Things You Wish You Would Have Known?

[Shezadandy]

Really??? I haven't figured out how to put the fence up so that it will work for us. Lots a brush and trees along the back and side of the runs, and several doors/gates.

Check this thread out for help with electric:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1117877/a-treatise-on-electric-fencing

 

[Coop de Grass]

@Lisa Wood I've wanted to be self sufficient since I was 16! I grew up in NY City outskirts, and I bought a book called 1 acre and security which was published by Rodale. I kept it until about 2 years ago, when I said it was ridiculous to still have the book!

I'm not sure how I started to learn about chicken habits, but I think it was about the roosts in the coop. Then I saw them climbing on anything horizontal no matter where it was. Probably the construction wood that we were using for the run!

Now I have branches stuck through the wire in the runs, and a couple like the one in the photo, made of two t-bars with a branch wired to them - easy!

I love BYC because everyone is so supportive and generous when you ask for advice. It has so much information that it is hard to get off the page.

ps all of our birds are beautiful! They aren't dorky, even when they are running

 

[Coop de Grass]

Check this thread out for help with electric:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1117877/a-treatise-on-electric-fencing

Thanks! Another member sent me the link yesterday. Going to read it tonight

 

[AllynTal]

... I am reasonably certain the coop is secure except for small gaps under the overhang for ventilation. I worry about it, but it is up high, so I don't think s coon could reach. ....

Put hardware cloth over those gaps. I was amazed at the acrobatics a raccoon would perform in order to reach a very small gap (3 inches or less) in order to gain entrance to a shed. Very clever, persistent and amazingly flexible. Do not underestimate what a raccoon can or can't reach or what lengths he'd go through to reach it.

 

[Lisa Wood]

Put hardware cloth over those gaps. I was amazed at the acrobatics a raccoon would perform in order to reach a very small gap (3 inches or less) in order to gain entrance to a shed. Very clever, persistent and amazingly flexible. Do not underestimate what a raccoon can or can't reach or what lengths he'd go through to reach it.

Ok thanks! I wish there was a "save" or notes area to hold posts like this!
Lisa

 

[User395221]

I was amazed at the acrobatics a raccoon would perform

Also, it's easy to think of things in human terms instead of animal terms and to underestimate/overestimate the sizes of things. I remember when I got my dog as a puppy. I set her up in a child's playpen with some lino underneath so that any wee at night wouldn't go on the floor. In the morning I'd fetch her out. One morning, she just walked straight through the bars.... She could fit through all along LOL She was such a good girl, she stayed in there anyway. I'd judged them as narrow enough to confine her - not so.

A lot of scavenging animals are amazingly flexible and they will be very persistent when it comes to getting something to eat.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Ok thanks! I wish there was a "save" or notes area to hold posts like this!
Lisa

@Lisa Wood Raccoons are very good climbers!

You can copy and paste things from BYC into word documents. I've got a file set upon my desktop just for the chickens!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Quote:
You can copy and past from BYC to a Word document! I have a chicken file set up on my desktop that is full of stuff like this. If you want to learn about raccoons, watch the PBS "NATURE" program. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/raccoon-nation-full-episode/7558/ It is fascinating, but now that I have chickens, they are not so cute

 

[Lisa Wood]

Also, it's easy to think of things in human terms instead of animal terms and to underestimate/overestimate the sizes of things.  I remember when I got my dog as a puppy.  I set her up in a child's playpen with some lino underneath so that any wee at night wouldn't go on the floor.  In the morning I'd fetch her out.  One morning, she just walked straight through the bars....  She could fit through all along LOL  She was such a good girl, she stayed in there anyway.  I'd judged them as narrow enough to confine her - not so.  

A lot of scavenging animals are amazingly flexible and they will be very persistent when it comes to getting something to eat.  

Husband comes home this week, it will be done asap when he gets home. All I have to do is show him this post.
I am also wondering about baby monitor, or something. I am pretty sure coop is close enough for one to work. If something attempted to break into coop, would chicks raise hell? Or would they freeze?

Lisa

 

[BradnerGirl]

Husband comes home this week, it will be done asap when he gets home. All I have to do is show him this post.
I am also wondering about baby monitor, or something. I am pretty sure coop is close enough for one to work. If something attempted to break into coop, would chicks raise hell? Or would they freeze?

Lisa

I had a camera in our chicken coop before we relocated it closer to our house. I was able to watch them from our computer. However, the cops raided our property once thinking we had a grow op...they were wrong of course but very curious as to why there was a camera in the chicken house. I'm sure they must have thought they were on to something but nope...just me being obsessive about keeping an eye on my chickens.

Baby monitor is a good idea too.