Winter is Coming! Checklists, tips, advice for a newbie

[minmin1258]

OMG I hate auto correct!!!! That's "can't get in" not can and use "baling" wire not baking...lol

 

[Alaskan]

I
s there anyway you could just string some twine back n forth over the run so the pests can swoop into the run? Just go from fence top to fence top with baking twine making "x's" all over. So if they try to dive in they will get tangled in the twine. You could hang old cd's on there as reflectors that would confuse them too. It might be a good temporary solution at least.

I tried that, hoping to reduce my workload.

I used shiny ribbon and hung washers off of it, as well as a small kite with a long tail that dances in the wind.

The next day I saw the raptor sitting on the fence post looking at my ducks. And, the ducks were just standing there, not even trying to go to cover.

So, the ducks are now locked up. I have fishnet that I cold put over the entire top, but that is
1. A royal pain to get it untangled, straightened out and then nailed up
2. Guaranteed to get weighed down by snow and break to the ground maybe taking part of my fence with it.

So....no point to that, unless it is for the summer only. The twine would work like the fishnet, but maybe hold the snow better.

I am building on a small cage like thing on the side of their coop. I had enough stiff concrete reenforcing wire left over from my new chicken runs. It will be less space than I would like them to have, but I think enough.

 

[minmin1258]

E

I tried that, hoping to reduce my workload.

I used shiny ribbon and hung washers off of it, as well as a small kite with a long tail that dances in the wind.

The next day I saw the raptor sitting on the fence post looking at my ducks. And, the ducks were just standing there, not even trying to go to cover.

So, the ducks are now locked up. I have fishnet that I cold put over the entire top, but that is
1. A royal pain to get it untangled, straightened out and then nailed up
2. Guaranteed to get weighed down by snow and break to the ground maybe taking part of my fence with it.

So....no point to that, unless it is for the summer only. The twine would work like the fishnet, but maybe hold the snow better.

I am building on a small cage like thing on the side of their coop. I had enough stiff concrete reenforcing wire left over from my new chicken runs. It will be less space than I would like them to have, but I think enough.

EGADS you are so inventive! I guess you have to be way up there! I used to think I'd like t move up there, I heard there was land being given away by some "land commission" or something trying to get more people to move up there. Of course there were conditions to the "land give away" but it sounded too good t b true. So I never followed through with checking it out. I had a friend that lived in Juno for a while about 15 yrs ago, she loved it! But her marriage fell apart and she moved "home" to her family. I've not heard from her for years! At any rate it's an amazingly beautiful area and a lot of natural undisturbed wilderness.

 

[minmin1258]

OMG I just reread that post... Please forgive me if it sounded like I was flirting with ya, It truly wasn't my intention. I just admire your intuitiveness. Also dream about moving to Alaska when I win the lottery. Lol. I enjoy reading about your adventures with your animals. : ) thank you for sharing!

 

[LadyCluck77]

I think we all really appreciate any advice, tips or anecdotes from people who have managed to keep their flocks thriving in harsh winters. You sound grateful and curious, as all of us on this thread want to learn about what to do in these conditions. No worries

Each season brings new challenges. We are getting slammed with a snowstorm right now.

I have learned a ton of information from this thread and made several small changes to my coop, such as the small portico area to give them a snow-free place to walk, and also the tin water heater, placed outside, under the portico. I honestly did not even think about it before, but I am so glad that I did!
I have also been giving extra grit every time it snows, since the ground is frozen and under several inches of snow right now. I saw some very fibrous poops, and realized that they have been nibbling on the hay in the nest box. Maybe they are craving greens. So I'll probably throw some chopped kale out there tomorrow too.
I have two young pullets who are just starting to lay, and it's December, I thought my EE would wait for spring.

Hoping to avoid sour crop, lost toes, and any other mishaps.

 

[wantedman66]

This is an off topic question but just curious Alaskan,I watch that show "Alaska the last frontier"how far is that from you and is your area as remote as there's appears too be.

 

[Alaskan]

This is an off topic question but just curious Alaskan,I watch that show "Alaska the last frontier"how far is that from you and is your area as remote as there's appears too be.

Uh...... We are both in the same town. And their place isn't all that remote, you can get to it by road, they aren't even at the end of the road. There are lots of houses that you can't get to by car, but their place isn't one of them.

We both live close to Homer, and Homer is full of crazy people. I am crazy, and they are too, as are most of the people around here, so that part is true.

I think they are 30 minutes from downtown Homer.

But it is true that lots of people here live "oddly" compared to the lower 48. I guess most live like you'll do down South, but there are also lots of people with outhouses, who haul water from town, heat only with wood, and get most of their food from hunting and fishing and such.

The gorgeous scenery shots on that show are correct, not doctored. Well, they do try to get the right angles so few to no houses show up in the shots.

 

[MEMama3]

Uh...... We are both in the same town. And their place isn't all that remote, you can get to it by road, they aren't even at the end of the road. There are lots of houses that you can't get to by car, but their place isn't one of them.

We both live close to Homer, and Homer is full of crazy people. I am crazy, and they are too, as are most of the people around here, so that part is true.

I think they are 30 minutes from downtown Homer.

But it is true that lots of people here live "oddly" compared to the lower 48. I guess most live like you'll do down South, but there are also lots of people with outhouses, who haul water from town, heat only with wood, and get most of their food from hunting and fishing and such.

The gorgeous scenery shots on that show are correct, not doctored. Well, they do try to get the right angles so few to no houses show up in the shots.

I love Homer! I've been there twice. The first time I was 20 and spent all week fishing the spit. The second time I was 24 and spent all week at the pub with the crooked bar. Salty something, right? Lol. It's a beautiful place.

 

[TulsaChick]

W

So I found my first small mouse in the coop tonight. Will it spook the hens?

Wow they eat mice??? I think I would throw up if I witnessed that. Thank you and good to know. I was honestly worried it would spook them out of the coop and it's cold. Thank you for the reply.

 

[wantedman66]

Uh...... We are both in the same town. And their place isn't all that remote, you can get to it by road, they aren't even at the end of the road. There are lots of houses that you can't get to by car, but their place isn't one of them.

We both live close to Homer, and Homer is full of crazy people. I am crazy, and they are too, as are most of the people around here, so that part is true.

I think they are 30 minutes from downtown Homer.

But it is true that lots of people here live "oddly" compared to the lower 48. I guess most live like you'll do down South, but there are also lots of people with outhouses, who haul water from town, heat only with wood, and get most of their food from hunting and fishing and such.

The gorgeous scenery shots on that show are correct, not doctored. Well, they do try to get the right angles so few to no houses show up in the shots.

Well guess you have too be crazy to live there,it is beautiful though.I was wondering if it was that desolet as they make it look,but then I see them using power tools and things.The producers defiantly do a good job to make you think there's no houses around,also that's funny being called down south I'm in CT in the northeast.