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AnneInTheBurbs said:
Chicken question: My coop is primarily done, but my run is not. Any tips for a successful run setup?
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You definitely need a reliable and durable roof....................I am saying from my experience! My first year with 4 hens and a tough winter!

the blue tarp with wooden supports was insufficient

my metal frame picnic tarp set up imploded with all the snow on it................it endured for quite awhile and finally imploded.

I plan to have better roof for snow and rain......................


I didn't want such a tall structure because I want to go in the run to rake out....................so this year I am considering a hinged , yet durable roof.................at least part of it that I can move so I can go in and rake etc...........and maybe a portion near the door that is not hinged for extra durability.

Plus I like the girls to have sun ..................so I am thinking about this also.

This winter I learned about how much snow comes in from the sides too!

the overtop roof when it was working was not blocking snow from the run...........I added wood and clear plastic to the sides to prevent the sideways snow and rain in the winter.

Otherwise all the usual hardware cloth and wood run advice you see on here is great.
 
AnneInTheBurbs said:
Thanks! Can you give more information about where to find the metal stakes with the fence hooks? I'm not sure what you mean by them.
Thanks, I will try, but I don't have too much room.
Thanks for the tip about the straw, I was going to use that, but I'll save it for the garden now.
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. Where do you find the aspen chips?
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I would recommend wood chips.....................after your chickens have eaten all the grass. At this time I think there are many sources of free wood chips because we had so many trees down over the winter storms.

many tree companies are looking for places to unload their wood chips.

I have not heard back yet but I responded to an add on craigs list for free wood chips..............I think if a company is doing tree work in your area................they want an easy and close by place to drop off the chips.

Last year I would put a wheelbarrow of wood chips down............so the run was not muddy................
I also left a section for a pile of peat moss..........because they love dust bathing.

then once a week or maybe two weeks..............I would rake out the top wood chips and put in new ones.

I dumped the used wood chips in my compost/ leaf pile.

I know people say the wood chips are not great in the compost pile .............but you can section things off.

In the fall I bagged tons of leaves and use them and also used them thru the winter to keep their feet warm and dry. Same clean out procedure.
 
I was watching this show on sat on nat geo.....................not sure I like it that much but.....................

the woman is a farmer................

she had a silkie rooster and a showgirl hen and she did "artificial insemination"

she used a little plastic syringe thingy...........and got the sperm from the rooster and then injected it into the hen.


so is this something others have ever tried?

her reasoning is she didn't want her show girl to have her feathers or back damaged............

I am wondering if it is something people could do if they didn't own the rooster.............
 

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