LOUISIANA FOLKS SPEAK UP

[cajunlizz]

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YES CHRIS , I sure know very well where Kaplan is . I was also born , raised and bred here in Lafayette . I left Lafayette for a brief period back in 1987 . DH was working for a Log Home Company in Newton , Texas . IT WAS SO GOOD to return to Lafayette . NOTHING like the food here . LOL

MY MAIN concern is what extra to do to the RUN AREA from all the rain we get here .

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

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If your run is stationary, it will be muddy in no time after they scratch all the grass up. I threw down some hay a couple times just to keep them from sinking in it.

If I had to do it again, I would definitely cover the run if I could.

I remember one time around the very end of winter we had something like 3 days of straight rain. Needless to say I was out digging trenches for the run to drain... Almost lost a good polish hen to drowing there was so much water.

 

[cajunlizz]

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If your run is stationary, it will be muddy in no time after they scratch all the grass up. I threw down some hay a couple times just to keep them from sinking in it.

If I had to do it again, I would definitely cover the run if I could.

I remember one time around the very end of winter we had something like 3 days of straight rain. Needless to say I was out digging trenches for the run to drain... Almost lost a good polish hen to drowing there was so much water.

I know exactly what you mean . We recently went thru 2 hurricanes and MORE than our share of rain. We started getting chickens in April /2008 and majority are grown now . BUT we do have 18 that are 4 weeks old ( much to young to MIX with the rest of the flock . PLUS we have a broody setting on eggs that is due to hatch next Saturday . The 18 and the broody are in separate cages .
We did put sand in our run area , BUT sure need to add more .
I read where some people up north bought big rolls of hay and unrolled in the run area . I don't know how that would work here being we get alot of WET WINTERS .... You know exactly what I am referring to . LOL

 

[wendy]

hay getting that wet would not be good you are right. our run is kind of on a slope so it does not hold water and there are some big pin oaks in and around our run that shield it from alot of just down pours.

i will have to search photobucket and see if i have any pictures of my red stars. i got offline for supper and cleaning up the kitchen afterwards so i am just getting back online. i will look and put them on here if i have any. if not i will take some pictures tomorrow. they are already getting in the coop for the night right now.

wendy

 

[tattooedchickenlady]

Hey Liz!
I'm originally from Patterson, but now reside in Denham Springs, outside Baton Rouge.

This will our first winter with chickens too, and we know we need to do more to the coop ASAP. Our coop is not enclosed at all it's basically a lean-to with the back wall being our privacy fence. We'll cover the front and put in a door, and as necessary, put up tarps along the back wall.

We have been talking about putting down sand because like you, we have a mud problem if it rains more than an hour.....we have put down hay a couple of times, but it still gets yucky.
Does the sand help keep it drier?

 

[wendy]

here is my son holding a young red star i guess the red star was about 3 months here.

and here they are just maybe few weeks old (that is our peacocks in the back ground)

this is our coop, not room for more than 20 chickens probably, we had the idea of getting 6 in the beginning. well as you well know that changed.

and here is a picture of our coop and run, the run is 20 x 25 feet.

 

[cajunlizz]

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Yes the sand helped alot , BUT we needed like 5- to maybe 8 inches and I think we managed to haul maybe 2 inches before it rained again. SO , HUBBY'S next project . LOL AT OUR HOUSE, its not honeydo's they are MERE PROJECTS , because its an act of congress to get them done. BUT he keep buying and bringing more and more chickens and don't get to these PROJECTS , it will be ME AND HIM . LOL He sure don't want this " CAJUN MAMA HEN " on his REAR END .

: lau

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[cajunlizz]

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Nice pictures ...... they are very simular to Rhode Island Reds

 

[wendy]

Thanks! they are very similar! the feed store we bought them from at about 2 weeks old calls them red sex links and i have heard other people call them both

edited to say : "call them red star or red sex links)

wendy

p.s. that is cute what you said about this "cajun mamma hen on his rear end :

 

[hippichick]

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The sand makes all the difference in the world. So much better than walking around in that slushy nasty mud. And the smell is not nearly as bad when you have a layer of sand.

Paula