- Thread starter
- #11
- Mar 24, 2017
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So, I got some netting installed over the top of the chicken run as well as some stronger fencing along the bottom of the run-
I had the stronger fencing laying around and I thought I might as well put it up. The dogs had shown an interest in chewing on the chicken wire, not to get to the chickens as they were not in the run yet, but I believe in order to get to the corner of the yard to bark at a neighbors dog.
At this point I was ready to install the electric wire along the bottom of the fence line but that would have to wait until the next weekend. Unfortunately my oldest son (not the one in the earlier photo) didn't know that. And this boy, who up until that point had shown little interest in the chickens, decided to let the chickens out and then he went inside. No one else knew this had happened until that evening when my wife went outside and discovered the dogs in the chicken run.
We found seven dead chickens that night and three more died in the next day or two.
The dogs had moved the cinderblock out of the way, nosed under the heavy wire and chewed through the chicken wire.
We lost our two Delawares, two Easter Eggers, and a mixture of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds.
My son was really upset about it. He got sick to his stomach and threw up that evening poor guy.
We were now down to 17 chickens - 1 Easter Egger and a mixture of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds.
Those two Delawares were favorites as they were very nosy and friendly, eager to greet me when I came to the coop.
So, that next weekend I was on a mission to get that electric wire installed. I got it up and running, let the chickens out and then went inside to watch with my binoculars.
I tried to get the wire low enough that they would not be able to crawl under it but tall enough to zap them should they try to go over.
The dogs quickly determined that the chickens had somehow gained electric super powers and were not to be trifled with.
So fast forward to now.
We are gradually letting the chickens out during the day under observation to see how the dogs might be able to get into the run again.
I went out one evening to sit in the coop, check on feed, etc. and talk to the chickens. I keep a folding chair out there to sit when I am done. My oldest came out to see how it was going.
At that point a couple of the chickens flew up and sat in my lap. My son thought that was just the coolest and sat down next to me and they started hopping up on him as well.
It was crazy. We had chickens on us like the crazy pigeon lady in Home Alone.
Now both boys are going out there in the evenings and sitting with the chickens and the chickens are crawling all over them. They think it's great.
I had the stronger fencing laying around and I thought I might as well put it up. The dogs had shown an interest in chewing on the chicken wire, not to get to the chickens as they were not in the run yet, but I believe in order to get to the corner of the yard to bark at a neighbors dog.
At this point I was ready to install the electric wire along the bottom of the fence line but that would have to wait until the next weekend. Unfortunately my oldest son (not the one in the earlier photo) didn't know that. And this boy, who up until that point had shown little interest in the chickens, decided to let the chickens out and then he went inside. No one else knew this had happened until that evening when my wife went outside and discovered the dogs in the chicken run.
We found seven dead chickens that night and three more died in the next day or two.
The dogs had moved the cinderblock out of the way, nosed under the heavy wire and chewed through the chicken wire.
We lost our two Delawares, two Easter Eggers, and a mixture of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds.
My son was really upset about it. He got sick to his stomach and threw up that evening poor guy.
We were now down to 17 chickens - 1 Easter Egger and a mixture of Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds.
Those two Delawares were favorites as they were very nosy and friendly, eager to greet me when I came to the coop.
So, that next weekend I was on a mission to get that electric wire installed. I got it up and running, let the chickens out and then went inside to watch with my binoculars.
I tried to get the wire low enough that they would not be able to crawl under it but tall enough to zap them should they try to go over.
The dogs quickly determined that the chickens had somehow gained electric super powers and were not to be trifled with.
So fast forward to now.
We are gradually letting the chickens out during the day under observation to see how the dogs might be able to get into the run again.
I went out one evening to sit in the coop, check on feed, etc. and talk to the chickens. I keep a folding chair out there to sit when I am done. My oldest came out to see how it was going.
At that point a couple of the chickens flew up and sat in my lap. My son thought that was just the coolest and sat down next to me and they started hopping up on him as well.
It was crazy. We had chickens on us like the crazy pigeon lady in Home Alone.
Now both boys are going out there in the evenings and sitting with the chickens and the chickens are crawling all over them. They think it's great.
