Maine

[Widget]

Good news, Bad news.

Good news is that my White Leghorn is finally laying.

I just figured out where her spot is. She chose a good spot that is well protected but a pain to reach. One side is the dog pen. Another is the house. The third is the retaining wall. The open side is protected by low hanging tree branches. Now if I can just find where the two Sussex hens are laying, if they even are yet, it will be great,

Bad News. My Golden Comet hen was a victim of an auto accident. I was coming down my driveway, in neutral going about 5 mph, and the hen did not get out of the way. I thought she had moved like she always did but I think she just squatted down instead.

 

[lazy gardener]

So sorry Widget. I can easily see how that could happen.

 

[dowgirl71]

Sorry to hear about your chicken, Widget!

 

[CoopChick719]

Sorry about your Comet, Widget

 

[quailtrail]

So much to.catch up on!!! Sorry to be MIA started a new job and the last 2 months just flew by! Ok gonna catch up...BRB...

 

[learycow]

Who has ducks here on the Maine thread?

I do! What are you looking for?

 

[ashandvine]

Windsor Show tomorrow.... its going to rain but hey! means more time to admire chickens and talk chickens and ducks and geese... oh yes it ALL going to be there Pigeons even!

 

[liquidequis]

Well....the husband and I butchered 9 of our 11 cockerels today. I'm a little sad not to see them running around the yard with the girls...but it's nice to know I have lots of chicken for the freezer. I think we did a pretty good job considering we had never done it before. By far the worst part was burning the remains, yuck! Can't wait for my girls to start laying.

 

[lazy gardener]

New coop is coming along SLOWLY. We're 5 weekends into the project. Silly me. I thought we'd have it done in 3 weekends. Today, we got the roof purlins on one side. I'm a wimp up on staging. It's especially hard reaching around with that heavy nail gun. One more side to go. I am working up the nerve to go out and try to frame up the closet and nest boxes by myself tomorrow. Got a blast of dusty oily air from the gun in one eye today. After some eye drops and 3 - 4 hours, my eye is starting to feel better, so that's one disaster avoided. Siding is 3/4 on.

Yesterday, we quit work outside when the heavy mist turned to rain. Hubby was taking a well deserved nap, and I was catching up on BYC, when I heard someone coming up over the front steps. I turned around to see 2 big dogs come wandering into the house. These were the same 2 dogs who tried to attack my flock a month ago. So, I invited them into the kitchen, and then went and closed the door behind them. (They had wandered in through the garage. A quick call to our animal control officer, and a 2 hour wait, had them and their wet doggie smell out of my house. Several hours later, I received a very apologetic call from their owner. He assured me that he would do his best to see that it never happens again... We'll see about that!

Here's the question of the day: The new coop is 10 x 12. It sits on 4 x 4 p.t. posts which fit into cement blocks. The ground is uneven, with a variation from 8" to 20" between the bottom of the framing to the ground. I'm thinking that the thing to do is put 1/2" hardware cloth skirt around the whole coop, which will be yet an other added expense. And even then, I'm not the least bit hopeful that the skirt will keep mice or rats out of that space, and may in fact make the space more of a safe haven for them. On the other hand, I don't want chickens to have access to that much space that I couldn't access. So, looking for advice here: hardware cloth? Lattice? Chicken wire skirt?

 

[mlowen]

[quote name="lazy gardener" url="/t/1370/maine/14820#post_14177816 

Here's the question of the day:  The new coop is 10 x 12.  It sits on 4 x 4 p.t. posts which fit into cement blocks.  The ground is uneven, with a variation from 8" to 20" between the bottom of the framing to the ground.  I'm thinking that the thing to do is put 1/2" hardware cloth skirt around the whole coop, which will be yet an other added expense.  And even then, I'm not the least bit hopeful that the skirt will keep mice or rats out of that space, and may in fact make the space more of a safe haven for them.  On the other hand, I don't want chickens to have access to that much space that I couldn't access.  So, looking for advice here:  hardware cloth?  Lattice?  Chicken wire skirt?  
[/quote]

1/2 inch will keep out all but mice. But things can still dig under, if it's not buried. If you don't need it to be preditor proof--just keep the chickens from getting under there--I'd think chicken wire would work well enough. Are you concerned a rat or something would ambush them from under the coop?