INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[JanetMarie]

 

[jonesfamily6]

@jonesfamily6
I've introduced young chicks to the flock early. My hens do OK with them, but I provide a safety zone in the run where they may eat & drink without being bullied. For the most part, the bigs ignore the littles unless a little one dares to eat from their feed bowl. The littles tend to stay clear of the bigs. My only real fear is from above. Hawks would love an easy snack, so I simply train the chicks to put themselves into the tractor as soon as I open up the chicken run. Until they're 10-12 weeks old, they spend the days in the tractor & the nights in the coop/run. That's the only way I can know for sure that they won't get into trouble. When I feel they're big enough, I leave the tractor door open & they sort of figure it out for themselves.

Yes, the space they can hide has seemed to help and I also have a water and feeder pushed under. I don't really have anything besides the coop. We've kinda decided to try free range until there's a problem. They got through the fence today. We had to ask permission to go on a neighbors property to track them down.... they might be going back into something in the coop for their safety. I need to figure it out. Part of me says they are playing mostly in the fence line with tons of cover see how it goes and then the other part screams no. They are from the ones I hatched so there's a bit of attachment. More due to hatch this weekend!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jonesfamily6

To help keep them from going through the fence when they're young, You can line the bottom of the fence pretty inexpensively. The plastic netting has so many uses but you have to be sure to get the kind that's not brittle. This particular brand is flexible and I use and re-use it many ways.

In my "little house" dog kennel fence, I used plastic netting zip tied to the bottom. In this case, I cut the fence in half length-wise and let some of it be on the ground with the wood chips over it to keep them from slipping under.

At any gate gaps I overlapped on both sides to keep them from slipping through the large gaps.

There's a mamma broody with chicks out ranging on the other side over there. You can see a length of closet shelf lining the bottom of that fence...my husband had lots of it free at work that they were getting rid of so he brought it home and we zip-tied it to the bottom of that fence. Worked well...before the babies were slipping through even though they were pretty old!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Leahs Mom I do have have two chicks that remind me of Cali when he was a chick, and thinking about what to do when he (one is boy, one girl) grows up.

ETA: I could only post a pic in the next reply. The boy chick that reminds me of Cali, is the one looking straight forward behind the grey one. Very personable.

@JanetMarie
That is tempting....but I definitely want to raise all my chicks at the same time so they have a little posse to run with. He sure does look like the typical little boy!!!

 

[Faraday40]

@Leahs Mom
Gotta love that garden fencing! I was just talking about it earlier today.

My go to material is that plastic bird netting. I use it in my garden for pea plants, but have found all sorts of uses. It can easily be cut with scissors, is flexible & reusable. - Don't forget inexpensive.

Add the garden netting to a box & clothespins = instant hospital cage for a chicken that needs observation.


Can be used to prevent big hens from pushing broody bantam off her nest.


Like you mentioned, it can be used along the bottom of a large wire dog crate & fences to prevent chicks from wandering out. I've also used it with clips to make a temp partition between 2 sides of my chicken tractor.

If a healthy adult chicken really needed to get out, I'm sure she could. I usually just hang it on 1-2 nails or use clothespins. I use them more as suggestion fencing, and because I already have it on hand. If I wanted to make it strong or last more than a couple days, I'd use zip ties.

 

[jonesfamily6]

@Leahs Mom and @Faraday40 perfect idea! How do I know brittle or not? Just by touch? Do you have suggested brands? Is this at lowes and menards? Thankyou!

 

[HMQ41]

Hey Henryville here! Anybody know the Chicken laws for the area? I've been looking and can't seem to find anything relevant.

 

[JanetMarie]

@Leahs Mom I wouldn't be selling any boys until after they're grown up, and know what type of personality they have.

 

[Faraday40]

@Leahs Mom and @Faraday40 perfect idea! How do I know brittle or not? Just by touch? Do you have suggested brands? Is this at lowes and menards? Thankyou!

I would think most big box stores that have a garden section (like Lowes) would sell a wide selection of garden fencing. Mine is often called bird netting or deer fencing. It's cheap & thin but fits my needs for multiple little things. I doubt it would keep a predator out (so I wouldn't use it alone to construct a run) but it's fine for keeping chickens in or even out of areas. When at the store you can actually feel the diff types of plastic fencing. The kind that @Leahs Mom uses would probably last longer than one season, so likely cost a little more. It really comes down to your goals & wallet. You could buy 1/2" hardware cloth too, but that would get $.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@jonesfamily6
I once tried to get the plastic poultry netting at Menards and it was the more brittle kind. Not good, had to return it as it broke very easily when I ziptied it.

I got the more pliable kind at our local Tractor Supply...and the Ace Hardware had it too in our area.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tenax-green-poultry-fence?cm_vc=-10005