Maine

[Widget]

Widget, I will go in on an order of midgets with you when the time is right. I blew my farm/garden budget this month so perhaps next month?

Sure. Not a problem.

 

[Cknldy]

One of the Russian pullets laying doesn't do an egg song at all when she lays. She screams like a pterodactyl! I couldn't figure out what the strange noise was one day and thought something was attacking their coop- checked and everytbing normal. Chalked it up to maybe the newbies trying to crow. Next day Emily waited for me to clean out the nest box, ran in and screaned like a pterodactyl just before laying her egg and running off. Took all of 5 seconds. Crazy!

 

[CoopChick719]

My EE & BRx honk like geese sometimes.

 

[Widget]

For those of you who use cattle panels I have a question. How did you get them home? They are 16 ft long and my truck bed is only 6.6 ft. I need quite a few to do what I want to do which is rebuild the horse fence. There is a place I can get some that will deliver but they are about $8 more per panel than they are at TSC. Considering I need about 24 panels that would be close to a $200 difference in price.

No hurry since that pesky white stuff is still in the way. Not to mention the ground is frozen. I am just trying to get a game plan ready for Spring. Currently I have a three strand tape fence which needs to be replaced. I am looking into both no-climb horse fence and the panels. The panels are a tad more expensive but look to be much easier to install. The fence needs to be stretched and as tight as possible. Plus the rolls weigh a couple hundred pounds give or take so they are not easy to deal with especially with one person.

 

[lazy gardener]

They can be transported in a short bed. I wouldn't try to transport more than 2 at a time. Basically, they are loaded in flat... so that initially you have 8' hanging out beyond your tail gate. then, you... and several sumo wrestlers... push the end of the panels... and keep pushing until they are folded into a n shape, with the leading edge of the panel(s) (the edge that was hanging off the back of the tail gate) tucked into the hinge space between the tail gate and the bed of the truck. This holds them in place long enough so you can cross tie them to take the tension off them, and hold them in position to get the tail gate closed. We use about 4 long ratchet straps. This is definitely not a do it alone job, as the panels are extremely heavy, and lethal when they decide to unfold on you! Your truck will look like a connastoga wagon going down the road (minus the canvas), but it will work. For as many panels as you're needing, you might want to check with Perkco Feeds in Exeter. they'll deliver for an order large enough, and I expect that your order will qualify. Is this the cheapest material you can use to rebuild that fence? They're pricey, and I love them... but it sounds like you need 360' of fencing...

 

[thatsjustducky]

I've seen people haul them in a full size P/u with one end near the cab of the truck and the other end near the tail gate with said gate closed and panels sticking up in a rainbow or hoop coop manner. then tie the panels down from the top.

 

[Widget]

They can be transported in a short bed. I wouldn't try to transport more than 2 at a time. Basically, they are loaded in flat... so that initially you have 8' hanging out beyond your tail gate. then, you... and several sumo wrestlers... push the end of the panels... and keep pushing until they are folded into a n shape, with the leading edge of the panel(s) (the edge that was hanging off the back of the tail gate) tucked into the hinge space between the tail gate and the bed of the truck. This holds them in place long enough so you can cross tie them to take the tension off them, and hold them in position to get the tail gate closed. We use about 4 long ratchet straps. This is definitely not a do it alone job, as the panels are extremely heavy, and lethal when they decide to unfold on you! Your truck will look like a connastoga wagon going down the road (minus the canvas), but it will work. For as many panels as you're needing, you might want to check with Perkco Feeds in Exeter. they'll deliver for an order large enough, and I expect that your order will qualify. Is this the cheapest material you can use to rebuild that fence? They're pricey, and I love them... but it sounds like you need 360' of fencing...

The cheapest? No. That would be the electric tape. However that no longer works with one of my guys. He is too smart and knows how to wiggle his way through the strands. A traditional wood plank fence would be even more expensive than the panels. The no climb is just a bit cheaper but easier to transport. Set up with one person is the problem with that. So many choices with pros and cons to all. I just have to figure out what will work the best.

 

[quailtrail]

I was excited to think I'd be able to tell the difference in eggs so I could hatch some Buff Orps. ..but seems my OE aren't OE...only one olive egg. Hmmm... the person I got them from said they could be from her black copper Maran roo...oh well...guess we will have to be surprised! !! How long after they start laying can they have fertile eggs???

Today I heard a weird knocking at the door. I went to look it was 2 of the girls pecking at the screen door!! Lol

 

[country chick13]

Just wanted to say hi to all my fellow Mainers! We live in West Newfield. Getting my first roosters this spring to start hatching my own, rather than buying them elsewhere. I'm a little nervous about having roosters, but hope they will keep the ladies in line, without being mean

 

[mlowen]

For those of you who use cattle panels I have a question. How did you get them home? They are 16 ft long and my truck bed is only 6.6 ft. I need quite a few to do what I want to do which is rebuild the horse fence. There is a place I can get some that will deliver but they are about $8 more per panel than they are at TSC.  Considering I need about 24 panels that would be close to a $200 difference in price.

No hurry since that pesky white stuff is still in the way. Not to mention the ground is frozen. I am just trying to get a game plan ready for Spring. Currently I have a three strand tape fence which needs to be replaced. I am looking into both no-climb horse fence and the panels. The panels are a tad more expensive but look to be much easier to install.  The fence needs to be stretched and as tight as possible. Plus the rolls weigh a couple hundred pounds give or take so they are not easy to deal with especially with one person.

I only needed two, but could have probably done more. I also recommend another person to help.

We bent the 16 foot panel, gently, in half, one side standing in the left side of the bed and the other end standing in the right side. It makes a nice high sideways "C." With a very short way to go, we didn't even have to tie the ends together (sturdy straps are common.) Good idea to tie down to the truck, itself, though.

With enough difference in price and reasonable mileage on your truck, it'd be worth a few trips, if you had to take a few at a time. The middle is not high enough to worry about overpasses.