The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

@Leahs Mom we are experimenting this winter too as you know. My Dh asked a big question today as we were filling the floor up with more wood chips. He wanted to know how I was planning to remove the bedding. It got me thinking more on how I should plan to get the chickens used to the great outdoors again next spring. But the bedding will be a bit messy to remove too.

Yes... @SallyinIndiana I have thought about the removal of bedding. Right now I can just shovel it outside into the run...not an issue at all! I guess I'll have to employ the wheelbarrow again on the other end!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
The barn is right next to their little wooded area so there is some scrub there that they can hide in. What I'm concerned with is that if I take down the electronet, there is not a perimeter and they are likely to wander way back into the woods where all kinds of scary things could happen. I kind of like the safety of having a "safe area" where they have perimeters. I'm pondering how to accomplish that without wrecking the netting. The electric doesn't have to be on, I just want a way to separate them from going miles.

 

[mlowen]

I'm experimenting a bit this winter, too. Last year, I put up heavy plastic (from a roll from Home Depot) on the walls of the run part of my coop/run. It worked OK, but got pretty shredded when I pulled it down from the staples in the spring. This winter, I bought "clear" tarps. They have white lines running through for reinforcement, so I can't really see through them, but they let in a lot of light and are much heavier than the plastic and I think they may be good for a few years. I'm putting up the north side tomorrow and will post picks and then provide revirpews as they weather. I wish I had the north side covered last week. It poured rain from a nor'easter and soaked the litter and put about an inch of water into the feed trough on that side, just from the blown in rain.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I used the clear, heavy shower curtains from Lowes last year. I also purchased one of the tarps like you're describing but I wanted to be able to see in and them see out so that they could keep predator watch. Those things held up really well and they are rolled up out there still waiting to be used again. The problem I had was that I didn't have any kind of roof - just a "suncloth" type top and I had to keep knocking the snow off of it. It was a LOT of work! But I loved my clear shower curtains.

I zip-tied them to the top of the kennel panels right through the holes that were on the shower curtain for the hangers and bought clips to clip the sides in various intervals.

I'm amazed that they are still useable this year if I use the run. After summer came, I just rolled them up to the top and clipped them in place.


This is what they look like when in use:

 

[RedRidge]

My clear vinyl is attached with Velcro in the winter. That way I roll up each side every morning and then roll it down on nights is supposed to get below 20.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Love all these winter "goings-on" I need to work out some sun porches too.

 

[armorfirelady]

I used shower clear shower curtains on the old run and the entrance way structures in front of the pop doors. It's held up well. I splurged and got some of that heavy duty vinyl red ridge suggested and have it on the north and south ends of the coop. It lets in a ton of light and I'm hoping it makes it brighter this winter also. It's like the girls have a giant picture window to watch the world go by when they roost

Eta I put grommets in the heavy duty vinyl so I can secure it to the coop when it's down. You can find them in the camping aisle. That's also how I got grommets in my billboard.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'll be pulling my 6 x 7' trailer up close to the new coop, propping one end up on cinder blocks, and propping the second end up on 2 blocks high or on hay bales and covering it with plastic to make a sun room.

 

[lalaland]

The barn is right next to their little wooded area so there is some scrub there that they can hide in. What I'm concerned with is that if I take down the electronet, there is not a perimeter and they are likely to wander way back into the woods where all kinds of scary things could happen. I kind of like the safety of having a "safe area" where they have perimeters. I'm pondering how to accomplish that without wrecking the netting. The electric doesn't have to be on, I just want a way to separate them from going miles.

There is cheap plastic garden fencing - I have some in grey - easy to put up and you wouldn't have to worry about wrecking the electronet by snagging it on brush. It wouldn't keep a fox out or anything but would keep your chickens in.

And here I had forgotten the plastic shower curtains - I'm going to try those on the other end of the coop to add a little wind/snow protection underneath at that end since I ran out of windows!

 

[lalaland]

I'll be pulling my 6 x 7' trailer up close to the new coop, propping one end up on cinder blocks, and propping the second end up on 2 blocks high or on hay bales and covering it with plastic to make a sun room.

oooh that is perfect! what a great idea ... love using what you have.