I'm in the city with a small yard so have just 3- its enough to keep the 3 of us in eggs and the flock happy and the small garden full of good compost.
Made the three spoiled chickens a garden enclosure. Corn and tomatoes inside protected by some fencing. Also canna lillies- chickens eat new growth but it can out grow them. Some cinder blocks and branch for perches. Black beans growing on the outside for shade- they spend all their time in...
Chunnels are super easy and cheap and even if it's a tunnel leading to nowhere my chickens enjoy hanging out in them most of the day- and I feel less bad keeping them cooped up during the day. Even in the rain they are tromping through the tunnels looking for bugs.
Purple Martins will mob hawks and generally keep them away while they are in town nesting (once the colony gets big enough). We have Martins and plastic crows in the yard. They help but certainly aren't fool proof. But when the Martins leave the hawks are noticeably more often circling or...
Ok here are some pics of the coop and garden enclosure connected by tunnel. The tunnel is attached to the back of the coop/run with an autodoor. It runs along a fence to a shaded sand box. Then turns a corner and runs to the PVC garden enclosure. Jus welded wire fencing arched and connected with...
They are very territorial so dont really like companions. Id say a snail is the best you can do.. But really some pothos plant clippings thown in the water that they can hang in will make them happy.
I never heard of chickens having tick problems. Are you sure it isn't mites? I know several folks (and some research) that use chickens to keep the tick populations in check because they love to eat them.
Have you started the chunnels yet? I have chunnels that go the perimeter of my backyard to a sandbox and then to a PVC garden enclosure for when I want them to do some cleanup. It is just fencing that is bent into an arch about 2 feet high and anchored with garden staples and connected with...
This is an older post but curious what you ended up doing. I absolutely think the cube is like the flow hive (I have both and love both). Not sure why it is so controversial. It is an investment that has been totally worth it to me. If you have a good covered run then it can certainly fit 4 hens...
We only have 3 and they only can free range when supervised. When needed I put up a 2 foot high picket fence roll which is enough to keep them out everywhere they are not supposed to be. they are allowed in some gardens, like my peppers- where I put bricks around the base of the plants to keep...
My kid wanted to plant one if our little garden beds for the chickens and they love it😍. Currently it is just clover but we will diversify with some more easy plants. Any suggestions?
Sounds like the cat is marking which is a territorial thing rather than just using it as a litter box. There are probably cats in heat around prompting it - even in fixed males sometimes. They sell spray to keep cats from marking- it is mostly essential oils and should be safe for chickens if...
This crazy looking young chicken turned out to be a beautiful hen for anyone wondering about their own polish laced. She laid an egg yesterday! After 8 long months.