How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] housing issue

Friday, September 27, 2013

Re: [CHICKENS-101] housing issue

Sorry, guess I didn't read close enough, didn't catch that you have it covered. Sure, if you have an aviary, that should work just fine!

When we first moved here, it was farmland. My husband built a fine henhouse, and I never worried too much about them. But we've been here for 50 years and in that time the land has changed dramatically, it's now mostly state and federal forest, and I mean miles of hills covered with mature maple trees where there is very little undergrowth. We have more forest land than the Adirondacks. Plus it's hill and valley, so there are lots of creeks. It's wild.

Over time, first there were woodchucks, then possoms, then the raccoons started in on my chickens. After that came the foxes, and the day a couple of years ago when I heard a fuss and found a long brown fuzzy mink or something in there finishing off the bantams I had in a cage. And his belly was too full to get back out between the bars. Shot him on the spot, what a set of teeth! He got in through the one inch chicken wire over the big window.

Then came the black bears. After the chicken feed in the metal trash cans, and then ripped one side partly off the chicken coop. Then they came up on the house porch, to the kitchen screen door. Then came the Bobcats, and now we have coyotes also.

At that point I got 2 bigger dogs that can live outside full time, one a Pyr, a livestock guardian dog, and that did mostly put a stop to it. But this year people started telling me about the bear at the bottom of my drive, down by the road, and also about the black panther. Eventually I did see the panther, and sure enuogh that's what it is. I know we've had gold mountain lions around for years, but you seldom see them. And I hadn't seen any either-----not since I got this Pyr. She's doing a great job!

The barking starts in about 9 or so every night. Even the skunk seems to be keeping it's distance. I can smell it, but it doesn't walk by my bedroom window any more.

So it all depends on where you are. I do have a fenced chicken yard, but it's kind of big for a top. Maybe I should build a cage like yours so I wouldn't have to be so careful about closing them up. I've thought about it. You can also get an automatic door closer that runs on a timer or light sensor or something.

It's always fun to talk with other people who understand the concept of Fort Chicken. Everything loves chicken! There's a reason commercial growers go to all the trouble and expense of keeping these girls inside a building!

Diane S.

----- Original Message -----

From: Doug Rooney

To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 4:13 PM

Subject: RE: [CHICKENS-101] housing issue

Thanks everyone for your input, I did leave the door open last night and the girls were very happy to come out when they wanted to.

But… I usually give them greens from the garden when I open the door and today they came out to none, and they let me know in no uncertain terms that this shall not happen again J

Not sure how to break it to them about winter and no greens and all. Oh well.

And as far as counting them, I only have 9, so that is easy, and I check up on them a couple times a day.

But like I was telling someone earlier, the cover of the pen area is 2 layers of hardware cloth, and even the local sparrows can't get in J

Cheers

~Dr.Doug