Oh...you can't see it, but the whole run is covered with the netting that's used to keep deer/birds out of the garden. It's not for night time predators - the chickens are locked securely inside the hen house during the night. It's only for hawks. It's up all the time and has been there since the kennel was put up.
You are right I could not see it in the pictures. We had that kind for a while but it did not take the hawk in our area long to get through it. I ended up getting a nylon net from ebay. Our run is a touch too large to put chicken wire over the top unless we build supports in the run.the temporary netting over the top is this stuff:
http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...7-x-100-wildlife-netting/p-1908088-c-5772.htm
Sometimes they just die for no reason at all. Some do not build the same immunities as others. If you have any others acting off i would drop off a poop sample. This is the age where they are exposed to more worms and cocci.
Ash, if they are pullets i would not worry excessively. They go threw all kinds of changes at this age. Offer there own eggs back to them, shells and all for a few days and see what happens.
You say hens and roosters and than use the word chicks. Do you have adults in with chicks? Hens and roosters and over a year old, so I am confused. If all of your birds are 14 weeks old and you have too many cockerels in that age group they will kill a younger pullet and even a hen. Seperation until butchering or you can butcher out a few cockerels early if you do not have the room, and have cornish hen size meals. They are delicious when butchered out young.
Nice video..
Quote: X3
It will leach some toxins but not enough for you to worry about for now. Remove it when you do not need it. The shade is more important than the few toxins you will get. Perhaps use it just for the summer.I have a "ground water" safety question... Anyone know the answer to this...:
FIRST THE BACKGROUND:
We are going to be away for the weekend and, for various reasons, I'm going to keep them in the dog kennel run rather than letting them out to range. (I have a guy that will tend to them but it's just safer not to let them out and hope they'll come in for him - in addition to the fact that the pullets have occasionally been jumping fences and if that happens, it would be hard for a stranger to round them up.)
-The "kennel run" is in full sun in the hottest parts of the day so I need to add a shade cloth again since they'll be stuck in there for 2.5 days.
-We were given an old mesh swimming pool cover that would work great. It has not been on a pool in probably 3 years.
-Last summer, it laid out flat in the grass and had about a month to air and get rained on, then it was folded and stored.
-I will thoroughly spray it down with fresh water this evening before putting it up.
-It will only be over 1/3 of the kennel run. 2/3 will be open.
THE QUESTION:
Does anyone know if this thing will leach harmful chemicals if it rains. (Rain falls on the cloth and sifts through to the ground below where these chickens will be stuck stratching around for stuff.)
The cover is similar to the one in the photo below...polyester I think.
eta: cutting it down to the size we need.
Quote: x2
Charcole is not a good choice. Use the grill and add wood to it to burn in. Wood only.
Quote: You need to keep the new birds away from your birds for two weeks. I would introduce one of your birds after the two weeks are over and observe for the next two weeks.
Your grass will supply immunities for both batch of birds. I would get those crowded birds out in the sunshine and grass asap.
That is a very pretty egg! Congrats!!!I am so excited!!!! I got my very first egg today from Snow, my white leghorn!!!!
It's not very big, but I know that they will get bigger as the days go by. She disturbed the nest box, but then decided to lay it in a dark corner in the coop. I estimate around 9 am this morning! I'll have to clear out the corner of the coop, so it is not so dark now, so maybe tomorrow she'll use the nest box.
