Keeping chickens in - the saga

[ShrekDawg]

So the chickens have been outside a couple of weeks now and thriving. .

Only problem is they are escapees.

They always try to run out the door wanting to free range when I come in and have gotten loose before. Usually I let them but occasionally when it's one I herd them back. Before we added the dog kennel/run we had a lot more escapees usually while putting them in (back then they were still coming in and out from garage.)

Now today we had one fly straight out. And this happened 2 or 3 weeks ago too, right before Christmas. That time we had some lawn guys come to clean the lawn (do leaves, mow lawn, trim stuff, etc.) and they got close to the run with the mower and they freaked. Usually they pile in a corner but the EEs, being especially flighty, fly on the roof then out. Only one at a time so far though. Thankfully two haven't gitten out on the same incident

Today we have people working on our bathroom and in and out doors plus birds were let out late today so full of energy.

Sure enough an EE flies right up to the roof of the coop then the run fence (kennel is chain link), PERCHING RIGHT ON IT FOR A SECOND, then just popped right out like it was nothing... and this time she flew far away.

Fortunately though within a few seconds she was pacing the run and wanting to be back with her friends so I was able to snag her fairly quickly and put her back. The others were looking at her like she's insane lol

SO.

Needless to say i am taking some additional security measures.

I don't have the time for a full roof right now and just need something quick so my dad told me about some bird netting he has so I went and found it.

I am throwing that over the top, which is not the easiest lol

But HOPEFULLY it keeps the Easter Eggers grounded.


There is a whole other saga for all the things that have gone wrong with this bathroom reno. The biggest being the whole wall on one side being soaking wet and the roof wet too. Water dripping off beams, there's even icicles in the attic. All moldy. Black mold. Soo need to de mold it / some new wood in places AND new roof.

Oh and not to mention my dad already has to,put in a new septic system but we're not doing that yet.

All this for one small bathroom reno. (Well, the sewer was from before we started this but they did some test and said it was too small for our house). We're seriously like those people on HGTV where everything goes wrong LOL

But that's off topic soooo yeahhhh, hopefully this bird netting thing goes well. It's all wrapped weird and the run is about as tall as I,am at 6 feet but we'll manage.

 

[yellowchicks]

You can also try using some polypropylen ropes to tie a big lose net or web, then throw the bird netting over it. Your rope web can serve as the support structure in case of snow build up on top of the net.

Btw, we have one of those moldy guest bathroom, took us a year to complete ourselves after the demolition, got distracted by building the chicken coop. It is finally done now, but I know the pain.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I wish I:had checked this thread one more time before I went out there :/ I did manage to get it done though and discovered it was much easier to go in the run, hook it on one side, and unroll it, then go out to cut it, than to try to just huck it over the fence from outside. Also easier and not as saggy to have the side with the extra netting (it's triple wrapped so the edges are folded in) stickiny uo instead of the flaps falling down lol but the first section is pretty sloppy in comparison

Anyhow, I may still do the rope thing. It seems to be a good idea and I hadn't even thought about snow.

And it's awful isn't it? Can't imagine having it open for a year though! Ours my dad actually started it like 8 yeaes ago bur all he did was take the tub out so it wasn't really completely demolished but it was one of the ones with plastic walls so really we had open walls too and insulation exposed so I don't know how we didn't notice it. But now these guys just started yesterday. They were supposed to in November or so but another project took longer than expected which would have been fine had it just been a bathroom reno but now we discovered all these problems and have no window in there, the walls open, and now as of yesterday the ceiling open too which makes it freezing. We also obviously have to fix it before they can move forward but I have no clue how because first of all it's freezing and I don't want it open long. This week is back to 40s but the first 2-3 days this week were 20s and even 17 one night. So not exactly a good time to have your ceiling and roof opened up lol but also my dad thinks it is maybe a result of all the snow we had last year which if that's the case, and even if not, it really does not make sense to me to get a new roof right before or during winter, seems to me it would happen again. My dad I think is going to try to contact the insurance though if it's snow but I don't know what's gonna happen, doesn't make sense to start now, at least to me, but now it's all open.

 

[Tumbling K]

can you not clip one wing on the birds to keep them from flying?

 

[ShrekDawg]

My dad suggested that once or twice before but I'm not sure, I liked the idea of them having their freedom but after two escapes I'm not so sure they need it. I may have to. They are only 10 weeks old though so I was hoping that they would eventually get too heavy to fly, some of the others are starting to be (barred rock, buff orpingtons, black Australorps) but maybe the Easter Eggers stay lighter? I have heard that I think. My dad was thinking of doing it for free ranging so they don't go far but that's not really their problem - it's more the vertical flying which they very gladly demonstrate whenever possible lol hopefully the bird netting will help but if they don't stop this I may just have to clip some wings. :/

It doesn't hurt them though right? At least from what I've heard. Just seems unnatural to clip a birds wings but chickens aren't really flying birds anyway so I may have to. Other than the flying they are excellent birds but I may try the clipping if this doesn't work because I'd rather clip a wing than lose one. Might do them good to have a little less freedom anyhow

I wonder if clipping would make them less flighty too? Like personality wise. Or at least enable me to easier socialize? But even without flying they're fast little buggers hah

Plus it grows back if I decide not to later right?

My other problem though is even if I wanted to I don't know how to :/

But anyhow sorry for the rambling and thank you

 

[Tumbling K]

remember when you were growing up?

small child in a carseat?

I'm sure you hated being confined to just that seat, but your caregiver cared enough to keep you safe.

they will still be able to fly some, but not the longer flights needed to clear a fence.

Google is your friend, it's very easy. watch a few videos, and you'll be slapping your forehead for not doing it sooner. they will show you exactly which feathers to cut, and what to look for as to where to cut them. only cut one side. the key is to cause them to be unbalanced in their flight, not to prevent flight entirely.

I'd suggest a heavy set of scissors.

 

[yellowchicks]

There is a whole other saga for all the things that have gone wrong with this bathroom reno. The biggest being the whole wall on one side being soaking wet and the roof wet too. Water dripping off beams, there's even icicles in the attic. All moldy. Black mold. Soo need to de mold it / some new wood in places AND new roof.

Continue to get off the topic....it sounds like you having more of a human crisis than chickens crisis. Black mold indoor is definitely a health hazard. Icicles in the attic is for sure a sign of roof leak. Not to make you more nervous, but some weather prediction is calling for a nasty winter by the end of January in my area, or perhaps the northeast.
http://www.nj.com/weather/index.ssf...ecause_winter_is_coming_with_a_vengeance.html

So first thing first is to get a professional to properly remove the mold without getting everyone sick. Then get a roofer to fix the roof, patch the leak before getting a new roof in the spring. With a weather-proof building shelf, you can then worry about the bathroom renovation. If the roof is not fixed, it could exacerbate the problem, no point to renovate the bathroom just to have black mold blooming across the new ceiling.

As for your chickens, they are at a young age that is naturally flighty. Once they are older, began to squatting for you and lay eggs, they will be more approachable. My chickens could easily leap 8 ft onto a tree at that age. They still could jump vertically to my shoulder or fly horizontally across the yard for treats. I didn't clip their wings so they can fend for themselves during their free range time. A netting on the top of the run would be helpful to keep them contain.

 

[ShrekDawg]

remember when you were growing up?

small child in a carseat?

I'm sure you hated being confined to just that seat, but your caregiver cared enough to keep you safe.

they will still be able to fly some, but not the longer flights needed to clear a fence.

Google is your friend, it's very easy.  watch a few videos, and you'll be slapping your forehead for not doing it sooner.  they will show you exactly which feathers to cut, and what to look for as to where to cut them.  only cut one side.  the key is to cause them to be unbalanced in their flight, not to prevent flight entirely.

I'd suggest a heavy set of scissors.

That makes a lot of sense! I never thought of it like that before. Thanks for the suggestions!! I'll try to find some videos

 

[ShrekDawg]

Continue to get off the topic....it sounds like you having more of a human crisis than chickens crisis. Black mold indoor is definitely a health hazard. Icicles in the attic is for sure a sign of roof leak. Not to make you more nervous, but some weather prediction is calling for a nasty winter by the end of January in my area, or perhaps the northeast. 
http://www.nj.com/weather/index.ssf...ecause_winter_is_coming_with_a_vengeance.html

So first thing first is to get a professional to properly remove the mold without getting everyone sick. Then get a roofer to fix the roof, patch the leak before getting a new roof in the spring. With a weather-proof building shelf, you can then worry about the bathroom renovation. If the roof is not fixed, it could exacerbate the problem, no point to renovate the bathroom just to have black mold blooming across the new ceiling.

As for your chickens, they are at a young age that is naturally flighty. Once they are older, began to squatting for you and lay eggs, they will be more approachable. My chickens could easily leap 8 ft onto a tree at that age. They still could jump vertically to my shoulder or fly horizontally across the yard for treats. I didn't clip their wings so they can fend for themselves during their free range time. A netting on the top of the run would be helpful to keep them contain.

Yeah, I think there is definitely more a human problem than a chicken problem haha

I think I'm going to have to ask my dad exactly what they're doing because they started something yesterday and there's shingles flying off the house so I'm not really sure. I think they're fixing the back part or taking the wood out but it seems like we should have somebody else do the mold. I was watching Flip or Flop earlier and theu had a professional and had it closed off for like 2 weeks and everything and now you're sort of saying the same thing so we gotta figure something out. My dad seems to think we're just going to spray it down with bleach. Seems weird. It could be all around the house too, we don't know, so I think we should call a professional to do it. I don't know.

But yeah, no point in doing the bathroom with mold.

That's great to know though that it's partly just the age and not necessarily something I did! Thank you but yeah, the fence is 6 feet high but they seem to fly to the coop roof (maybe 4 feet high I think? Or to the nest boxes then roof peak) then fly the extra 1-2 feet to the fence and out. They can fly pretty high though. But yeah, that's exactly why I didn't want to do it though they can't free range right now. So glad I put the netting on yesterday though because they're terrified today and running around together since they're right next to the pen (problem is back side and theyre in the backyard) but i have to stay downstairs with the dog so otherwise they would likely be loose.

But anyway, there's another episode on and there's more mold and everyone keeps saying how serious black mold is yet my dad doesn't really seem to realize that. My mom does though ha

Hopefully we can get it actually properly cleaned