Ugh... I got the first round of leaves from the back yard done. There are still plenty of leaves needing to fall from the trees. I fill all the runs with them, and the birds thought I was trying to do some evil on them. One started freaking out, then all the birds were freaking out. There is nothing like 40 odd birds all doing the "scary monster" squawk all at the same time. Yup.
Now I just need to raise the waterers up so they do not get leaf filled, and get the plastic wrap up too. To windy for that right now. Maybe tomorrow.
ALSO, looks like a scary monster did try to get in the marans coop last night too. The fencing that I used to completely cover the run was pushed down like something heavy sat on it. The tarp was torn, and pulled away from where I had it stapled. HAHA sucker! Oh, how I love thwarting them hungry little coons... Never again will I build anything that is not completely fenced all the way around before installing birds. Thinking of getting hot wires come spring. Keep them off the tarped roofs. Good little zap will do them some good. Learn them something. LOL
Well, coffee break is almost over... guess I will go back to finishing up before dark.... Maybe...
Oh... about coops/runs and tarps... I am on year two with the tarp roof. I got the 16x20 from lowes, and I followed Opa's suggestion of the furring strip rolled into it. Worked great. That went OVER the plastic sheeting I put up. I'd also like to say, that I used green plastic poultry fence over top of that sheeting to keep the sheeting from sucking back and forth against the run when the wind blew hard. That worked like a charm too.
This is my first year using a green house as a run. I did build a ground frame for it, then used pipe brackets to keep it in place. Wrapped the whole thing with run fencing. I need to put up the actual green house cover here too, now that weather is changing, and having already put the frame to a wood ground frame, it's going to be easy enough to use furring strips to keep it down tight.
I think with MI weather, a bit of modification is going to be necessary when using prefab metal tubing frames and covers. Yet if you think about it, you'll find its pretty easy to cheaply modify any part, even on the cheapo ones. It's even better when you have a large group of fellows like here to tell you their trials and successes, and you actually use the advice that is given to your benefit.
Now I just need to raise the waterers up so they do not get leaf filled, and get the plastic wrap up too. To windy for that right now. Maybe tomorrow.
ALSO, looks like a scary monster did try to get in the marans coop last night too. The fencing that I used to completely cover the run was pushed down like something heavy sat on it. The tarp was torn, and pulled away from where I had it stapled. HAHA sucker! Oh, how I love thwarting them hungry little coons... Never again will I build anything that is not completely fenced all the way around before installing birds. Thinking of getting hot wires come spring. Keep them off the tarped roofs. Good little zap will do them some good. Learn them something. LOL
Well, coffee break is almost over... guess I will go back to finishing up before dark.... Maybe...
Oh... about coops/runs and tarps... I am on year two with the tarp roof. I got the 16x20 from lowes, and I followed Opa's suggestion of the furring strip rolled into it. Worked great. That went OVER the plastic sheeting I put up. I'd also like to say, that I used green plastic poultry fence over top of that sheeting to keep the sheeting from sucking back and forth against the run when the wind blew hard. That worked like a charm too.
This is my first year using a green house as a run. I did build a ground frame for it, then used pipe brackets to keep it in place. Wrapped the whole thing with run fencing. I need to put up the actual green house cover here too, now that weather is changing, and having already put the frame to a wood ground frame, it's going to be easy enough to use furring strips to keep it down tight.
I think with MI weather, a bit of modification is going to be necessary when using prefab metal tubing frames and covers. Yet if you think about it, you'll find its pretty easy to cheaply modify any part, even on the cheapo ones. It's even better when you have a large group of fellows like here to tell you their trials and successes, and you actually use the advice that is given to your benefit.
