Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[OneMountainAcres]

Yeah. Sounds like it.
It's been lightning, and I just heard our first roll of thunder. Time to go to bed in case the storm wakes Duckling.

There were a couple loud claps here a few minutes ago. It's still rumbling out there but not too bad. The window is open and every time it thunders, I hear Adam out there gobbling at it lol

 

[stake]

As our girls were beginning to fly up, walk around the outside of the brooder and poop freely, we made it a no-fly zone over the weekend.

In order to make up for their loss of exercise, we took them outside for their first field trip.





I have video too, but don't know if that can be posted.

LJ

What's worked for me is that I took some hardware cloth, about 25x 2' tall' and made a circle and just clamped it shut, (a play pen)...I let my young'in out when the adults were free ranging and it allowed both to meet eachother....never had any fly out and never had any fly in...my two cents...

 

[Redwolf141]

I know that my chicks like to roost on walls, but I have no idea if they are on the roost with the adults. I don't do nightly checks. Tonight I quacked to be sure that the ducks were inside. I trust the chickens to all get in there if they are alive. I do a quick check of the lilac bush on my way down to the coops. That is my check.
When my flock numbers are under 300 (okay. Tenish) I might start counting again.

so what I get out of this is as long as they are in the coop it is good. Just did anot her check 1 roosting on the roost bars, 4 on the walls 3 on the floor.

 

[stake]

I have not decided how to run my electric to the coop yet right now it is just and extension cord. I hope the apron method works.

Tilly / Red:

What I did was this, put landscaping ties around the outside of the run (the 4"x4" type) I used 9" nails as 'stakes' then attached the bottom of the run fencing the ties....if I was going to add an apron....I'd attach it to the ties and lay is flat on the ground then throw fill soil on top...a few rain storms and some grass seed later it will all be 'sealed in' (no digging)...my two cents

 

[Redwolf141]

Tilly / Red:

What I did was this, put landscaping ties around the outside of the run (the 4"x4" type) I used 9" nails as 'stakes' then attached the bottom of the run fencing the ties....if I was going to add an apron....I'd attach it to the ties and lay is flat on the ground then throw fill soil on top...a few rain storms and some grass seed later it will all be 'sealed in' (no digging)...my two cents

Thanks Stake that is very similar to what I am going to do except I will add mulch instead of soil and we are trying to figure out chicken friendly flowers and herbs to plant around the coop

 

[stake]

Fisherlady and Radioman are the greatest!! I never felt comfortable letting my flock free range. Since the adolescents she brought to me were used to roaming free, I waited a few weeks then let them out. Now I have a bunch of chicks and ducklings roaming around my property. When I walk outside, they come running for me.
I know that I have said this before, but if it weren't for those two, I would not get to experience the awesome feeling of having my chickens meet me at the door. I wouldn't get to see their excitement as they bust out in the morning. I can't really think coherently right now to express how awesome it is to have free range fowl (sinuses are kicking me in the head). But I know that if I had gotten birds from anyone else, I never would have let them free range every day like this. If at all.
Of course, those two are awesome for other reasons as well. But I'm sure all of you know how great they are. LOL! Okay, the newbies don't know her husband is Radioman. Now ya do.

MCC:

Know that feeling well....and had a couple that would fly up on my shoulder.....be careful....I've only had one loss to a racoon and two to hawks, but, the foxes, once they find your flock will not leave....and the will change their tactics when they stalk your flock....(my pooch is out running them off right now)....sorry if I come off preachy...my two cents....

 

[fisherlady]

As our girls were beginning to fly up, walk around the outside of the brooder and poop freely, we made it a no-fly zone over the weekend.

In order to make up for their loss of exercise, we took them outside for their first field trip.

I have video too, but don't know if that can be posted. :/

I think video has to be uploaded to a program like Utube and then linked into a post.

Great to see them getting out, they will graduate to permanent outside life before you know it!

I like stake's suggestion on the play pen, we have done similae with 2 or 3 foot high chicken wire, it makes a simple way to expand their area while they get used to roaming. Added benefit is that you can sit in it with them and read or relax while offering treats, they will get comfortable with you being there and may end up being lap chickens! LOL

 

[BullChick]

so what I get out of this is as long as they are in the coop it is good. Just did anot her check 1 roosting on the roost bars, 4 on the walls 3 on the floor.

Pretty much. Instinct will kick in... Unless they are afraid of the older chickens. That is still instinct though.

MCC:

Know that feeling well....and had a couple that would fly up on my shoulder.....be careful....I've only had one loss to a racoon and two to hawks, but, the foxes, once they find your flock will not leave....and the will change their tactics when they stalk your flock....(my pooch is out running them off right now)....sorry if I come off preachy...my two cents....

I know. I feel awful about your fox issues.

 

[BullChick]

Oh my gosh! I have ducks! I don't understand, but... (Breathe, girl!) I sent three duck eggs because it wasn't making sense that the previous owner said that they had had fertile eggs before. When I candled a few days ago, I didn't see anything. I assumed that I was correct and that once again, the eggs were not fertile. Of course, it takes more than five days for a duck egg to start veining that I can see it. Since I'm awake anyway, and hatch a batch said it was time to candle the chicken eggs, I candled the duck eggs. The first one was clear. I wasn't going to bother checking the other two. I was just going to throw them all away.
Then, I decided to leave them in for a few more days. Check a chicken egg, It looked odd because I'm not used to incubating my as laying down. So I checked another duck egg to see if it looked the same. I saw veins!!
I only candled two more chicken eggs, and saw veining in those two as well.

 

[fisherlady]

Oh my gosh! I have ducks! I don't understand, but... (Breathe, girl!) I sent three duck eggs because it wasn't making sense that the previous owner said that they had had fertile eggs before. When I candled a few days ago, I didn't see anything. I assumed that I was correct and that once again, the eggs were not fertile. Of course, it takes more than five days for a duck egg to start veining that I can see it. Since I'm awake anyway, and hatch a batch said it was time to candle the chicken eggs, I candled the duck eggs. The first one was clear. I wasn't going to bother checking the other two. I was just going to throw them all away.
Then, I decided to leave them in for a few more days. Check a chicken egg, It looked odd because I'm not used to incubating my as laying down. So I checked another duck egg to see if it looked the same. I saw veins!!
I only candled two more chicken eggs, and saw veining in those two as well.