Keeping Chickens Free Range

[chicksurreal]

Hi, just stopped in to chat. If you don't mind my 2 cent worth, I would say build as big as a coop as you can afford because chicken math can hit at any time, lol. Sounds like you've got a great plan in place so far.

X2

Lol! That's what we did, and I'm not sorry!

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks for the responces! So my 3 acres will be fine for 16 birds? I think that may be a good maximum for myself, too many and I would miss out spending time with each one.

I am planning on building my flock a little each year, so that I have younger birds laying as my older ones slow down. It's just me and hubby so we don't need many eggs. We eat just under 24 store bought eggs each week.

The electric netting fence is a good idea until I can get the whole yard fenced and the trees fill in - thanks!

@ChickenLady2014 - I really want to just build a 12X12 coop but I would just be too big for the spot. And . . . to stop arguments about my "pets" my husband and I have agreed that I can spend any money I make working overtime on my pets and a 12X12 coop means more overtime hours than a 8X8. Maybe I should plan the site to one day have two coops. Ah chicken math is striking again!!! I also am going to put a large covered run off the coop so they can be outside when the raptors migrate.

This may sound silly, but check with your zoning office. In the county I live in I need a building permit, and need to comply with ALL building regulations if the building is over 120 square feet.

Because of this I am building many small coops and out buildings. It is not the permit itself I object too, it is the need for all the regs on a chicken coop/shed they are just over kill to me.

Because of the size of OSB and plywood my buildings are 8x8 or 8x12. However, I am thinking about a 10x10.

 

[duluthralphie]

Sorry about your loss, those flying critters are terrible.

I was forced to make a large covered run on every coop. My new plan is to have lots of them I am trying to buy as much bird netting as cheap as I can to put a larger area under cover.

Until someone designs a drone capable of patrolling my area and tazering every bird of prey that it detects I have no other choice.

The scarecrow sounds intriguing I have not tried that.

 

[Autumn Leaves]

This may sound silly, nut check with your zoning office. In the county I live in I need a building permit, and need to comply with ALL building regulations if the building is over 120 square feet.

Because of this I am building many small coops and out buildings. It is not the permit itself I object too, it is the need for all the regs on a chicken coop/shed they are just over kill to me.

Because of the size of OSB and plywood my buildings are 8x8 or 8x12. However, I am thinking about a 10x10.

Its not silly at all, I've called my County's zoning board so much I think I have them on speed dial lol! It took me a few months to even confirm that I can have chickens - reading all that legal speak makes your head hurt!

 

[WthrLady]

Ditto the zoning and planning department. My new coop will be 8x12.
My county required permits even for small sheds. Anything larger than 120 sq feet requires plans and blueprints. ::

I don't MIND, but you certainly cannot tell me that every single farmer out here with a million little makeshift outbuildings has driven all the way into the city, paid for a meter, stood in line, filled out the paperwork, and slapped down $100 for a permit.

The almost giggled when I told him what I was building and was there for a permit, but said thank you for coming in to do it properly. I had my plans and sketches and photos ready and half the people in line perked up and wanted to see it.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ditto the zoning and planning department. My new coop will be 8x12.
My county required permits even for small sheds. Anything larger than 120 sq feet requires plans and blueprints. ::

I don't MIND, but you certainly cannot tell me that every single farmer out here with a million little makeshift outbuildings has driven all the way into the city, paid for a meter, stood in line, filled out the paperwork, and slapped down $100 for a permit.

The almost giggled when I told him what I was building and was there for a permit, but said thank you for coming in to do it properly. I had my plans and sketches and photos ready and half the people in line perked up and wanted to see it.

I did a small addition the "right way". Last time.

After I got my permit, zoning office looked at google earth on my farm and came out and "inspected" the pasture because they saw used tires and junk out there.

Most of which I thought would be repurposed. some of it has been there for 80 years are more. Old horse equipment, tractor tires (not car). old feeders and scrap iron.

When I told the "kid" that came out most of that stuff has been there for 50 years or more, his response was "well, it should have been cleaned up years ago".

When he pointed to some iron and steel stuff and piles and said they had to go, I said "No, that is scrap iron I use for welding and making things".

His response was " well it has to be stacked neatly and put under cover then."

I then ended the tour by telling him without a search warrant he could not go any further. I told him to never return. ( so much for my diplomacy).

It is impossible to see any part of the pasture unless you are on my land or in the air.

I have checked and re checked the statutes I can see nothing that says one must keep their possessions neat and piled under cover.

The actual building inspector himself is a real nice guy, he seems to understand about farms and rural areas, we actually talk about birds when he stops by, his wife keeps them,

But I still find it amazing you need a blueprint, footings, and so forth in a chicken coop, or calf hut.

 

[LesGus5]

Sorry about your loss, those flying critters are terrible.

I was forced to make a large covered run on every coop. My new plan is to have lots of them I am trying to buy as much bird netting as cheap as I can to put a larger area under cover.

Until someone designs a drone capable of patrolling my area and tazering every bird of prey that it detects I have no other choice.

The scarecrow sounds intriguing I have not tried that.

My resident pair of Red Shoulder Hawks have not bothered my chickens at all (they really like snakes and reptiles best...My property has a stream and they love that)...though they were here long before my chickens. Red Shoulders are territorial and fight off the Red tails for territory and run off and the Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks that are bird hunters. We had one run in with a Cooper's in September this year after my family (and dogs) were away, but luckily my spunky speckled sussex survived a few head pecks as she found shelter in a random lean-to against our garage. I cleaned her wounds and nursed her back to health. Her vision in one eye is compromised, but you wouldn't know it. Since the Cooper's hawk run-in, I have added a couple of fake Great horned owls (that I move regularly) as well as several metalic pinwheels (from the dollar store) pointed toward the sky in a few directions.... I used zip ties and attached them to my fence and the corners of the run/coop that catch sunlight. so far so good. Those pinwheels flash up to the sky really well and I think they have been the most effective in interfering with hawk vision.

 

[ChickyChickens]

My dog killed 18 of mt birds yesterday!!! I WAS EXCTREMELY SAD AND STILL AM!!!

Im, just happy that i got my bators...now i can catch up on those deaths...

 

[hellbender]

My dog killed 18 of mt birds yesterday!!! I WAS EXCTREMELY SAD AND STILL AM!!!

Im, just happy that i got my bators...now i can catch up on those deaths...

It might be time to decide what your priorities are. I have lots of dogs and and most of them would kill every chicken they could catch (all of 'em) if they were allowed the opportunity. I have my Heelers that are about with the birds during the day and the big nasty dogs are at large, only after the birds and Heelers are safely locked in the houses.

Forgive me if I'm repeating myself on this thread but my 'night dogs' consist of one female Caucasian Ovcharka and the resulting surly offspring of a mating of the C.O. and my male Heeler, operating pretty much as Bandogs to keep away all night-stalking predators...two legged and four, alike.

 

[ChickyChickens]

It might be time to decide what your priorities are. I have lots of dogs and and most of them would kill every chicken they could catch (all of 'em) if they were allowed the opportunity. I have my Heelers that are about with the birds during the day and the big nasty dogs are at large, only after the birds and Heelers are safely locked in the houses.

Forgive me if I'm repeating myself on this thread but my 'night dogs' consist of one female Caucasian Ovcharka and the resulting surly offspring of a mating of the C.O. and my male Heeler, operating pretty much as Bandogs to keep away all night-stalking predators...two legged and four, alike.

Yeah, but i just found out that my neighbour forgot to feed the dogs...so thye were hungry nd had no choice, but im still VERY angry with them!!