Show Off Your Games!

[centrarchid]

Something a little different. Daughter and I got into a bind while trying to modify a cage design. We were inside and cock was outside.

Son had a hand in it.

Trying to affix barrel in a manner that is halfway coon tight. Bunjie cords are short term fix. Should make winter a lost easier when we get the really cold spells. Will also permit a structurally enriched environment.

 

[RingedTeal]

Centra how big are those cages ? And how do you build them ?

 

[jonservidio]

I finally came across some games last wed., at the meadville livestock auction. they were calling them hatches(green legs). three pullets, one stag, five months old. then it was like, "where am I gonna keep these", lol
I showed them to an old timer I see and visit with regularly, that has had games for many years(I heard he is ninety four years old, doesn't look it) he said that they were games, and would I part with em.
short story shorter, he owns em now, and I'm watching for more. lol
best wishes always

 

[sdm111]

Something a little different. Daughter and I got into a bind while trying to modify a cage design. We were inside and cock was outside.

Son had a hand in it.

Trying to affix barrel in a manner that is halfway coon tight. Bunjie cords are short term fix. Should make winter a lost easier when we get the really cold spells. Will also permit a structurally enriched environment.

Priceless

 

[centrarchid]

Centra how big are those cages ? And how do you build them ?

Base Is 4' x 5' made of treated 2 x 4 held together by 16-penny mails. Fencing material is 2 x 4 welded wire. Ends on 4' side are put on first with U-shaped fencing nails to be 5' tall. Then a single piece is wrapped between 5' sides and also affixes with the fencing nails. Then I go back using J-clips or hog-rings to mend edges together. Pens are very light and last at least 10 years even with frequent moving as I employ. Roosts are setup so birds must fly up a good 4 feet. Generally I house one bird per pen except when breeding when cock moved between pens on a rotation the same as the number of hen is to cover. Cocks train up for that very quickly. Space per bird is more than most folks provide in your typical run. I use shorter units to cover broody hens at night to deny predators that can get in before dogs run them off. In morning I go out and prop pens up so hens can come out.

Pens as shown have limitations. As shown no cover from elements. I have used tarps, feed sacks and even old carpet. Last best because stay on with moderate winds but come of in storms preventing cages from rolling in breeze. Rolling pens can go several hundred feet and kill contained birds. Raccoons and foxes at night can worry birds into corner to grab them so pens placed close together in a row with partitions between them to make so varmints cannot get around as easily. Welded wire does not stop determined dog so I have perimeters of my dogs and hotwire to keep those bad boys out. Every single dog that has caused me trouble in last six years is dead but only one by our hands. Dogs that chew through wire often have other problems getting them into trouble as well.

 

[maranfarmer563]

Do you have much hawk or owl problems with the bigger wire

 

[maranfarmer563]

Frosty morning,ice in their dishes going up to 50 today

 

[centrarchid]

Do you have much hawk or owl problems with the bigger wire

Hawk, no.


Great-horned owl yes but dogs also used against that. Owls can also be stopped with chicken wire around lower perimeter making so owl cannot reach through to grab chicken on ground.

 

[maranfarmer563]

I had a red tail hawk sitting on top of a pen,waiting for a chance. Does anyone know if those hawk decoys work to keep them away

 

[centrarchid]

I work around lots of predatory birds that hit raceways and work pond levees. They quickly loose fear of decoys / scarecrows. Taking losses, building up pens or having dogs helps. In some situations even roosters can get job done. Red-tails do not hunt around my pens even when dogs not present.