Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

Appalachickens · 2026-01-20T12:04:05-0600

Molpet said:
They climb and raid squirrels nests here.
My profile picture is a weasel up a tree at my chest height.

Great. I need to ask around if see if anyone in my area has had any problems with them. On the property next to us, the woman keeps her chickens in an open coop with no fencing whatsoever.

Appalachickens · 2026-01-20T12:07:04-0600

HiEverybirdy said:
I'm also in east Tennessee, and we do, so you probably do We haven't had a problem with weasels yet, but apparently some of the neighbors have. We usually stick with the 1/2" hardware cloth rule just in case.

Another region-specific consideration, at least in our portion of east TN, is that bears can easily take something like this down unless it's surrounded by electric. Electric fencing has been really, really helpful here.

I did read there are least weasels, mink, and occassional long-tailed weasels in ETN although no one has ever mentioned them to me.

We had a bear come through once. But that shelter I'm putting in is really for my survival chicken project, so I don't plan to have it closed up much at all after they adjust to being in the woods. If I have to secure things the way I have for my coop chickens, the project is doomed before it starts.

Molpet · 2026-01-20T12:08:33-0600

Appalachickens said:
Great. I need to ask around if see if anyone in my area has had any problems with them. On the property next to us, the woman keeps her chickens in an open coop with no fencing whatsoever.

I didn't have any trouble for years until I did. One was trying to pull a recently deceased 8wk through the 2x4 field fence. I caught 3 weasels and 2 mink...in the poultry yard.
Although a couple teenagers had disappeared over the years but I thought hawk.

Appalachickens · 2026-01-20T12:13:02-0600

Molpet said:
I didn't have any trouble for years until I did. One was trying to pull a recently deceased 8wk through the 2x4 field fence. I caught 3 weasels and 2 mink...in the poultry yard.
Although a couple teenagers had disappeared over the years but I thought hawk.

My main coop, for my coop chickens, is bomb proof, with a double layer of HC and welded wire fencing sandwiched between boards. The forest chickens I'm getting are meant to roost in the trees, though. I'll probably reinforce if I need to use it for a broody, but I might just rely on another wooden structure I have that is secure for that.

fuzzi · 2026-01-20T13:03:05-0600

Appalachickens said:
Great. I need to ask around if see if anyone in my area has had any problems with them. On the property next to us, the woman keeps her chickens in an open coop with no fencing whatsoever.

Check with your local cooperative extension, they should know.

Appalachickens · 2026-01-20T16:01:19-0600

fuzzi said:
Check with your local cooperative extension, they should know.

I've got a call in and will follow-up tomorrow since they are closed now.

Mother of Chaos · 2026-01-20T21:19:55-0600

HiEverybirdy said:
This is what it's like trying to eat around our chickens.

D’oh!!

Shadrach · 2026-01-21T17:12:05-0600

20th and 21st Jan.
Wind and rain both afternoons. I'm only going for an hour and half while the weather is as it is.
Not much worth taking a picture of because they're not interested in coming out. I don't blame them. It's been pretty miserable.
Mrs Chew A Coop has been back but hasn't chewed. Maybe her dentist has told her to knock it on the head if she wants any teeth left in her old age. :lol: