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Thread: My chickens came home to roost today.

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    Senior Member L1A1Rocker's Avatar

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    My chickens came home to roost today.

    I kinda let the cat out of the bag yesterday about getting some chickens. Now here's the whole story. . .

    I helped my neighbor build an garden enclosure to keep the birds out (very similar to the one I built last spring - the neighbor loved it). Well, as that project was just completed and we were splitting a sixer another neighbor called about ordering some chicks. I was planning on building a coop and splitting an order with him. Well, the first neighbor overheard the conversation and quickly told me a story.

    She has some friends the next county over that has chickens (one year old) that they wanted to get rid of (coop included). It seems that they just couldn't dedicate the time needed, and also wanted to do some traveling. So this morning, me and the afore mentioned neighbors set out to get the coop and chickens.

    The coop was discribed as 4 foot by 5 foot by five foot. Well, not exactly. The thing weighed around 8 to 900 pounds!!! It was not built to be "portable" and only had six 2x4 legs that were about 14 inches long. The four of us (the owner included) could bearly budge it. Fortunatly I had thought to toss in a chain hoist "just in case".

    Using some 8 foot t-posts as levers and an additional tow chain (I keep it in my "trunk-o-stuff" in my Excursion) along with the chain hoist we were able to move the thing and not rip off the spidery legs. It also helped that my little 10 foot trailer was a tipping kind of trailer that put the edge right on the ground. I'd guess it took close to an hour of wrestling that beast on the trailer but we got it on.

    Once I got it home, while still on the trailer, I cut some 2x4s and screwed them to the legs to reinforce the legs and also act as skids. Then I parked the Excursion and hooked up a lawn tractor to the trailer so I could manuver it better to where the coop would be placed.

    I did not take any pictures of the loading process and really didn't think about pictures until we were ready to drop the coop. So here are a few pics.

    The first picture does not really give a good picture of how big this thing really is. I should have asked my neighbor to back out of it. We've got a bit of forced perspective going with him in the forground plus! He's seven feet tall. Look at the guy in the trees to the right to get a better idea of how big the the thing is. Also, the trailer is a 10 footer. That's also a really big ass lawn tractor.






    The next picture shows the coop passing the tipping point as we're moving it toward the back. Please note the guy back in the trees. He's using a come-a-long chained to a tree to pull the coop off. It's going much better with the "skids" screwed to the legs.



    Next is a picture showing the tow chain wrapped around the lower legs and the wire from the come-a-long.






    And it's down:



    I put out some chicken scratch and water (the bag of scratch and waterer were thrown in from the previous owners) and let the ladies (and two gentleman) out to see their new home.







    Unfortunately the camera took a dump at this point. I counted a total of 20 yard birds. I now gots me some chickens!
    US Constitution: Article 1 Section 8 Paragraph 4

    The Congress shall have Power To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization

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    B'Gawk!

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    Team GunsNet Silver 12/2012 Warthogg's Avatar

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    L1A, can't tell for sure but looks as if you might be out in the country. If so, maybe consider getting a few guinea hens for threat detection. (Not joking.) Guinea hens were what the settlers used. Even the Indians couldn't beatem.


    Wart

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    Senior Member L1A1Rocker's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Warthogg View Post
    L1A, can't tell for sure but looks as if you might be out in the country. If so, maybe consider getting a few guinea hens for threat detection. (Not joking.) Guinea hens were what the settlers used. Even the Indians couldn't beatem.


    Wart
    You're correct, "kinda" out in the country. It's a neighborhood outside the city limits where everyone has at least 5 acres. I hear ya about the guineas. There were supposed to be a couple that went with the chickens but they proved to be too elusive to be caught. I hear that they are very upset and looking for the chickens too.
    US Constitution: Article 1 Section 8 Paragraph 4

    The Congress shall have Power To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization

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    Team GunsNet Silver 12/2012 Warthogg's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by L1A1Rocker View Post
    You're correct, "kinda" out in the country. It's a neighborhood outside the city limits where everyone has at least 5 acres. I hear ya about the guineas. There were supposed to be a couple that went with the chickens but they proved to be too elusive to be caught. I hear that they are very upset and looking for the chickens too.


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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Talking

    Now you can literally see a chicken run around with its head cut off .... once you decide to start eating them.

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    Senior Member mriddick's Avatar

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    I can't wait to start growing my own chickens, you are very lucky.

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    Senior Member Full Otto's Avatar

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    For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe

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    Guns Network Lifetime Member #2

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    We have 3 currently, about 6 died of old age, hawks and other mishaps. Have 10 ducks including one we raised indoors her first winter.

    Quacker as a baby

    Now she thinks she owns the place as our giant malamute looks on...

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    Guns Network Lifetime Member #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Warthogg View Post
    L1A, can't tell for sure but looks as if you might be out in the country. If so, maybe consider getting a few guinea hens for threat detection. (Not joking.) Guinea hens were what the settlers used. Even the Indians couldn't beatem.


    Wart
    That's what I hear from hen owners, they make quite a bit of racket.

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    Moderator & Team GunsNet SILVER 11/2010 Tx Dogblaster's Avatar

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    I had from 8a - 7p yesterday to kill & would've been more than happy to help. I was bored out of my mind until all the chapter reps got outta the state meetings. I spent half the day sitting at the park on the river with a Subway sandwich and a book. It was a little chilly yesterday so I headed back to the Inn around 4 or so. It was REAL chilly out there this morning! Nobody was in a hurry to get on the scoots for the ride home. I was "cagin it" so we left early...

  12. #12
    Team GunsNet Silver 12/2012 Warthogg's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by 1 Patriot-of-many View Post
    That's what I hear from hen owners, they make quite a bit of racket.
    Even the plains Indians could not beatem. The may not be much on the attack but I don't know of a better early warning system.


    Wart

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    Senior Member Full Otto's Avatar

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    They're good at getting rid of any tick problem you have too
    For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe

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    Senior Member L1A1Rocker's Avatar

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    Got some better pics today. The problem with the camera was that I had taken the mem card out and forgot. After just a few pics the internal memory filled up.

    Anyhow, I'm trying to get a two year old Lab to get used to these things. She wants to play and sniff. The chickens don't want her near them and run away. She loves the chasing game :roll: Any how, she's getting better, but the chickens got very shy today. I finally was able to get a little close to them.





    I cheated on this pic by using the zoom


    Here they are crossing in front of the barn on their way back towards the coop. The lab was laying beside me and just watch em go by.



    Well, it was five o'clock so dicided to put out some chicken scratch and see if I could get them back to the coop and get a little closer to them.

    I was suprised that the roosters ate very little. They just strutted around. This one is "Orange Crush"


    I saved back a bit of scratch to toss out and get them in closer.



    Here's the other rooster, "Stew Pot". He doesn't ever stay in one place too long. He's kinda hard to get a picture of.


    One of the reds


    I was able to get them in real close after a while. One of them actually pecked my shoe lace. (I was sitting down cross legged) Can anyone name the kinds of chickens in this photo?


    And the best picture of the day:



    So I went out at 6:30 to close them up but there was still 8 or so still out. I closed one door and stepped back about 30 feet. After about 10 minutes (seemed longer) the rest filtered in and I locked them up for the night.

    I saw a number of hens laying down in different places today but the only place I found eggs was in their coop. There's four laying boxes for them but they all seem to use just two of them.
    US Constitution: Article 1 Section 8 Paragraph 4

    The Congress shall have Power To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization

  15. #15
    caaraa
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    Good thread, I always like them.


  16. #16
    Team GunsNet Silver 12/2012 Warthogg's Avatar

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    I'm sure you know this but them boy chickens got some fine spurs and the WILL attack on occasion...especially a child.


    Wart

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    Senior Member L1A1Rocker's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Warthogg View Post
    I'm sure you know this but them boy chickens got some fine spurs and the WILL attack on occasion...especially a child.


    Wart
    Yeppers. My mother told me a story about when her mom and dad had chickens. Her brother "found" a rooster and broght it home to add to the flock. Well, it attacked her dad on day from behind. Ripped through his shirt starting at the sholders going down. Mom's brother was really pissed about what was for dinner that night.

    I did notice those giant ass talons (is that the correct term) on Orange Crush and did watch him very close. Supposedly he has been raised gental and would go up to the previous owners deck banaster to have its face groomed every morning. He's "probably" ok but I kept a good eye on him. The other rooster however may be more like the one my uncle found once upon a time. He showed up on the prvious owners drive one day, apparently he was just dropped off. He's a bit aggressive and erned the name "Stew Pot" from the previous owners. I'm glad he kept his distance.
    US Constitution: Article 1 Section 8 Paragraph 4

    The Congress shall have Power To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization

  18. #18
    Senior Member 00RedZX-6R's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Warthogg View Post
    L1A, can't tell for sure but looks as if you might be out in the country. If so, maybe consider getting a few guinea hens for threat detection. (Not joking.) Guinea hens were what the settlers used. Even the Indians couldn't beatem.


    Wart
    My neighbor has guinea hens. The most annoying animal ever. I would rather listen to the previous neigbors donkey. At least that sound would give me a chuckle.

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    In honor of American chikins comin home to roost:


  20. #20
    Guns Network Lifetime Member #2

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    Can anyone name the kinds of chickens in this photo?

    My wife probably could. Those white and black ones look cool. We've got a white one and a couple rhode island reds.

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