Re: [Grass-Fed-Eggs] fencing and coop ideas

[C A E]

Hi, I've been following this thread and thought I'd share what we've done.  For 3 years it's worked well, after years of having one issue after another.  I also lock my birds up at night because of the large nocturnal predator population we have. We first fenced our pastures with livestock panels - they're expensive in the beginning but they last forever.  Then we lined them with chicken wire.  It's still in good condition after 3 years but we knew periodically we'd have to replace it. Even though the chickens can see through the fencing the double layer must have some of the same type of effect as a solid fence because they don't try to fly over. We have 2 livestock guard dogs with our goats and horses but they will not protect our chickens.  We don't know why because our previous LGD did.  So the goats and horses and LGDs are pastured separately from the chickens.  These LGDs do bark at low-flying predator birds, like our previous LGD did, so they at least alarm the chickens when hawks, bald eagles or turkey buzzards are near. Jesus is my hope and trust Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!  1 Corinthians 15:55-56 NLT --- On Sat, 4/28/12, grass-f...@googlegroups.com <grass-f...@googlegroups.com> wrote: From: grass-f...@googlegroups.com <grass-f...@googlegroups.com> Subject: [Grass-Fed-Eggs] Digest for grass-f...@googlegroups.com - 1 Message in 1 Topic To: "Digest Recipients" <grass-f...@googlegroups.com> Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012, 1:45 AM   Today's Topic Summary Group: http://groups.google.com/group/grass-fed-eggs/topics Chicken food [1 Update]  Chicken food Trae Dever <tr...@dever.us> Apr 27 10:58AM -0500   Kelly:   My coop sounded amazing, but remember it was never actually built. It might not have been so easy, or feasible to build. Dogs killed more of my birds than all other predators combined. The fence did a great job keeping dogs out, but the chickens didn't do a good job staying inside the fence. I was told a solid fence, one the chickens could not see through, would work better. Chickens are not likely to jump over a fence if they can't see what's hiding on the other side.   I personally liked the idea of using dogs for protection. My wife has a standard poodle. Do not get a standard poodle. I went outside one evening, and he was sitting, watching an opossum eat from the feeders. Certain breeds are known for their protection abilities, and from what I hear, they do best when raised with what they will protect. The best protection dogs are not usually good pets.   Goats and chickens go well together because goats keep the grass cut low, which is what chickens like. Just make sure they can't get into the chicken feed. They will eat all of your feed, and probably the feeder too.   As for roosters, look into what roosters might work best. Some are known to be aggressive towards animals, but not humans. Barred Rocks are usually good choices, especially if you get a nice big one. But any rooster can have that "kill anything" trait. I had a Jersey Giant that attacked everything. He was a large Jersey Giant too. Once he attacked a full grown German Shepard, and drove him out of the yard. He also attacked my father many times while he was working in the garden. On one occasion my father was defending himself with a pitch fork, and he had to retreat to avoid killing the bird. He just kept attacking. While the rooster was great for protection, we had to get rid of him because we were afraid he would attack a child. Jersey Giants are known for being a docile breed. I don't think the pen idea would work well. A smart predator would know he was no threat.   Well, back to work for me. Bills to pay, and my parents were too inconsiderate to leave me independently wealthy. Chickens are more fun than insurance and payroll.   Lowell       On 4/26/2012 7:06 PM, Kelly Phillipson wrote:   You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group grass-fed-eggs. You can post via email. To unsubscribe from this group, send an empty message. For more options, visit this group. -- To post to Grass-Fed-Eggs, send email to grass-f...@googlegroups.com Change your subscription options at http://groups.google.com/group/grass-fed-eggs/subscribe (Google account required) To unsubscribe, send email to "grass-fed-egg...@googlegroups.com" Problems? Send email to Robert Plamondon, your friendly moderator: robertp...@gmail.com Visit this discussion group at http://groups.google.com/group/grass-fed-eggs?hl=en Visit the Grass-Fed Eggs Web site at http://www.grass-fed-eggs.com

[Kelly Phillipson]

Hi, Thanks so much for the info!  Going to look up the livestock panels now :)
Kelly

[Laura Hollister]

I used a could livestock panels bent into arches and nailed to 2x4s to make a hoop coop for my meat birds. Hardware cloth around the bottom, chicken wire covered with tarp on top. I leave it open as a rain shelter for the laying flock when it isn't in use. Cheap, easy, and portable. I just move it around the back yard when the meat birds have it nastied up. I could have gone with fancy wheels, but instead I lift the corners, shove a piece of PVC under the edge and use it as a roller. 

Laura

[Kelly Phillipson]

This is a great description; will print it off for my husband & get him started!  Our coop is almost done!!
Thank you ;)
Kelly

On Thu, May 3, 2012 at 5:04 AM, Laura Hollister <slhol...@netzero.net> wrote:

I used a could livestock panels bent into arches and nailed to 2x4s to make a hoop coop for my meat birds. Hardware cloth around the bottom, chicken wire covered with tarp on top. I leave it open as a rain shelter for the laying flock when it isn't in use. Cheap, easy, and portable. I just move it around the back yard when the meat birds have it nastied up. I could have gone with fancy wheels, but instead I lift the corners, shove a piece of PVC under the edge and use it as a roller. 

Laura

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[Laura Hollister]

I suggest you make the hardware cloth "drape" down onto the ground. Mine makes a skirt about 8" out from the bottom, to deter digging. I know it isn't foolproof, but I haven't had a coon in it yet- though I trap them all the time and know they're around.

Laura

[Kelly Phillipson]

Hadn't thought of that - do you keep the chickens in there at night too or do they go into a separate coop?

[Laura Hollister]

Meatbirds spend their entire lives based there. They free-range during the day and return to the hoop coop at night. My laying flock has an indoor coop. It's a corner of the garage that's been walled up, with a hole cut in the siding for them to go in and out. I only raise about 2 doz meatbirds at a time, and I only do it when I have a broody hen ready to raise them. Then they're truly pasture raised. She tolerates no laziness! They are off an foraging until about 9 weeks, then they start sticking close to the coop and my friend comes out and butchers them.

Laura

[Kelly Phillipson]

Oh I get it now; that's awesome!  How do you know your hen is ready to raise them and then do you get them as eggs from on-line?
Kelly

[Laura Hollister]

You can tell. She won't leave the nesting box, and she resembles a big, poofy throw pillow with a head. (c: After she's sat for about 2 weeks or so, I put about 2 dozen day-old chicks I've gotten through the mail in with her. She can't do the math. She sat on 2-3 eggs and 24 chicks popped out. Wow! I don't go the full three weeks, because I figure she'll need the energy to take care of that many. It's worked out ok for me so far.

I do mark the eggs I let her keep. The other hens will keep adding to her nest, and you don't want to lose that many eggs. I bring in everything without an X every night.

Laura

[Kelly Phillipson]

So I could have a brooder hen now amidst my chicks right now, right? (I have golden sex pullets, millie fleurs, & buffs).  How old are they when they start to brood, usually?

[Laura Hollister]

I've had a speckled sussex, golden buff, and commercial reds all go broody. I currently have a commercial red and a copper maran broody.

Anyone know if they'd co-parent if I gave them a bunch of chicks in their shared nesting box?

Laura

[Jane Rutzler]

Laura,

You can try..add one or two at first at NIGHT in the dark and see how she accepts them...best to not be with the other chickens while they are real young..let her introduce them to the rest when she/they are ready..i have seen other hens rip apart chicks just because they didn't know what they were...

Jane M

clyd...@yahoo.com

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From: Laura Hollister <slhol...@netzero.net>
To: grass-f...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, May 5, 2012 8:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Grass-Fed-Eggs] fencing and coop ideas

[Kelly Phillipson]

Oh good, so we could have one :)  I hope that they can co-parent together.  Made me chuckle!