Starting New, Larger Pen (Almost finished! Progress Pics ADDED)

[speckledhen]

Quote:
I've been thinking along those lines I have several types of climbing roses that came from my grandmother's farm. I can transplant some on the outside of the fences. We cut down some not so great looking saplings to clear the space, leaving the bigger trees. In summer, there will still be shade.
I think the A-frame shelters are a good idea. I also want to use this medium size (bigger than DISH/DirecTV) solid satellite dish as the top of a "chicken gazebo". I know that they have the entire 20' length of the coop's underside, but making it from the bottom of the hill while under attack will be hard.

This pen was in sunlight the entire day while their original pen was mostly in shadow, so I'm happy and think they will be, too.

 

[hcammack]

any news the weather is nasty here so not really expecting anything just checking up.

 

[speckledhen]

It's rained buckets all day. The entire areas around the coops and house are just mudslides. We have one gate finished. Just need to hang the other gate, install the ramp we built and predator proof around the bottom of the pen. They can go out in the pen to stay permanently as long as the gate is up and the ramp is in, though. Which would have been today, but no dice.

 

[hcammack]

I know what you mean its raining and sleeting here its just nasty outside its cold to.

 

[speckledhen]

Supposed to be sunny by Thursday, I hear. If we're finished, I"ll try to get some pics...maybe after I clean the mud off the buildings, LOL.

According to the area of a trapezoid, my new pen contains about 2500 sf +/- .....that's about 51 sf per bird in the pen! I think they'll stay in the pen till I can grow a new lawn, LOL. Wont hurt 'em a bit.

 

[hcammack]

LOL thats allot of room per bird they are going to be happy ladies and fellows!

 

[speckledhen]

Me, too. I always felt guilty if I didnt let them freerange, but with this new pen, I'll get to reclaim the wraparound porch on my house. Dutch and his women will come up and just walk all over the place. I'll look out my back door at a built in bench on my deck and will see my SS, Nelda, just sitting there facing the door, waiting for someone to walk out with food. Maybe I wont be stepping in poop all the time!

 

[hcammack]

Ya I always feel bad because I am right on the 10ft per bird mark and they are free range junkies but they hide from hawks in my neighbors hard and have weird chicken ceromonies around his pond so they are locked in for a while they have been ranging more lately as the hawks have not been around.

Henry

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there! I'm fascinated by these chicken ceremonies that your birds perform round your neighbor's pond hcammack. My imagination goes haywire!!! TELL ALL,PLEASE!!!

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Well I think they fish and talk about how they refuse to lay eggs and they also decided the water from his fish pond is much better then any water I give them