Raising Chickens Isn't Easy! :(

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
It really is.

I was just sitting here trying to remember if I saw my dark cornish hen this evening or not ...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have stopped free ranging one of my flocks (of 19). They loathe being cooped up in a yard with poultry netting.

I bought some 4 foot high poultry netting and covered it with bird netting 14ft wide that I got at the farm store. (I extended the current run.)

They now have enough space to do the bawkbawkbawk --- flapping wings flying along the ground ----- to the other side of the fenced area. I gave them a long rectangle, in other words, covered with netting. I wasn't going to cover it, but we have hawks AND they kept getting out.

They are not completely satisfied, and whine at me to be let out. But it is a death sentence if I do. Maybe you can do something similar? Give them just enough room that you don't feel too guilty about not letting them out?

The rolls of 4 ft high chicken wire were $36 each (I bought two). The netting for the top was $35.

But now, I won't lose my birds. They have JUST started laying.

Oh, and the fencing was 50 feet long each roll.

ETA: my other chickens are in a large fenced garden. My silkies are too,but come out for grass with 2 foot high fencing when I'm watching.

 

[Mrs. K]

Do you have a roo? I also think that it is the time of year, seems like I go months not loosing anything and then....

I had a big white leghorn roo, just disappeared one day. Lost a little pullet 3 days ago, back into lock down! Ugh!

When I start loosing them, I lock them down for several days, then let them out for the an hour or two in late afternoon. Then maybe a day out.

Not perfect, but it does seem to work better not to have a set routine, especially of dawn to dark out of the coop routine, that really brings in the predators. I hate it too, I love to have them run, but I loose them too. ugh!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

ChickensAreSweet: That could work, but you see the chicken pens are right together and ... well I'll just show you! - - - >

This is a few of the barn .. the left hand side is the big chicken pen, and the pen right next to it is the 2nd chicken pen. So you see ... the 2nd chicken pen door is right in the barnyard in the main walkway .. so can't really have a run area there. The big chicken pen door is at the back of the barn, I used to have a large run back there but the horses torn it apart.

Mrs. K: Yes, I have quiet a few roosters. Letting them out for a few hours wouldn't work for me because my chickens go way out in the pasture and when I call them they aren't very good about coming when they're called ..

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes, if you have horses tearing apart things, then it would be silly to put up another fence!

I hope you find a good solution!!!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I decided to clean out the empty pen and put my favorite ones in there and let everybody else roam free ...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I decided to clean out the empty pen and put my favorite ones in there and let everybody else roam free ...

Good for you!!! Now don't worry- you are giving them a good life.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

How am I going to pick and choose which goes in which pen?? Do I just put a "Few" of my favorite birds in the empty pen or all of'em?

*Sighs*

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If it were me, I would focus on your breeding pairs and trios. Then you can always replace your losses if need be without spending more money. Guard those nice roos and hens that you would want to breed?

I have an incubator now and have eggs in there for the first time. I look forward to not having to spend money to replace losses one day after I get enough roos of the right type.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I just finished the finishing touches on the "Empty" coop.
My little sister will help me pick and choose the chickens that go in there.
I have 2 BO cockerals, one is about 4 months old and the other one is about 2 months old. The older one is a very light buff color, but he looks alot like R.I.P. Prince his daddy. The other one is getting an attitude but is looking promising.

Which one Which one?