ninnymary
Garden Master
petey, why is that piece of plywood there? Is it to provide more shade, or protection from hawks?
Mary
Mary
Club Meatie
- Thread starter peteyfoozer
- Start date
Stubbornhillfarm
Attractive To Bees
Great set up! I love the "special someone" picture. I think it is going to be a short lived romance , just don't tell them. 
- Thread starter
- #13
peteyfoozer
Garden Addicted
The plywood does double duty. It works as a windbreak and keeps owls etc, from gaining easy access into the shelter. My sheep live there in the winter time and it helped keep the snow out 
the1honeycomb
Deeply Rooted
petey, what breed are your birds?? I have raised the CX and I am very happy with them. I have Plymouth rocks which are supposed to be good,
learning something new Your set up is very nice, mine will be humble!
learning something new Your set up is very nice, mine will be humble!
- Thread starter
- #15
peteyfoozer
Garden Addicted
Most of them are CornishX and the reds are Red Rangers or "Freedom" Rangers which are supposed to be a little slower to mature but don't have the leg problems. I haven't had much problem with legs or hearts giving out, most of my birds make it to butcher time just fine.
Unfortunatley, Club Meatie had too much room. The birds didn't want to go in the shelter at night and a group of thugs (owls) managed to by pass the frantic dog and make off with 17 of my birds! 40% of them are gone now. I had to move them back into my yard, which is a total bummer. It was too easy for the owls to just sit in the trees and wait for the dog to be far enough away to grab a bird and while he ran after that one, another could easily swoop in on the flock behind him.
There are only 30 left to process now, but those are in great health.
Unfortunatley, Club Meatie had too much room. The birds didn't want to go in the shelter at night and a group of thugs (owls) managed to by pass the frantic dog and make off with 17 of my birds! 40% of them are gone now. I had to move them back into my yard, which is a total bummer. It was too easy for the owls to just sit in the trees and wait for the dog to be far enough away to grab a bird and while he ran after that one, another could easily swoop in on the flock behind him.
There are only 30 left to process now, but those are in great health.
bj taylor
Garden Ornament
how rotten the owls found them! I bet your dog was frantic trying to stop them. really too bad the paradise didn't last till the end.
that you have a spring in there is so amazing and wonderful. what a gift that is.
what is the difference between the maremma and great pyr.?
that you have a spring in there is so amazing and wonderful. what a gift that is.
what is the difference between the maremma and great pyr.?
- Thread starter
- #17
peteyfoozer
Garden Addicted
The Maremma is slightly lighter in body, not quite as heavily coated, doesn't bark as much and tends to stay closer to the stock. My understanding is that the Pyr was developed by crossing Maremmas to Spanish Mastiff, which is why the Pyrs are so large and often have badger markings. Maremmas are an Italian breed
the1honeycomb
Deeply Rooted
WOW 17 birds that is a big loss! I have 25 coming in the mail on friday CX their set up has a cover and I won't let them out till I have their tractor set up in the field next to me. I have several hawks that took out several o fmy layers. I have just started raising meaties and the last four got processed on Sunday! 10+ pds each and very yummy!!
good luck with moving your birds,
good luck with moving your birds,
dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
MontyJ brought home 20 chicks back in March (14th) to be exact!!! When he did that, we were only "talking" about getting the chickens.... or so I thought. Now I have 12 layers and he's talking about getting between 50 and 100 in the spring!!!! 
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- #20
peteyfoozer
Garden Addicted
A cover is what is needed. I had too large of an area for them to roam to get a cover on it, and they weren't smart enough to go in their shelter at night, they just camped out where they wanted. Now they sleep in my lambing shed, have a much smaller area and lots of cover from raspberry bushes and other shrubbery. The orchard just had trees that sheltered the owls and hawks and made the chickens easy targets. I was so proud that out of 50 meaties I started with, I had 47 at 5 weeks. The 3 that died, died from shipping the first 24 hours. It is a bummer losing 40% of my flock only 3 weeks from butchertime. Live and learn. There is always next year. Next spring I hope to raise turkeys too. The meaties are worth the effort, i can't eat commercial chicken anymore. Spoiled.!
