Quarantine Setup w/ Fruit Orchard Serving as Uncovered Run

[centrarchid]

Some of my chickens are selected each year to go off farm working at display animals where they come into direct contact with public. I assume many of the public are at least exposed to chickens earlier in the day. What I'm doing is setting up this group made up of a single rooster and about four hens, so they have about an 0.5-acre area defined by a 5' tall sheep and goat fencing that adult chickens cannot fit through. When these birds are home they will be acting like a flock that is physically separated from the balance of my chickens. With a little tweaking I should be able to make so my free-ranging chickens stay well away from the boundaries of the quarantine area.

The special chickens will be imprinted on 8' x 8' steel chicken pen where they will roost. They will have a mixed orchard of apples trees, cherry trees, grapes and blueberries to provide cover and foraging fun.

 

[Perris]

 

[centrarchid]

Here is what we have up so far. Currently, the fenced in area is only about 0.25 acres. That will be expanded to a full acre. I'm trying to trick a college student into helping me construct the second pen. He will be paid with lunch for about an hour's work. Second pen is scattered on ground.

First pen will house display birds that double as my son's breeding flock to create has black toppied blue-legged games. Rusty is the male side in image below.

Some of the apple trees.

 

[centrarchid]

Second pen is up and now both are covered with shade cloth. I gave one of my agriculture college students the “opportunity “ to help put a pen together.

I also pointed out how honey bees were doing orientation flights which looked like a miniature swarm minus the smell. Honey, the dog above, demonstrated her annoying prowess at catching and eating bees on the wing.

 

[3KillerBs]