Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[OneMountainAcres]

I let a few chicks hang out in a crate out in the sun today. I think they loved it! They are about 8-10 weeks old but have still been out in the garage brooder with supplemental heat. Do you think it would be ok to move them out to the main coop? There are 4 of them that are of age but 2 are silkies and I worry about it getting cold again.

 

[fisherlady]

Is yours made from cattle panels? I'm thinking something smaller would retain it's strength better? We're considering something around 8 x12.
How was yours tarped for winter?

And LOL at your siggy. We try to avoid Rt 30 (Rockvale, etc) on our way to visit family in York throughout the summer. Too many tourists and oh, the traffic!

How would you upgrade materials? Our thoughts are 3 cattle panels, fenced over with welded wire fencing and hardware cloth down low.

How old are your chicks? I did something similar yesterday, but it was the brooder move from basement to garage so I can still use the supplemental light for another 2-3 weeks before moving them to the coop.

It depends on the surface area which will be tarped and how steep or gentle the arch is, steep arch means minimal surface area to accumulate snow and ice, wider arch will have significantly more and may benefit from the placement of a couple of support posts (honestly a 2x4 would probably suffice) or a center beam made out of a 2x4 or 2x6. Doing a couple of the arch bows out of 1" pipe would sturdy it up also and probably be enough if it is a smaller surface area.

 

[dheltzel]

Is yours made from cattle panels? I'm thinking something smaller would retain it's strength better? We're considering something around 8 x12.
How was yours tarped for winter?

How would you upgrade materials? Our thoughts are 3 cattle panels, fenced over with welded wire fencing and hardware cloth down low.

You looking at doing something like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hoop-tractor

I did keep chickens in this all winter, but I pulled the whole thing inside a large machine shed, so it was well protected from most of the winds. I don't think I would want to use it outside all winter.

 

[Lelanae]

Or put a roof on the run. Even then 4 ft is not ideal unless you are short, because walking inside a covered 4 ft run is not so fun.

I have heard of people adding a light wire like chicken wire or deer netting to the top of a too-short fence. The supports can be lighter (pipes or conduit maybe?) and the unsteadiness of the top, swaying badly if a chicken tries to fly up to perch on the top, makes them less likely to try. Most chickens will fly up to perch on the top of the fence before flying down on the other side.

BTW, it was nice meeting you and your family last night.

Those are great ideas Dennis. We loved meeting you and seeing all your eggs and babies!
You were so generous with your time and knowledge! My son is so happy! He has been bugging me for chickens with muffs forever! I think your Pennsylvania Blacks are going to be perfect for what we want!
Our little ones are eating and drinking and cute as buttons. Twice as big as they were yesterday!

 

[dheltzel]

Those are great ideas Dennis. We loved meeting you and seeing all your eggs and babies!
You were so generous with your time and knowledge! My son is so happy! He has been bugging me for chickens with muffs forever! I think your Pennsylvania Blacks are going to be perfect for what we want!
Our little ones are eating and drinking and cute as buttons. Twice as big as they were yesterday!

Love those pics!
Great advertising too.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Those are great ideas Dennis. We loved meeting you and seeing all your eggs and babies! You were so generous with your time and knowledge! My son is so happy! He has been bugging me for chickens with muffs forever! I think your Pennsylvania Blacks are going to be perfect for what we want! Our little ones are eating and drinking and cute as buttons. Twice as big as they were yesterday!

Cute babies and boy! How many did you get? And what breeds ? I got 6 of different kind of,all become much bigger comparing to when I got them. Only one is still little is the welbar girl, who is also the only one not interested in mealworm. I'm a bit worried about her.

 

[fisherlady]

Cute babies and boy! How many did you get? And what breeds ? I got 6 of different kind of,all become much bigger comparing to when I got them. Only one is still little is the welbar girl, who is also the only one not interested in mealworm. I'm a bit worried about her.

Try scrambling an egg and then putting it through a food chopper to mince it super fine, you can add a bit of wild finch seed if you want to keep it from clumping. Then you can feed it to the littles either in a dish or scattered on an old pillowcase on the which is a solid contrasting color to the treat. It won't take them long to figure out how to scratch for their treats. I think it is good exercise for little legs too.

 

[chxmama]

You looking at doing something like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hoop-tractor

I did keep chickens in this all winter, but I pulled the whole thing inside a large machine shed, so it was well protected from most of the winds. I don't think I would want to use it outside all winter.

Yes, that's the one.

This is our idea. When Nov/Dec hits, we thought we could pull the house into our fenced garden area which gets a southeast exposure and morning sun. It would be tight against a shed on the other side which would block northwest wind/exposure. House would be tarped on both sides, maybe half in greenhouse plastic for sunlight and warmth. Each end would be tarped from the ground up about 3/4 of the way with opening at the top for ventilation. The 4' fence around the garden could be tarped as well to provide additional wind break. Of course, the house could also be staked to the ground to keep it from lifting in high winds throughout any possible winter storms.

Is this all too idealistic?

Would the chickens be able to keep themselves warm?

 

[Lelanae]

Cute babies and boy! How many did you get? And what breeds ? I got 6 of different kind of,all become much bigger comparing to when I got them. Only one is still little is the welbar girl, who is also the only one not interested in mealworm. I'm a bit worried about her.

Lol, none of my grown up girls will eat mealworm. (Of course, I found that out after I bought a big bag of dried and started raising live ones in my kitchen cupboard--unbeknownst to DH.)

We are only zoned for 4 hens but I am a master at chicken math. We started with 6--Sweet Pea had to be re-homed since he was a boy and two days ago we lost Trillium when she hopped over the fence. I got three from Dennis to make up for the one I lost. (Two Pennsylvania Blacks and a Welsummer, who I hope will assuage my desire for something Partridgey Plumaged.)
Of course I still am looking for a SLW, a Sussex and a couple or Orpingtons to make my quota.
Denis is wonderful. He nearly got me to buy a turkey and a Reece legbar. But I think I will hold out for one of his lavender Ameraucanas since I do need some of that color in my back yard!
If you read this Denis --is it ok if I post a picture or video of you with that darling Reece baby? Tilly--did you get one of each of his?

 

[chxmama]

Cute babies and boy! How many did you get? And what breeds ? I got 6 of different kind of,all become much bigger comparing to when I got them. Only one is still little is the welbar girl, who is also the only one not interested in mealworm. I'm a bit worried about her.

Our welbar is somewhat smaller than her flockmates and a bit reserved compared to the rest. She is somewhat skittish, but no so much as our blue copper maran chick and the legbars. I'm trying to spend more time with them - with treats - to warm them up and it's gradually working. Our 3 welsummer chicks have come around and are becoming very friendly and approachable.