The Old Folks Home

[pennyJo1960]

Still low 40's here and wet ..

 

[CSolis]

Two pen frames are up and chicken wired with a hoop like top to sleep under. Even have the bird netting on top, just lack the doors to the pens and the boxes and roosts inside to have them complete. I want to clean up the front area so I'll be moving two of the 'flocks' out back.. Then doing some rearranging. There's plenting of forage for them to go after out back, and it's rather thin up front, so this should help ease the strain on the front grazing area. Not to mention it reduces the area I have to mow.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Maybe a few shade trees to give them comfort place to hide?

 

[CSolis]

Maybe a few shade trees to give them comfort place to hide?

They have the big magnolia tree out front of the pens when they are free ranging, and two mimosa trees that will provide shade in summer. Those tarps are 10' x 8 foot, so plenty of room inside the pen to find shade. Pens are 16 feet in diameter.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I would think of a few shrubs in the pens still JMHO

 

[microchick]

@pennyJo1960 I'm wondering if I planted a couple of wild honeysuckles in my runs would they eat them like they have eaten every other thing I've tried to plant?

I swear my birds think if it's green they HAVE to eat it.

Spent the past few days working out in the run once the snow melted and the mud dried enough that it only came up to the tops of my muck boot heels and not over my ankles any more. Got the kennel panels shuffled around the way I wanted them...after beating two of them out of the still frozen ground using wood splitting maul and pry bar.

After discovering that now matter how hard I tried I was 4 feet short of being finished with the panels so I got up today and built one using a wood frame and metal siding. It will also serve as a wind and sun break this summer. Score score!

Thank goodness DH came out to help me. We have a winter storm rolling in tomorrow just as the snow from the last storm is history. Another boat load predicted...just what we don't need.

I did get to sit and watch flocks of geese and ducks fly over. Given what I'm reading about the new outbreak of Avian influenza I'm just as glad that my flock was pinned up. I'm thinking they will stay that way till migration is over or as long as my sanity can stand their screaming at me to let them out! NOW!

I think I heard mutters of 'or we will never lay another egg' when I tried to placate them with a bucket of bad apples to peck at.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I want to put solid tops over the runs, but idk when i will get that done.

 

[microchick]

I'd like that too, Cap but right now I'd be happy with just being able to leave my nets up without it snowing or icing them up.

Besides my coop and run are laid out so weird that there is no way I could ever put a solid roof over the run.

I'm keeping a eye out for dead waterfowl and birds. But I know that realistically I can't keep my flock pinned up forever. This latest snow storm rolling through will keep them pinned up for awhile though.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I'd like that too, Cap but right now I'd be happy with just being able to leave my nets up without it snowing or icing them up.

Besides my coop and run are laid out so weird that there is no way I could ever put a solid roof over the run.

I'm keeping a eye out for dead waterfowl and birds. But I know that realistically I can't keep my flock pinned up forever. This latest snow storm rolling through will keep them pinned up for awhile though.

We get flocks of thousands of birds going through since we are on the Atlantic Flyway. So the sooner i get the runs covered, the happier i will be.

 

[CSolis]

Morning OF.. Have a cuppa JO.