Today our guys came back to do further works to our chicken run roof. We now know that rats can get through the chicken net as we have seen them escape through it. It’s flexible enough for them to stretch a hole big enough to get through. We knew that covering the whole outside area with chicken wire was too big a job for us so had the guys who built our run come back to do the job for us.
First we closed off the patio area with weld mesh and chicken net to keep the chooks confined to the patio while the garden area was without a top. These girls are really good at flying up high and we didn’t want to risk them getting a fright and flying out.
At first when the work noise began the girls flew up on the cabinet and sat together there for a while but once used to the noise they settled back to the patio area and consumed the treats I gave them. Over the course of the day they had tomato, lettuce and apple.
After lunch when they like a snooze on the big perch, they all headed up to the roof of the coop instead.
The girls settle on the roof of the coop
The struts go on to hold the chicken wire
Side view of the struts over the top
The chicken wire is put over the struts
Before the project was properly finished it got too dark to go on so the guys are coming back next Wednesday to complete the job, as that is their next available time slot. However the chicken wire is on and nothing can get in or out of the top, it’s just a case of fine tuning and tidying. I will post again when it’s properly finished, but am just relieved that the bulk of the work and disruption to the girls is done.
The chickens have no idea that the disruption is for their own good but you can’t explain to a chicken the benefits to them of keeping rats out. I did find my constant presence and chatting to them did help to keep them calm though. I talked them through it even though they have no clue what I am actually saying but overall I thought they coped really well and Bluebell even laid an egg. Bluebell really is an outstanding egg layer!
We were also able to gift our first half dozen eggs to show our appreciation for keep coming back to this never ending project!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
“After lunch when they like a snooze on the big perch…”
I can totally relate to that 😉
Hopefully this will be the end of the rodent saga. It feels like this has been going on forever! Good luck!
We too hope this will be the end of the rodent saga and we really do feel we have been working on this forever! I do feel it will also be more predator proof as well though. It has also made the top stronger which will be better for coping with rain and possible snow. I think everything we do is an improvement and we didn’t really know what we needed until we experienced it first.
My chicken run has been like the Golden Gate Bridge. You finish one thing only to take on another task. My latest issue is that hens in my hen house is a bit of a squeeze and so one likes to sleep out in the run. I go out every night and put her in. But we were away for 6 nights over the holiday and she slept out and the raccoons discovered her. They couldn’t get to her but they sure tried and there is evidence of that all around my run. So I’ve had to work extra hard to get her to sleep inside. She goes in some nights and not others. Not sure what the issue is. There is room for her. So I feel your pain.
Oh that’s awful, thank goodness you still have her. It does seem to be a never ending job but I do feel much happier with the top even if rats still find another way in. I hope we can keep them out but I now know how determined they are!
Mine are more difficult to get in at the moment. In the summer they would go in half an hour before the coop door shut but with the short days now they stay out as long as possible and often don’t all go in before the door shuts. I either hold the door open for them or pick them up from the coop roof and put them in. As we don’t go away it’s not a problem but I know if we were away they wouldn’t all go in.