"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[LaDoodler]

Yep, I've read soooooo many accounts on BYC of predators getting through chicken wire. Otherwise, with the name "chicken wire" one would think...... Anyway, when I started with mine a few months ago, with that in mind, I've used nothing but hardware cloth. So far, so good.

 

[campingshaws]

Yep, I've read soooooo many accounts on BYC of predators getting through chicken wire.  Otherwise, with the name "chicken wire" one would think......   Anyway, when I started with mine a few months ago, with that in mind, I've used nothing but hardware cloth.  So far, so good.

So true. I wanted hardware cloth but the whole setup was a surprise and fenced before I had any say. I don't know the name for it, it's wire fencing on a roll and is pretty strong, but has big gaps. I reinforced the run with chicken wire, and lock up the coop every night. The dog kennel is my "hospital" and really just used for quarantine, until I build a better hospital. I'll have to get the holes patched before I use it again.

 

[LaDoodler]

Well, off to enjoy this great taste of fall weather and give the girls a little candy (chicken scratch), and then off to the garden. I got my fall garden started yesterday, and I better get back on it. Whenever a big bug, grub worm, etc. shows up, I stop and take it to the girls. That way I certainly don't work too hard!

 

[Ron Skekel]

So true. I wanted hardware cloth but the whole setup was a surprise and fenced before I had any say. I don't know the name for it, it's wire fencing on a roll and is pretty strong, but has big gaps. I reinforced the run with chicken wire, and lock up the coop every night. The dog kennel is my "hospital" and really just used for quarantine, until I build a better hospital. I'll have to get the holes patched before I use it again.

Sorry for your loss. I dought it was a cat unless this was a chick. What did you find? That gives a clue as to the pred.Pam

 

[campingshaws]

Sorry for your loss. I dought it was a cat unless this was a chick. What did you find? That gives a clue as to the pred.Pam

Thanks, Pam. I started this hobby with realistic expectations of loss, but kids don't always understand.

She was pretty small for her age, 6 weeks. There were feathers on the hole in the wire, and a wing left on the porch. I don't think a cat could have pulled it through like that. The last one (nearly grown) was mostly intact but her head was gone. I was thinking raccoon for that one, and I'm still thinking it. Either way, I have some work ahead of me. I'm selling off about half my flock with plans to get new birds Friday, so I'll be using my quarantine coop for them.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Thanks, Pam. I started this hobby with realistic expectations of loss, but kids don't always understand.

She was pretty small for her age, 6 weeks. There were feathers on the hole in the wire, and a wing left on the porch. I don't think a cat could have pulled it through like that. The last one (nearly grown) was mostly intact but her head was gone. I was thinking raccoon for that one, and I'm still thinking it. Either way, I have some work ahead of me. I'm selling off about half my flock with plans to get new birds Friday, so I'll be using my quarantine coop for them.

A raccoon will pull them threw farm fencing. In my experience opossum will rip the head off and leave the rest. Do you have a coop to lock them in at night? A raccoon will keep coming back. You need hardware cloth on the run. Pam.

 

[campingshaws]

I don't do a good job of explaining things. The first picture is my "hospital" coop. It's on the back porch, right outside the door. You can see the hole she was pulled through under the bottom handle.

The second is my coop and run. Please excuse the mess; it's always under construction. I'm digging out all that black dirt (leftover potting soil from a garden plot) because it gets slimy in the rain. I'm filling it with sand, which is what my yard is naturally. The left wall is a door that I usually leave open, in case they need to run for cover. When I build a real hospital, I'll use hardware cloth.

 

[LindaB220]

The best thing about using dog kennels for runs is the options you have when needing to enlarge the run, just add top rail and slide the wire along the top rail, then add the need amount of wire to cover the gap, mine has gone from a 6'x10' kennel to 34'x 40' , plus I can scoot it from side to side back and forth to take in fresh grass, it only takes about 10 min. to shift it.

Can you elaborate on that a little? Maybe a close up picture to show me.. Love the idea

 

[LindaB220]

@ LaDoodler. Thank you for the book suggestion. I've got it ordered. I think I'm gonna read through it before I get started building. And I'll keep the leaf litter/bedding in mind. That's a great tip.

Hey Topdog24 the coop looks good. How big is the coop you have that housed 50+ birds, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks for sharing the pics.

Hey Ron you mentioned the term "Fart Egg" so I had to look it up. I spent the last twenty minutes learning about Pippin the chicken that came from a fart egg. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/348116/tiny-mystery-egg LOL

Hi LindaB220. I took a look at the hoop houses. I'm thinking I want something a little more permanent. Also my house is several hundred feet from the coop location so I'm really worried about hungry preds. I am re-thinking some things though.
I've decided to not use concrete for the floor and most likely go with sand or maybe deep litter. Will be a lot cheaper. Since this is my first try at chickens it's will be a test.
I'm excited about giving this a try and hope it's something I enjoy. On the other hand if it's not for me then I can use the shed for something else. I like eggs and chicken, but I'm a little worried I won't be able to handle the killing end of things.

Hi Donielles Medley


I'm having a hard time deciding where to put the coop and run. I have plenty of space. I have the option of putting the coop/run in full shade during summer months while there's leaves on the trees and nice sunshine in winter. If I were a chicken that's where I'd want my house to be. What do ya'll think?

Hey Cody, totally understand on the coop. Just keep one side totally open to the elements and windows that can be opened on the others. Heat kills a lot more easily than cold. Deep litter is the best ever. I love it and so do my girls. I do Fermented feed to keep the smell down and save money. If you don't want to kill them then just get pullets and have eggs. Easy peasy.

 

[Cody A]

You could go to my profile in my album is my coop build. It would be very easy to go back to a shed. Which I dought you will do. If you can't do the deed you could stick with layers our coop is for up to 30 birds. Pam

Hey Pam thanks for pointing me to your photos. That's a very nice coop I could live in there I really like the siding where did it come from. It looks like real bark.