Video of my Quail - Dust Bathing - And a question!

[JJMR794]

Quote:
YES AND THE BOTTOM TOO. I HAVE THE EXACT SAME HUTCH AND FOUND IT NECESSARY TO COVER ALL WIRE AREAS WITH 1/2 INCH HARDWARE CLOTH (ACTUALLY HAD HAWKS REACH IN AND RIP HEADS OFF THROUGH THE WIRE FRONT, AND RACCOONS GET FEET THRU THE BOTTOM. ALSO IF IT WAS LIKE MINE WHEN I GOT IT YOU COULD PUSH THE WIRE BOTTOM UP FROM UNDERNEATH... A FEW DRYWALL SCREWS STOPPED THAT.

Once you screw it all down - how do you scrub the wire and clean it? Do you think my nailing that silly heart thing down to hold that side closed permanently will hold or should I do something further?

I PUT THE LIL SPRING TYPE HOOK LATCHES ON THE LID AND DOOR TO PREVENT COONS FROM GETTING IN, THEN I SIMPLE PUT DRYWALL SCREWS THROUGH THE WOOD FRAME ABOVE (INSIDE ) THE WIRE FLOOR--- THAT KEEPS ANYTHING FROM PUSHING THE FLOOR UP. AS FAR AS HARDWARE CLOTH YOU CAN SIMPLY ZIP TIE TO THE FRONT AND BOTTOM WIRE... THE WIRE WILL HOLD STRUCTURALLY, THE HARDWARE CLOTH SIMPLY MAKES THE OPENINGS TOO SMALL FOR SOMETHING TO REACH THROUGH. AS FAR AS CLEANING YOU CAN HOSE IT OFF EASILY WHEN NEEDED. OR YOU CAN USE SCREWS WITH WASHERS TO SCREW THE HARDWARE CLOTH TO THE WOOD FRAME

 

[MicroFarmMom]

Here is the newly altered version - better? Do you think you could take ap icture of the latch you have for your lid? I am a little lost on that one.

HTTP://GRUBSANDLOVES.BLOGSPOT.COM

 

[JJMR794]

Looks Good To Me! The Latches I Use Are Nothing More Than The Lil Hook And Eye Type Latches, But They Make 1 That Has A Small Spring Loaded Safety Device That Keeps The Hook In The Eye Unless The Safety Latch Is Purposefull Slid Back Out Of The Way To Allow The Hook To Be Removed From The Eye Screw--- Lowes Has Them (at Least Mine Does). I Put 1 On The Door And 1 On The Lid To Keep Both Secure From Raccoons

 

[MicroFarmMom]

Ill go look for the latch tomorrow - I did just nail the door shut. I can access all from above so I figured I'd just make it less tempting for coons!

Thanks again!

 

[_Randall_]

I think this is what they're trying to describe. This is what I have on my pens: http://www.amazon.com/CRL-Screen-Door-Safety-Hook/dp/B001C7NFHU
As a footnote, the guy who got me started with my first Bobs a couple of years ago told me this morning he had a "critter" get into one of his big pens that housed about 100 Bobwhite Selects (what he calls the so-called Butlers), and released them (sometime before 9:00 a.m.) with a latch that was not critter-proof. He was as depressed as the Pittsburgh Steelers are at this current moment!