The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[PeepsCA]

Quote: Back in 2010 I used 6' metal t-posts with my PoultryNet (from Premier1) pounded into the ground at each of the corners and in the middle of the longest spans for extra support to prevent sagging, BUT... I slid a 2" (4' long) piece of PVC pipe over the pounded in t-posts and ziptied the PoultryNet posts to the PVC pipe so nothing was shorting out and the t-posts were not electrified (learned this trick from another poultry friend that had her gardens protected from her birds and all the rabbits and raccoons). There was a little extra effort involved to remove the tipties, pull the t-posts up and move the entire fence to a new spot each time, but it definitely helped with the sagging issue.. and I'm a stickler for a nice tightly strung fence.

I used this for temporarily confining my Nannies with newborn kids away from the rest of the herd and for free ranging some of my young Guinea keets... but I stopped breeding my Nannies that season and the Guinea keets eventually got big/brave enough fly over it, so after that one Spring/Summer of using it the netting got rolled back up, put back in the box and it's up in my garage rafters with the sections of PVC pipe. It's been there ever since, lol. I plan on using it later this Spring and Summer for corralling my Silkies tho.... or I may use of for meaties instead if I decide to order any.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: I am also in an area that is known for lake effect snow and assumed I would need to take the fence down for the winter. We can easily get 1-2 ft of snow on a daily basis for several days....so I am better off taking it down for the winter. I am glad to hear it is stronger than it looks.

I see you have just dirt where fence lays at the ground. Did you use something special to do this? The video I watched had tall grass that touched the fence but I was under the impression this would cause problems with electrifying the fence? I dont want to use any chemicals like Round Up because its poisonous for the animals but thought I had read somewhere a natural solution that would kill grass (vinegar/water or maybe bleach/water) but not harm the animals? While I do weed wack I tend to get things with it I didnt mean to. So I dont dare use it along the fence line.

Also I understand it describes how many joules the fence puts out but could someone explain it better in lay man terms? Is it like the electric fence I have for my dogs? Enough to deter you from crossing the fence? I am sure my dogs are going to put their noses up to the fence holes to get a closer look at the hens

And does anyone have any recommendations for the charger to go with the fence? I wanted to go solar but its to pricey. SO I am thinking of the model that ac/dc Patriot P5 AC/DC Energizer

 

[aoxa]

Late chiming in, 50-75 posts behind as usual...

I don't withhold feed, and I'm always careful not to bust open the crops as I'm processing... as I am doing the processing I will actually cut the crops open and let my free rangers and Turkeys have the feed out of them (they also get tossed small bits of raw meat, skin, organs etc). As Aoxo says, they are vultures... and mine will hover while I am processing, but the hose is a very effective deterrent with my pesty/impatient clean up crew, lol.

First time processing I was still buys doing the killing and plucking and they discarded all the good parts that I wanted to feed back to the birds (liver, crop contents etc). Next time.

Hmm... I've never had any issue with hanging my birds upside down or any extra mess from a full crop/bowels (yet), but these are very good bits of wisdom shared. I hadn't considered them before, but from now on I will... Thanks!

I have with two. They had eaten really fast just before I went to process. Wasn't a huge deal, but it happened.

Does anyone have any tips for relieving whiplash? Darn ice.. I slipped and fell and the pain is very uncomfortable. Can't miss any work, so for anyone that has relieved this with stretches or ice or what.. please chime in. I know off topic. PM me if you wish. Advil is not cutting it. It kind of is chicken related because it was during chores.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I am also in an area that is known for lake effect snow and assumed I would need to take the fence down for the winter. We can easily get 1-2 ft of snow on a daily basis for several days....so I am better off taking it down for the winter. I am glad to hear it is stronger than it looks.

I see you have just dirt where fence lays at the ground. Did you use something special to do this? The video I watched had tall grass that touched the fence but I was under the impression this would cause problems with electrifying the fence? I dont want to use any chemicals like Round Up because its poisonous for the animals but thought I had read somewhere a natural solution that would kill grass (vinegar/water or maybe bleach/water) but not harm the animals? While I do weed wack I tend to get things with it I didnt mean to. So I dont dare use it along the fence line.

Also I understand it describes how many joules the fence puts out but could someone explain it better in lay man terms? Is it like the electric fence I have for my dogs? Enough to deter you from crossing the fence? I am sure my dogs are going to put their noses up to the fence holes to get a closer look at the hens

And does anyone have any recommendations for the charger to go with the fence? I wanted to go solar but its to pricey. SO I am thinking of the model that ac/dc Patriot P5 AC/DC Energizer

If you call their customer service, they're really good at explaining all those questions. I think I called them at least 5 times before I ended up deciding what to get. Their fence catalog - that you can request free - is excellent and does a great job of explaining it all. It's a good reference to keep on the shelf. I got the catalog and read through the info and that helped me ask more intelligent questions since I didn't know anything about the electric part.

I just mow the lawn down around the base of the fence from time to time so it doesn't get tall weeds. I just take it down and lay it a little back from the fence line, mow, then replace the fence (unless I'm moving it somewhere else anyway).

 

[Leahs Mom]

OH...and I ended up getting the solar energizer.

 

[Mumsy]

No experience at all...so take it for what it's worth (?0)
I would think kerosene and a wound would burn like the devil! Maybe mite-killing & spur-removing on a more separate schedule? People who know, please enlighten us.

I do have experience using kerosene for leg mites. On clean legs it didn't bother them at all. I'm talking clean legged birds. Not Silkies, cochins, and Mille Fluers. You wouldn't use kerosene as a topical on feathers because chickens preen those. It's just used like any other dip. Very effective. Most old time farmers always had kerosene around farm. It was used for lots of things with livestock. Still is in some regions.

 

[JackE]

I am also in an area that is known for lake effect snow and assumed I would need to take the fence down for the winter. We can easily get 1-2 ft of snow on a daily basis for several days....so I am better off taking it down for the winter. I am glad to hear it is stronger than it looks.

I see you have just dirt where fence lays at the ground. Did you use something special to do this? The video I watched had tall grass that touched the fence but I was under the impression this would cause problems with electrifying the fence? I dont want to use any chemicals like Round Up because its poisonous for the animals but thought I had read somewhere a natural solution that would kill grass (vinegar/water or maybe bleach/water) but not harm the animals? While I do weed wack I tend to get things with it I didnt mean to. So I dont dare use it along the fence line.

Also I understand it describes how many joules the fence puts out but could someone explain it better in lay man terms? Is it like the electric fence I have for my dogs? Enough to deter you from crossing the fence? I am sure my dogs are going to put their noses up to the fence holes to get a closer look at the hens

And does anyone have any recommendations for the charger to go with the fence? I wanted to go solar but its to pricey. SO I am thinking of the model that ac/dc Patriot P5 AC/DC Energizer

If you get that much snow on a regular basis during the winter, take the fence down. I do use Roundup along the fence line. I know this is a "Natural" thread but, I just got tired of moving the fence to mow down the fenceline. I saw on another thread where a guy uses landscaping fabric for his fencelines. I would think you could just cut a piece a foot or so wide, use the fence stakes to pin it down. Maybe use some of those fabric staples to help secure it along the line. Premier says that the weedeater is the mortal enemy of the poultry net fence, don't use it, could be an expensive shortcut. The charger I have, 115VAC (From Premier) according to my fence tester puts out 7000Vs. That is the highest my tester reads, and it is a strong 7000Vs. I really believe it's higher than that. And YES, it will deter you from just going over it. Dogs will learn quick to stay away.
Jack

 

[armorfirelady]

OH...and I ended up getting the solar energizer.

Thanks Leah for the help. I did order the catalog just waiting it to arrive. Guess I should of waited for it before asking all the questions. lol

 

[countrygirl74]

Thanks for all your encouragement and advice. Found these two videos - think I'll go this route and thought it might help someone else...

 

[delisha]

Quote: Hmm... I've never had any issue with hanging my birds upside down or any extra mess from a full crop/bowels (yet), but these are very good bits of wisdom shared. I hadn't considered them before, but from now on I will... Thanks!
Peeps..I have Cornish cross birds.,..they usually weight a good 10 lbs. If you hang them upside down they puke or retch, and panic or constantly drain. If they have an empty crop that does not happen.