The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jime]

My dog is actually a pet not a working dog so in winter the chickens have to be with the net because the dog is only out in a good weather, since i ma not the only having trouble with th nett not working in winter I am gonna have to work something else I was thinking on the movable fence I will put the 4 strands of hot wire on the outside will be more like a livestock fencing.

 

[delisha]

We had such a beautiful day today..the sun was out and all I wanted to do was drag out my mattress and lay in the sun ..I wanted and needed to soak it all up. My body was craving those missing vitamines. Instead, I butchered out a bunch of boys. Some were nice young tasty ones and some were jerks that would not give the girls a break and the breeding adults were so busy chasing them off the girls constantly it was making watching for Hawks a distraction.

Kandra, you asked me a few pages back on how many chicks I have..
I moved out at least 40 Orpingtons
I have at least 40 due for the Easter hatch

 

[Mrs Rebecca]

So one of the projects we're hoping to complete this summer is making a fence for our garden area. I'm totally against using treated wood at all, although my husband thinks I'm a bit wacky for refusing to let him use it even for the posts (and for not letting him use Roundup to kill the grass that's where the garden's going to be!!!).

He found someone on Craig's list who's selling hedge posts (osage orange) from some land he cleared. Apparently these make fantastic posts, and take forever (many decades) to rot. So does everyone think it's a good idea to use osage orange wood near where we're going to grow vegetables, and around chickens?

I've heard the fruit is toxic, but we'd just be using the cut trunks.

On a similar note, we're thinking of using a living fence, like wisteria, instead of planks to fill in the fence itself. We'd put support between the posts, and then grow the wisteria close enough that deer, dogs, and chickens couldn't get through. The raccoons could still climb it, though. Any thoughts on that?

Hedge is a very very hard wood. You need to cut it while it is fresh. As it ages it becomes harder and can be very difficult to cut or work with. Also, if you ever need to burn hedge, be very careful. Hedge burns very hot and you would never want to burn hedge alone in a stove or fire place.

 

[Jewelwing]

Have you thought about just using electro netting? It had several advantages... it will keep out more than a wood fence and it is portable - meaning you are not confined when you plow or till - AND it is a lot less expensive. Google Kencove poultry netting.
One of our garden plots is about 1/2 an acre... We putting electro netting around it and then when the corn is tassling (or some other attractant is at its peak), I just graze around it with the poultry and sheep WITH an lgd. Double protection as the Maremma will keep out predators too.
Just a brainstorm thought.

We'll look into it. It wouldn't look that nice, and we don't need anything portable - we want something permanent. And I don't really want to hassle with something electric and having to repair it. But it's definitely worth considering. Thanks!

 

[Jewelwing]

Hedge is a very very hard wood. You need to cut it while it is fresh. As it ages it becomes harder and can be very difficult to cut or work with. Also, if you ever need to burn hedge, be very careful. Hedge burns very hot and you would never want to burn hedge alone in a stove or fire place.

I had heard that. Don't plan to burn it, though!

 

[Shan30]

Ahhh! I came home today planning on locking down the incubator and there's a chick in there! Day 18. So glad it didn't get squished by the turner! I quickly pulled it out, pulled out the turner, put the eggs back in, filled the water trays, put the chick back in and closed the bator. I don't know if I should risk candling or not. No idea what time the little one hatched. Brooder not set up. What should I do? This is my first hatch so I'm panicking a bit! Humidity was at 40 now up to 60. Any advice?!

Oh and there's another with and external pip but its at the wrong end.

 

[misbhaven]

Read assisted hatching 101 but if it has pipped give it time it may be able to get out on its own. Leave the chick in to dry ideally 24hrs...

 

[RedRidge]

For the people with the electro net.
I have 4 poultry netting from Premier, I love them in the beginning but now I am almost to the point of giving up on them.
in winter they don't work at all too much snow when snow falls it really falls in here ) I don't put the power on any more and I have some kind of animal that eats the net so spring time is fixing time , and that is not so great I have to make knots and the tension is not the same (missing the little white things, they don't sell them), summer time I have to deal with dry ground so I put a bucket with little holes next to the ground rod.We have terrible wind and the posts bend like crazy i have note a single one straight any more and they are not able to bend back at least I have not find the way jet.I use solar in two and buttery in the other two (when I can do it.
This is a great products but I fill that not for me.
Does any body has recommendations for me , the animals free range in 10 acress during the day with the GSD is on duty, I use the net only when they get to bed and supposedly in winter but that is not working.
Do you guys have those kind of problems as well and how did you fix them.
Thanks

Depending on the size of your charger you may need a bigger one. More than likely you need more than one ground rod.
Never use netting unless it is charged and hot... I make sure mine is never below 4kv via the fence tester. I prefer 6-7.
Two reasons to never leave it up when it's not hot... a) animals love to chew on it, and b) an animal can get their head hung on it and strangle (been there, done that).
As far as wind... Make sure you are using the double step in posts - not the kind that come with just a single spike. I have said this before (and don't want to bash premier), but I have both premier and Kencove and the kencove has proven much more durable and sturdy. I have 18 rolls of the poultry netting and use it daily for not only poultry but also cattle and sheep - with lgds.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@RedRidge

Does your Premier have the double spike posts?

I wish I could see the Kencove to compare. Mine is Premier with double spike. I also got the "Plus" net that has more posts so they are closer together and it doesn't sag between posts as much as the regular ones.

 

[RedRidge]

@RedRidge


Does your Premier have the double spike posts? 

I wish I could see the Kencove to compare.  Mine is Premier with double spike.  I also got the "Plus" net that has more posts so they are closer together and it doesn't sag between posts as much as the regular ones.

Mine has double spikes but it is not the plus. The squares are larger also.