The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Ideas Needed.

For a quick, 2 - 3 chicken, predator secure sleeping "house/box" that they can be locked into at night only. For temporary use. Needs to be movable. Cheap. Possibly Re-purposed.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

[COLOR=B22222]Ideas Needed.[/COLOR] 

For a quick, 2 - 3 chicken, predator secure sleeping "house/box" that they can be locked into at night only.   For temporary use.  Needs to be movable.  Cheap.  Possibly Re-purposed.

TSC sells a 7 foot by 7 foot octagonal dog run with a tarp roof for $200. It doesn't have a floor though so not safe from burrowers. It's not unattractive though and comes in panels so is really easy to put up.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

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[hellbender]

TSC sells a 7 foot by 7 foot octagonal dog run with a tarp roof for $200. It doesn't have a floor though so not safe from burrowers. It's not unattractive though and comes in panels so is really easy to put up.

I know this is not helpful but those small runs (unless they have stronger than I've seen) are made of such weak chain link, a coon could be into one of them in 2 or 3 minutes. If you were to get this, fortify the wire with at least .5 in ply wood at the bottom, about 2 feet up and add some heavy rabbit wire to the door...hell, I just thought...the doors might have a wide gap between the door and fence wall. But it is quick, not too expensive and could be fortified for about $50 bucks..

If required..you could lay a branch or 8ft. 2x4 across the back then cover that area well with A decent tarp that could be strapped down very securely. This could easily be moved by one person or perhaps two, giving the birds a safe place without having to move them inside.

Just a thought...worth an :EDIT !!!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

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[NanaLynn]

Premier is very user friendly & have good customer service. I have electric netting from them & they easily answered my questions

The fence will cover what ever lengths you buy and how you set it up. As I mentioned in another post, I use the same high powered charger that I use for the other stock but you can go to a farm supply store and get a very good charger for around $45 or 50 bucks.

It's very important to have a proper ground steak and to have the fence grounded..it's well described with the charger.

Do NOT get a 'weed burner'. They are fine for some purposes and other material but all others are great and will give you excellent service and years of peace of mind.

I would avoid the solar type..they seen to fail often, according to friends.

Honestly...this is likely the easiest fencing to install and maintain.

Good luck

I hands both premier and Kencove and prefer the kencove. Some notes about charges. .. Get one bigger than what you think you'll need, and then make sure you hook enough strands to it so you don't burn the netting up.
Also remember. .. You can never have enough grounding, especially if you live in a dry area.
Also. .. Get a bunch of pigtails. .. they are very handy and disappear like socks in a dryer.
We put a strand of regular hot wire above our perimeter fencing around all of our property... That way we can put up netting anywhere it is convenient at that time and as long as it starts or ends at the perimeter fencing we always have electricity and just use Alligator clip pigtails to make it hot. ;-)
QED

I'm most concerned about them not harassing. I'm not sure what order I will return them in the long-run. I'll have to see how it goes. I have ideas but not sure any of them are the best or not.

It is amazing how Miss Gray is just grazing around with them just like a normal bird for once in her life. I'm hoping to give her enough time to build confidence to continue to "flock".

Yep..love those electro nets. And Premier DOES sell a "kit" of everything you need if you want to purchase it that way. Give them a call and ask for a MANAGER. Sometimes the folks on the phone are just young'uns that don't really know...but if you ask for an electro-net specialist and get hold of the right person they'll help tremendously.

I do have a solar charger. So far so good.


@RedRidge

I have often wondered if I could run a "link" from one end of the fence to another fence end across a gap that I don't have electric on. It sounds like what you're describing is similar to what I'm thinking. So there would be a fence end..a gap of space (like where it comes to a hard regular fence) then just a strand running to the other side to continue the electric to another net.

I think I'm going to try that this year.

Thanks everyone! I'll give Premier a call when I am ready and also look into the Kencove brand. We live on a little less then an acre, so I just need enough to contain them in small areas that are easily moved. Eventually we'll have a chain link fence up in the back yard and they'll be in the electronetting within that fenced area. We have a dog that is great for chicken predators, but I don't trust her with the chickens so they'll need to be contained from her within the fencing, plus we want to control their free range area so they don't kill all the grass or my garden.
You've given me a lot to think about. I think the first thing I need to do is save up the money since it is more costly then I thought.

 

[Jewelwing]

I've read that you can use the horse apples (fruit) to make an all natural insecticide. I never tried it and I had the ugly female version of that I had tree cut down. Between the shape, thorns and ''apples" I couldn't stand it.

The wood sure does make pretty furniture though.

Huh, and huh! I didn't know that. These ones that we're considering for our fence have already been chopped down, so they won't be producing fruit, but the piece of property next to ours has a hedge row against the road, so the "apples" or "oranges" or whatever fall down on the road every fall. I might try making an insecticide this fall!

Also, food for thought about the furniture. I bet it would last a long time, and the wood is crazy enough to make it interesting. Thanks!

 

[Leahs Mom]

RE metal dog crate and kennels...

Raccoons can reach right into them so not night time predator proof.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

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[Leahs Mom]

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Good idea to wrap w/hardware cloth. (Both @Ms Jellybean and @hellbender )