We have chickens!!!

[SheWoff]

Originally Posted by goatlady

Really good job on that coop area. You "might" want to consider just hanging a tarp from the roof to floor right in front of the roost area and hold the botton down with a board or bricks or ??, to give then a bit of weather protection during the nights and it will help keep some heat in there for them on cold nights. Just a thought. Otherwise, it's perfect for the girls!

It's kind of hard to see it in those pics isn't it? But yeah there is already a tarp half way across and down the two open sides already.

She

[Meemur]

Everytime I see this thread title, I start humming an old, old song from classic Sesame Street. It's not very long, about a minute and 24 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvv5gL1pGb0

Summary:

There are chickens in the trees --
There are chickens in the trees --
Won't you listen to me, please?
There are chickens in the trees.

[independent]

She, it looks like you live in the woods. I would consider putting something around the fence (big rocks or bricks) so the racoons don't try and dig under the fence, or your hubby can dig around the perimeter of the fence about 1 foot deep and attach chicken wire to the fence and then bury the chicken wire in the ground. Also, I have been told that the coons will shove their skinny arms in through the fence and grab ahold of a chicken if they can reach it.Don't know if your fence holes are too big or not. I'm new at this also and have already made some mistakes so I hope you don't mind my suggestions. I have lived at my present home for 15 years and have spent more time in the back yard this year than all of the other 14 years combined.The chickens are very entertaining to watch. I let them out every few days to free range and they love it. They don't go far and when I want to get them back in the run, I just grab a leaf rake to chase them back in.Also,clapping your hands loudly helps to round them up. Good luck with your chickens!

[Indigo]

Whooooooooooo hoooooooooooooo!! Congratulations! Ya done good!

So what did you name them?

:)

Indigo

[PatDaly]

She, independant does bring up a point, Racoons kill Chickens. I lost 8 before I caught them redhanded. ( Should have listened to my daughter )

Make sure you can lock them down at night, I haven't ever seen a coon try anything durring the day.

[Nicho1]

Great news, She! And a terriffic job on their new "home." Before long, they'll be sending emails back to their pals to tell them that they've found paradise! You're going to love them...and they, you.

[SheWoff]

Originally Posted by Nicho1

Great news, She! And a terriffic job on their new "home." Before long, they'll be sending emails back to their pals to tell them that they've found paradise! You're going to love them...and they, you.

LOL if I find them sneaking in the house to get my laptop there will be hell to pay! I want to thank you all for the suggestions and comments. And no, I don't mind the suggestions AT ALL! We are new at this, so all are welcome. As for the coons, yep we have them too. Our place boarders on the woods. We have more possums than coons though. That's why we have 5 dogs. And the largest female hound has taken the job of protecting the coop! She wont even let the other dogs near it or anything else either. She raked up some pine needles and naps in front of the door too. Have to pick her up and move her when I go in to check for eggs LOL. She has taken her job seriously. Those are HER chickens! One of the roosters pecked her nose yesterday at the fence. She licked his beak as if to say it's okay lol. I still keep an eye on her just in case she has some hidden motives there!

And we are getting eggs. With 3 hens we have gotten 4 eggs in a day and a half. Both the black hens are laying, the white one isn't and that may be from moving her. She was laying up until we moved her here. And they are still on laying mash.

I love watching them too! I gave them some pieces of butternut squash yesterday. They attacked it! And had the seeds pecked out of it before you could blink an eye! While I had the door open a crack, the white hen got out too. But the hound dog herded her right back into the pen. She just walked behind the chicken heading her toward the door. Kind of reminds me of the movie "Babe." LOL

If yall have any more ideas and suggestions, please shout out! They have been a blessing so far. So thank you again to all who emailed, pm'ed, posted and even called me! Yall are just great people.

She

[SheWoff]

This is Daisy. She's the chicken protector LOL. Of course they are now "her" chickens.

She

[CVORNurse]

I love my chickens. So glad you finally got them. Just watch for the predators, but glad your hound is guarding them. We don't have a dog. Lose one occasionally, once the predator finds them, he/she WILL be back. So we will lay in wait and eventually catch the critter. DH has sold and given away several coons to some of the old timer African Americans in our small town. We don't eat it so why let it go to waste. Haven't found anyone for the possums though, they don't seem to be as popular in this area.

[Homesteader1]

Congrats She! You'll love'm, they are quite entertaining, at least our are! Wait until you eat your own homegorwn eggs and chicken, Ummm. Ummm.

PS. Our roos crow from sun up to sun down and I love every minute of it, add in the tom turkeys gobbling and it's like a symphony