Recent content by perkolator

Better than nothing, It'll work until it doesn't :idunno We have hawks overhead daily and I thought for sure they'd be a problem, but it turns out our main predator has been a bobcat instead

For permanently attached I'd use galvanized fence wire and weave the fencing together. For a removable chunnel I'd likely go with the suggested wood door frames on the fencing, and either use screws or bolts + wing nuts/t-nuts + wing bolts for something you can install/remove by hand. Make a...

Buy one of those 11lb bags of dried black soldier fly grubs, and they'll start coming whenever they see you go anywhere near where you store it :lau

I'd do something like that^ Probably use conduit/EMT pipe or even large T-posts as vertical supports down the center, then I'd likely use metal cables connecting them to the fence and to one another like tension wires -- then mount netting over the top.

I use a common metal feeder, located under a roof to stay dry, suspended from a hook and chain that is easily height adjusted. Personally I never understood the desire for those tube feeders unless you have the materials laying around already. These days a commercially made feeder might even...

It's fine. In the summertime I'll occasionally water my chicken run on purpose, my chickens will even go get wet in sprinklers and don't seem to mind foraging in a downpour either. Some moisture promotes decomposition and keeps down dust, insects and worms will likely prefer some moisture too...

Where are you seeing this? I am not seeing it used much at all in chicken setups

Before you go and add all the high tech stuff, I’d suggest some improvements first. Secure the outer run structure with a roll of hardware cloth; cover the walls and overhead, and make an anti-dig skirting. Leave the existing welded wire fencing for additional strength. Use arborist wood chips...

That's how I thought you'd use them. They'll be fine

Use the pallet wood and make coop from that, some people have made some really really nice pallet coops. Heck, even just un-altered pallets screwed together would be more predator proof from anything that can't fit through the slats, than cardboard.

I added about 4" deep of ~1" rock over my anti-dig skirt and it was kicked around almost immediately by the chickens once they got access to that area; it's all in the grass and where I didn't want it. Have since buried it with dirt from the run and wood mulch over the top. I've also had many...

I cant find the pics but I saw someone 3d print a button cover, that basically just made it recessed. To replicate that for near free I'd just glue a washer or two over the button so it's recessed. Or block it off by duct taping a coin over it. I hardly ever push the button on mine.

I'm not quite sure how you are planning to use the mending plates - were you just going to sandwich the HC between those and the wood frame? If so, for the price of two plates you can buy a whole stick of lumber and make furring strips for a continuous perimeter holding it down. Alternatively...

For the money, I think it's hard to beat what Run Chicken offers. I'd likely get the newer solar version though even though no issues with the battery version after several years use. They only flaw I've seen on them is the manual push button under the lip that a raccoon could technically...

You never know, it's easily overlooked if you don't have experience building stuff. If you built the framing like mentioned, it's possible to have a dilemma when it came time to skin that side of the exterior with standard 4ft wide sheets :barnie