Spring 2017 first timers post!

[mountainbear]

Hi all! This is my first year with chickens, as well, so I'm just going to jump in. I have 5 chicks that are around 8 weeks old. They're currently confined outside in a coop and small run (I think it is 4x8), because I originally had dreams of free ranging them. Then a dog showed up. It's been sniffing around the coop the past few days. We've scared it off everytime we've seen it, but it has come back more than once, so I'm now worried about letting my happy chickens roam free. They seem to have plenty of room right now, but I know that won't last forever.

Any ideas for the best solution? I can add on to the run some what easily, I think. I have room along one side to add another 8 feet. I read things online that are all so contradicting about space needed for chickens, I'm not sure what to do. And my original plan is so derailed! I think eventually (maybe this fall) we will build a fence around the area, but we aren't sure about how much fencing we want yet and we don't want to spend tons of money fencing to only decide in a few months we wanted a different set up.

 

[biophiliac]

Electric Poultry Netting?

https://www.premier1supplies.com/po...IUyvbqPEm4hPbJ6osxHS-yF6DWhtnLD-MzRoCqxTw_wcB

 

[mountainbear]

Wow, that has quite an impressive list of predators it keeps out. I cannot even picture something that looks so flimsy keeping out a dog, but I guess an electric shock does the trick! That might be seriously worth looking into. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[biophiliac]

I like your approach to chicken keeping....letting them have as much room as possible while keeping them safe. That product is made to be easily moved, a definite advantage.

 

[mountainbear]

Thank you! We live in the woods, so I originally envisioned them being safely tucked away at night and then wandering the yard/immediate wooded area for bugs and ticks during the day. (And by golly, there are pleeeeenty of bugs for them to eat, even in their current little home.) I even made a raised vegetable garden so I could better keep them away from the things I wanted to be people food instead of chicken food. But day time dog roaming is something I didn't fully plan for, and now I'm just frustrated.

I really like that the electric netting is movable. That is a huge plus, and it is MUCH cheaper than true wood or wood/wire fencing! That seems like the perfect in-between time solution. I'm glad I asked for help!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

@naturegeek168
Here we are

 

[naturegeek168]

I finally got my chicks! The Easter eggers are Mercury, Venus,& Mars and then the last picture is my five buckeyes

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I finally got my chicks! The Easter eggers are Mercury, Venus,& Mars and then the last picture is my five buckeyes

Woot Woot! Don't blink because they will be big in like a a week!

Gary

 

[DrFeathers]

We opened up the play yard fence and dragged it away to let the girls true free range for the first time ... what did they do? Cross the yard and go back inside it.

 

[naturegeek168]

Finally got around to hanging up the nipple waterer in the brooder. Apparently this is the greatest thing to happen to these chicks since they hatched. When I came back into the room after putting it in all I could hear was the tap tap tap of 8 chicks pecking at it all at the same time.