New Member from Chicago, IL

[SilverBirds]

So we just rebuilt their coop with fencing and placed wire all over, top, bottom, and sides. It works great, nothing getting in and nothing getting out. But lately my son and I take turns letting them out or closing them in. Total failure in communication. I do not have a run for them. Are their simple instructions to build a run? Never had one before. So although we live in the city, we've had raccoons and possums and lately a new wave of cats. I believe Chocolate (in spanish) put up a grand fight. She is a black hen, I don't know what types I had. I just know I had Caramelo (caramel in color) and two blondes. Also had a gray and black one, and that one was attacked many years ago, beheaded by another animal. Thank you for taking the time to reply by the way. I greatly appreciate it.

I would build a run. A run is basically a fenced in area around the coop. Depending on how many chickens you have means you need to make the run a certain size. The general rule of thumb is 4sqft per bird in the run. That means the run size for 6 standard chickens should be 24sqft or more. You can check out Chicken Coops page and look through what others have built.

 

[m3torres]

ok so then you should be good? but are your chickens bantams or standard

I guess you would say standard. I looked up bantams and those are small.

 

[SilverBirds]

I guess you would say standard. I looked up bantams and those are small.

They are standards. The yellows are Buff Orpingtons and the black looks like an Australorp.

 

[m3torres]

I would build a run. A run is basically a fenced in area around the coop. Depending on how many chickens you have means you need to make the run a certain size. The general rule of thumb is 4sqft per bird in the run. That means the run size for 6 standard chickens should be 24sqft or more. You can check out Chicken Coops page and look through what others have built.

This is our current coop and fencing (v3.0), but I would let them out in the mornings. We had a larger fencing but had to break it down to build a larger shed for our storage.

 

[m3torres]

They are standards. The yellows are Buff Orpingtons and the black looks like an Australorp.

I lost the Orpingtons two weeks ago and my Australorp is the one I found injured. I am praying I did right by her now and that she survives.

 

[SilverBirds]

This is our current coop and fencing (v3.0), but I would let them out in the mornings. We had a larger fencing but had to break it down to build a larger shed for our storage.

That is a run.

I lost the Orpingtons two weeks ago and my Australorp is the one I found injured. I am praying I did right by her now and that she survives.

Poor thing. Chickens can make some miraculous recoveries when given the chance. Has the wound healed at all?

 

[m3torres]

That is a run.


Poor thing. Chickens can make some miraculous recoveries when given the chance. Has the wound healed at all?

That's a run? So does that mean that they don't have to get out much? Their food and water is in there, but I love to see them on the grass and dirt bathing and finding worms when I disturb the earth when gardening. So that was today and it did stop bleeding. All I had at hand was hydrogen peroxide and an aloe vera plant. So I rinsed her off and lay the plant slices on her wound, added a towel over that, below her wings, and wrapped a bandage around her. I crushed a baby aspirin and fed it to her with a dropper and placed her in her coop. I'm reading about fly strike now. Also I can't seem to find a vet that will look at my hens. Been looking for years. I had a hen die of mereks disease two years ago, I had to learn everything on the web. Then when it was time to have her taken to be put at rest I could not find a vet. It was a traumatic moment for my daughter and I.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out.
Hardware cloth can help keep them safe.

 

[m3torres]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out.
Hardware cloth can help keep them safe.

Yes, we covered the new coop with chicken wire, from the bottom to the top.

 

[SilverBirds]

That's a run? So does that mean that they don't have to get out much? Their food and water is in there, but I love to see them on the grass and dirt bathing and finding worms when I disturb the earth when gardening. So that was today and it did stop bleeding. All I had at hand was hydrogen peroxide and an aloe vera plant. So I rinsed her off and lay the plant slices on her wound, added a towel over that, below her wings, and wrapped a bandage around her. I crushed a baby aspirin and fed it to her with a dropper and placed her in her coop. I'm reading about fly strike now. Also I can't seem to find a vet that will look at my hens. Been looking for years. I had a hen die of mereks disease two years ago, I had to learn everything on the web. Then when it was time to have her taken to be put at rest I could not find a vet. It was a traumatic moment for my daughter and I.

That wound is concerning for it being 2 weeks. I'd ask for some tips on helping it heal in the Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures section.