe, and with this virus going around, I hope that it stays that way. You tough Aussie, you!

 

[aart]

I see where you fill the tires up with soil for planting. My idea was to use the empty tires more as a frame.

Too deep, IMO.
Wood frames better for mobility.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

 

[gtaus]

Too deep, IMO.
Wood frames better for mobility.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

Thanks, @aart. I read your article on grazing frames and was hoping you might offer some advice on this issue. I thought using an old tire with deeper sidewalls than a 2x4 frame would be an advantage. Evidently not. So I guess it's either partially filling the tire up with soil, or using my scrap 2x4's to make a frame. In any case, I will be trying out some grazing frames this spring.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Have you tried a moveable coop that people use in their back yard? Just attach it to the back of your car and where ever you stop, you can detach it and use a portable pen or something to let them out to get some air and eat grass. If that is possible. I hope those fires go away soon. I will pray for the rain to put them out. Love Australia.

Ok I apologise if this is in the wrong section but I couldn’t decide where’s to post this. I have 7 hens and a rooster, I live in nsw Australia. It is catastrophic fire conditions down here featuring hot winds and dry grass and already crazy fires. This doesn’t just apply to me but I’m almost certain multiple other families all over the world are thinking the same things I am. If we have to evacuate tomorrow how do we move the animals? In particular the chickens. Rabbits and guinea pigs are easy as are the horses and dogs but the chickens. How long can they sit in a car? Where are suggestions of places we can move them? You see our friends with property May and possibly are under the same conditions. This could apply to all sorts of natural disasters. But in particular my situation is bad because we have a under control bush fire burning not 50 k’s away from us....
Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

I'm glad to know that you and your family are safe, and with this virus going around, I hope that it stays that way. You tough Aussie, you!

Thanks

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Have you tried a moveable coop that people use in their back yard? Just attach it to the back of your car and where ever you stop, you can detach it and use a portable pen or something to let them out to get some air and eat grass. If that is possible. I hope those fires go away soon. I will pray for the rain to put them out. Love Australia.

Thanks, actually the fires are already out. We have a few still around just minorities though but thanks for the advice and I think should we ever be put in a situation like that again I will use something like that