Virginia

[ki4got]

I am in search of silkies of any color, I live in Mechanicsville. Please let me know if you hve any! Thanks

have you tried any swaps? the one in Roanoke and c'burg usually have an assortment of silkies.

also, the VPBA show is November 23rd and there is a swap section there too. sure to have an assortment of everything, i'm sure!

 

[ffxhomestead]

Off topic----UGH!!! Something (probably a fox) dug into our run last night and plucked out 3 pullets. No bodies left, only piles of feathers. I did what I could with restoring the chicken wire he dug through, but I am also wondering if something like Nite Guard works, anyone here have experience with them?

 

[canesisters]

Your best defense will be to replace the chicken wire with hardware cloth - and add a line of electric wire.
And to set up some system for locking your birds inside a building at night.
I'm sorry that you lost some of your birds and I hope that you can get this settles before it comes back again.

 

[ffxhomestead]

Good suggestion on the hardware cloth, I'll make the switch ASAP. Whatever got them went into the coop through the pop door. We have a full sized (man) door on the side, but that was locked overnight.

I'm looking into the electrical fencing too, I'm hoping to wire it up along the perimeter of their existing chain link run.

Thanks again.

 

[SoManyHats]

Good suggestion on the hardware cloth, I'll make the switch ASAP.  Whatever got them went into the coop through the pop door.  We have a full sized (man) door on the side, but that was locked overnight.

I'm looking into the electrical fencing too, I'm hoping to wire it up along the perimeter of their existing chain link run.

Thanks again.

We did everything in hardware cloth, and I didn't even put in a pop door. The full size door has a latch that has to be pulled up and slid over, and we even out a carabeener on that to discourage intelligent raccoons from figuring it out. It's a very secure coop, and they always spend the night in there.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Tiller]

Sorry for your loss. Like everyone else said hardware cloth works well. That and maybe setting a have-a-hart trap out and relocating the pest, just to prevent future problems.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Hmmm... relocate that rascal to heaven.

 

[leighton]

Hmmm... relocate that rascal to heaven.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[ki4got]

Sorry for your loss. Like everyone else said hardware cloth works well. That and maybe setting a have-a-hart trap out and relocating the pest, just to prevent future problems.

a word of caution... I use 1x1 hardware cloth, and it's fine for some things, but coons CAN and will reach thru and attempt to pull birds thru it if they can. they can't break it, so if the birds are locked in their house at night no problem. so if the birds aren't locked in, go with 1/2" hardware cloth over the 1x1...

tho personally I like the 1x1 because it's a heavier gauge wire, and more durable - for areas where babies may live, I have it double wired with 1/2" on the outside spaced off from the 1x1 by the thickness of a 2x4. and at least 12" up.

any babies caught outside won't get pulled thru the wire. if they're scared they hunker down, and a coon's arms aren't long enough to reach over the small wire and down to the ground.

 

[HaplessRunner]

Good suggestion on the hardware cloth, I'll make the switch ASAP. Whatever got them went into the coop through the pop door. We have a full sized (man) door on the side, but that was locked overnight.

I'm looking into the electrical fencing too, I'm hoping to wire it up along the perimeter of their existing chain link run.

Thanks again.

I have used electric poultry netting and Nite Guard for my chickens. While I cannot vouch for the research claims of Nite Guard, I can say this. I have not lost a chicken to predator since the beginning of June 2012 while using both together. I also lock my chickens in the coop at night, too.