Now that I've decided it's going to be SO HARD to wait for Spring!

[Chicabee19]

I keep checking Craigslist for chicken listings, but I know I can't get chickens right now! arrgghhh

We don't have any setup at all yet.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

you dont need much.... a rabbit cage from Wal-Mart is sufficient space for a pair of Malaysian Seramas. They are very small, dont require a lot of room, and can be found in a variety of colors. Perhaps, something small and easy will satisfy your chicken addiction until the spring.

 

[Chicabee19]

thanks Chris! I'll be thinkin' hard about that for the next few days.

 

[EliteTempleton]

I thought you had an unused greenhouse?

Wouldn't that be like the premo spot to put them?

 

[Chicabee19]

oh, I WISH! it's not put up... it's still in pieces!

I do have an ad out on freecycle asking for unused dog house/large pet carrier and anyone with extra chicken wire. My friend was able to find hers there.

 

[EliteTempleton]

I have to agree that hardware cloth is the way to go. The poultry netting I bought does not give me confidence, but I don't have cougars in the area. Seriously the only thing I figure to ever use poultry netting for in the future is to keep the poultry out of the garden....

I ended up putting up some landscape cloth over the chicken wire, and for where I live thats enough, but I still don't fully trust it.

 

[Chicabee19]

i think my freecycle post says "chicken or cattle wire"...

 

[EliteTempleton]

I see.

Well if you end up with some free "poultry netting" I recommend using it to keep them out of the garden.

 

[Chicabee19]

I just got a reply offering a roll of chicken wire... so we're on our way! Woohooo

I was thinking to use poultry "netting" across the top of the run. Is that a good use for it?

 

[EliteTempleton]

I think so. Not much experience here really, but from what I understand across the top it would stop the hawks and keep the chickens from flying out. Plus the stuff I read about coons and such talk more about them reaching through and pulling them out, which obviously a coon's arms just are not long enough to reach down from the top and get them. I have read some stuff about animals tearing through the netting and getting in, but I would think that would be harder for them, if it even happens, from above, as they would have less traction/leverage to rip it apart, plus how would they get back out? They could but I bet they would not feel like they could so they wouldn't do it.

I set 1x2's across the top about every 2.5 feet, mostly for stapling the wire down, but it adds support too, so if a hawk flew down it wouldn't bring the whole roof down onto the chickens.

Again, someone else will need to chime in, but I think for the top it would be ok.