roost system in need of revision

[centrarchid]

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Present elevation blocks most frequent nocturnal visitors, racoons and oppossums. Dogs (livestock guarding) will keep wild canids out and be another layer of protection from racoons and oppossums. Note I indicated earlier in thread our pet cat lacking claws could access roost but I do not consider domestic / feral cats to be a threat in my immediate vicinity. T-post will be modified or replaced to prevent climbing by poor jumpers such as racoons and oppossums. As a child I had racoons and oppossums as pets well into their adulthood and they were not confined in any manner. They did pursue and capture some of our chickens (games) in barns and out buildings likely with more effort put into it than a non-kept animal would. It quickly became apparent they had limitations to where they could access chickens. That knowledge will be tested by monitoring feeding station in woods where wild critters visit regularly and playing with support post design to deny racoons and oppossums access. No chickens will be involved.


Low cost is in respect to experimental setup only. Next version for coming summer will be very much coop like in terms of strength and will not be constructed from pallets or straw bales. Trying to by-pass need for closing and opening access points for fowl as well as keep cohorts (broods) of different ages separate while keeping birds safe and comfortable.

 

[centrarchid]

Time to begin design of real roosts!

 

[centrarchid]

Starting up again. Newest design not going to be final but will help resolve issues of dispersion of birds on roost dowels for rapid ennumeration (head count). Plan is to stand beneath with flashlight, make count, then go to next roost. I also want to be able to collect feces for use in gardens. Over winter with the first generation roost, 10 birds provided over 200 pounds of feces (based on dry weight) but all fell to ground. Will also help test what is needed to get young birds to access it. I am very concerned about flight limitations of some of the dominique crosses to be using these devices. The dominique (mother) x California grey (father) looks flight worthy but may not have the smarts required. Base of roost about 6' 6" above ground so I can walk under without bopping head. Space below will accomodate light duty pen that will cover chicks at night until training to enter roost above. I may setup so ground roosting tub (similar to that used earlier in thread) can be moved up incrementally each night once chicks appear ready to transition to roosting on dowels. The "appearing" is an issue that must be more accurately defined for this system to work.

Base of pen shown is 4' x 5' and height is 5'. Post will be set vertical and tighter. Cover will be something other than tarp as shown. Trying to test wind tolerance of wire. Will test weight tolerance next. I hope to be able to have 36 birds of near adult size roosting in this to give a total bird load of about 180 lbs which may exceede capacity of wire as shown. Final version will support 72 birds.

 

[azygous]

Boy, you really go all out for your chickens.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I was thinking something quite similar.

 

[sunnyvera]

Just a funny thought - maybe you should enter your set-up in the tackiest coop contest. You sure are dedicated, I must say.

 

[speckledhen]

One reason I coop mine is so they don't spend every night in fear; predators can't even think of getting close to them in a real coop. Fear is a stressor for chickens. If someone has empathy for their birds, they will at least provide minimal shelter, and in all truth, the pictures I've seen don't come close to that.

 

[centrarchid]

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You coop them so you do not spend night in fear. The coops you design, build and use meet your requirments not the birds. Over long-haul your protection is forcing your birds to suffer at hands of another more arbitrary hazard, you, otherwise sdwd would have been realized long ago. Their survival and reproductive fitness is based open your opinion if you breed your own stock. The result of your opinion has been the development of breeds thats are totally incompetent outside the coop system you employ.


My birds I have do not seem to have a complete concept as to what housing provides best protection from danger or stress as they have not had time to evolve as needed to make such adaptions. I also do not consider my birds inferior to yours, especially when many have lived hundreds of generations at least without Fort Knox style housing. Efforts here are to work with whatever descision method making mechanisms they do have so I can understand how best to protect them without forcing some sort of sloppy selection measures that will create cretens physically and mentally. I have a specific set of hazards for my birds the housing will address. The hazards are predators and direct exposure to weather. My efforts very much a function of knowledge of chicken and their predators biology and limitations.

 

[ivan3]

Interesting. When you've `evolved' your new variety of chook from those lines of prey animals that have been under intensive directed breeding for traits not specific to `survivability' over the past 8,000 yr.s , or so, please, let me know about availability. I'm sure the Wild Eastern Turkeys will enjoy the company. Red Jungle Fowl are still doing just fine in the jungle. Throughout Missouri Oak/Hickory forests? Not so's you'd notice.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Please edit for clarity.