There go my dreams of Free Range...

[Bossroo]

Falcans, hawks, and eagles can and do catch and eat, ducks and geese all of the time. Regarding the delta winds... when we lived in Davis, one winter storm gave my all steel, 4 stall ( each 12 x 12) mare motel flying lessons. It flew 30 feet and landed on it's roof in a tangled mess. I then rebuilt it but anchored it every 6 feet with cement piers, 1' x 2 feet deep all around and between stalls on advice from a UCD engineer. Also, there are many more predators other than hawks , eagles or owls that will have a Mc Nugget meal, such as coyotes, foxes, racoons, possums, rats, dogs, cats, etc. . Chicken wire will keep chickens in but NOT any of the predators out. Use 1/2 x 1/2 or 1/2 x 2 heavy guage hardware wire for your pen walls as well as bury it 12" to 18" into the perimeter of the pen to prevent the predators from digging into it. Meat birds need a higher protein feed and much more of it to accomodate a much higher rate of meat gain than an egg layer needs as they grow slower so yes, you need to keep and manage them differently. I used to raise RIR, BR, and NHRs but then I have found the Cornish X to be my choice for the meat bird as it is the gold standard of the broiler industry with billions produced annually. You can process them at 4 weeks for a 1 1/2 -2 lb game hen, at 6 weeks for a 3 1/2-4 lb frier or 8 weeks for a 4-6 lb bird. They have a feed coversion rate of 1.95 pounds of feed to 1 pound of live weight. Feed a 22% proteen feed full fed for the first 3 weeks, then 12 hours feed and 12 hours no feed daily to prevent leg or heart issues due to their very fast growth rate. They have little desire to run around other than run to the feed through. They will produce lots of odorous fertilizer during their lifespan. The other breeds will take 18-24 weeks to achieve desired weights and will have to eat much more for a 1 pound live weight gain . What little nutrition they get from grass or bugs is lost during their running around for them if free ranged. The dual purpose hens lay quite well but not nearly as well as the industry gold standard Leghorn on much less feed. The tradeoff is that they are quite flighty and need to be confined.

 

[Esteri]

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Now there's an interesting idea. Our neighbors behind just got a Tibetian Mastiff puppy. And there's a gate from their yard to our back pasture. I'm sure they'd be up for a trade. Chicken protection for eggs and chicken. And it'll give Thrag (the pup) a job. Problem is - we had planned on having the permanent coop opening up to the front pastures. Since that lot (the back pasture) is kinda sorta for sale. Hrumph. Still... There's always tractors and hoop houses.

Of course - we had sort of thought the Llamas would pick up guard duty. They're used to being around chickens. But there's no telling if they're scare off a hawk or not.

As for me, the guardian breeds aren't a good match for us. I'll stick to my bird dogs.

Interesting idea - thanks!

 

[Esteri]

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Wow... Now there's a large amount of great advice in a very small space. Thank you!!

Yes, when we get the big winter storms in they certainly do their share of damage. That's why a permanent coop is in the plan. Shared with the Llamas so they can keep each other company. What do llamas and chickens talk about?

I think the thing to do for the meat birds is to get a few of several breeds, and try them. It's not like they're sticking around long term.

I'm less interested in a fast growing bird or huge amounts of eggs, and more interested in flavor and quality. Just want to try something different - you know?

 

[Minniechickmama]

Two things, I have Standard Poodles, also a bird retriever, and my older pup killed most of my flock one day when she was out alone last fall. She then sneaked up on a ranging hen and took her into the corn field before I caught her with it. She has been leaving them alone since, but I know it is a struggle with instinct.

Second thing, I built a PVC and chicken wire run for my hens as their temporary pen until I got a coop together, and then I used it as a tractor for my meaties last fall. I really like it. I did have a coon try pulling one through the wire one night, but the other 44 made it to the freezer. Here is a picture of it:

It might work where you are for meaties. The tarp gives them shade and cover from rain, and all the airflow you can handle. I bought a few of the corkscrew stakes like you can use to tie up a dog and bungee cords to hold it down. I also made sure the wire was wide enough for the sides that I could flange it around the bottom to keep diggers away from the edges. If it is glued together, one person can easily move it. Here is the link for the plans and where you can get the connectors for it. It isn't real cheap, but I thought it was okay.
http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pastured-poultry-pen.htm
good luck.
I would leave off the square in the center, it doesn't really serve much purpose.

 

[The Sheriff]

I am in Sacramento. My neighbor has a mastiff who was a rescue because he was killing chickens. The dog broke out of his yard to try to get into mine to get to my chickens. That is when the fool told us he took the dog to keep it from being put down for killing chickens. He said he was going to get rid of it but never did. I am sure it is not the last we will hear from him. I wouldn't trust one of them anywhere near my chickens. And yes, you do need at last a three sided shelter in our area. Mine is four sided and heated but I am just like that. Welcome to BYC!

Mary

 

[Esteri]

Quote:

I saw this plan for $5 on eBay and thought - "Hey that might be nice for the girls while we're getting the permanent coop built, and then I can use it for meaties. But I really don't want to pay $5 for something I can probably reverse engineer from the picture." And here you are sending me a link to the plans.

I think that middle square thing is to provide additional structural stability. Or maybe they though chickens would roost on it.

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Darn dogs. And I say that as a breeder (dogs, not chickens). We will definitely have to keep an eye on them. I know mine will be chicken killers - and then them bring them to me expecting heaps of praise. Which I'd have to dish out.

Thanks for the tips on the 3-sided wind break. The permanent coop we have in mind will have drop-down or removable walls. So it can easily be opened up or closed up as the weather demands. Of course, this week - 4-sides is needed!

I'll post the plans for comment once we have them finished.

 

[Minniechickmama]

There is even a link that to order the special connectors. I think I used FlexPVC to order mine, they had the best prices. I found that the square just fell apart when I moved it and offered nothing. If anyone thought a chicken can stay on pvc to roost, they don't know how slippery it is for them. I just made a roost that sits 1-foot of the ground and placed it on the back side where the tarp covered. I didn't glue it because I want to take it apart to store it in the winter, so I did have to push things back together if they slipped when I moved it.

Yeah, don't you love people who try to scam some money off you when you can find the info for free? They probably downloaded it free too. jerks.

Good luck.

 

[Esteri]

Turns out I may need one of those pens faster than I thought. The friend who lent us his llamas (he needed free pasture for the males as he's not interested in breeding any more, we needed mowing) has chickens - I was asking him if he processes, and could he teach me - when he mentioned he has a roo and two hens (laying) that need a home. Nice birds, just don't get along with his other roos.

I'm thinking it makes no sense to look a gift chicken in the mouth. So, to speak. Though it doesn't change my plans for getting chicks tomorrow. Guess I'll have to figure out how to integrate younger and older birds.

Are those nesting boxes or feeders I see in your picture? It's the nesting boxes I'd be most worried about in this sort of set up - how do you rig them? Or do they just make their own nests on the ground? Hum. Maybe I should just wait until we have a permanent coop in place.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I built a 4-hole nest box for them. What little they did lay when they were in there, they almost always used the boxes. It wasn't the best set up, the way I had it. They quit laying altogether between the move here and my dog out there harassing them all of the time. Once I got them into their present coop and started feeding a little calf manna along with their lay mash, they started laying again. When it got to -20˚ they started laying like crazy

I like the top lifting to open and shut it, and I hinged the top of the nest boxes to collect without having to get inside. I even found an egg in it one day after they had been moved into their present digs for a while. Silly birds.
I am sure you can set something up that would work for them, even a raised up plastic bin that is dark enough and cozy enough for them to want to crawl into and lay. I wouldn't use it long term though.
As for getting your new trio...I built a prism-shaped ark that only took me about a day and half to build. I used it to transition my young chickens from the brooder to outside. It worked great and would be plenty big enough for a trio. It measures 8 feet by 4 feet. Half is enclosed and even though it is a bit heavy to lift and move, we did every few days, but that was with a lot more birds in it. You could do that and then open it for them to free range during the time you are around. I would send a picture if I had one. It is a bit covered by snow right now to try taking any. You can find plans online somewhere, I am sure. I just kind of winged it.
Good luck.

 

[Esteri]

According to the instructions that square in the middle is the "feeder". I'm scratching my head over it, but there you have it.

In new news - we've got chicks!! 5 Black Sex-Link, 3 Buff Orpington, and 2 Barred Rock. They're cuter than buttons, and quite happily ensconced in a plastic bin in the garage. You know they're happy cause they're QUIET. Apparently the feed store got a call from the post office at 8 this morning. "Uh, could you come pick up these 200 chicks?" I guess the postal workers couldn't hear themselves think.

My husband said that on the drive home when the road was bumpy the noise level went up. When it was smooth they were much happier.

I'm surprised at the size difference. The Buff Orpingtons are huge compared to the Black Sex-Link, which seem rather petite. Huh.