# First time chicken owner! Need advice!



## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

Hi all! 

I am a first time chicken owner here in Vermont! Everything is going well but I am looking for a solution or ideas! Its getting cooler up here and I just transferred my 8 week old chicks outside this week because the weather is in the 60's for the next few days and its day 2 outside with no problems! 

I know chicken wire isn't always a preferred method to keep out predators but with the cold weather coming and time constraints with my schedule I had to do something fast. 

My coop is a good size for my 6 birds and is raised off the ground with a small run area directly under it. Due to lack of assistance, I just lined the bottom of the run space with chicken wire (I know, eeeek!) In the spring I will be glamming up the chicken housing lol. 

Can i put something like that roll out grass (not the fake plastic grass lol) on top of the wire so that it doesn't hurt their feet? Is there anything i could cover it with? Do I even have to cover it? At night, all the birds are locked in the coop, but i really want them to have a SAFE outdoor area to enjoy before its too cold and they never want to come outside lol 

Thanks in advance, and don't forget I am a first timer so be kind  

Chelsey


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm a little confused, why did you put poultry netting on the ground in their run? To keep diggers out we put wire on the ground outside of the run.


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## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

I assumed the diggers would be trying to dig directly under the coop. Inside the coop there is a cut out in the wood, where they can walk down onto a caged in grassy area. Im confused too lol. Should I also put it on the grass around the coop? I dont have ability to dig and put it under the ground at this point.


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

Show us some photos.


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## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

I am not finished with the wire obviously, and apparently they got mad the mealworms ran out and kicked the bowl down haha.

Ok here it is! No judging lol I am doing my best.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The perimeter is completely wired? What is meant by diggers is those on the outside of the run digging under the run perimeter to gain access. That's why we lay wire outside of the run. We'll ask a few more questions on things like how the wire is attached to the framing of the run. 

Iffy on whether it can just be left open. The wire does need to be attached to the bottom of the run so that the diggers can't pull it away. 

And when you get time and more importantly the energy you're going to need to give them an area of sunlight. Whether that's adding to the run or pulling up some boards to install wire, sun is important for the health of the birds. 

For having done this on your own it's a very good setup so far. With some tweaking it will work out for them. 

And welcome to the forum.


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## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

Yes, I only put the wire around the bottom of the coop where they can come outside. I used nails to secure the wire to the frame of the coop. 

Is this safe for the birds to walk on underneath without anything covering it?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You need to remove what is in their run and put it around the outside of the run. If they try to scratch with the wire there foot and toe problems are going to start cropping up. And right about now I'm feeling your pain having to crawl around under there removing it. Been there, done that. Not exactly that but the crawling around under a building. 

On the wire attachment, it's strongly suggested that the wire be sandwiched between two pieces of wood. Predators can easily pull the wire off if it isn't done. 

And there's hotwire if you can run a cord to their coop easily. My birds are behind hotwire at night which keeps the preds at bay. Heard a screams a couple of times when something got too close. 

I also have welded wire and poultry netting combined on my pens. Nothing is going to get past welded wire when properly installed. (I have seen where a raccoon busted through poultry netting)

Man, now I'm tired. I hadn't realized how much work I put into keeping my birds safe. It's worked so far.


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## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

That’s why I want to cover the wire with something like grass or?!?! So I don’t have to pull it out and the feet will be safe


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Fake grass is liable to cause crop issues if the birds decide to try to eat it. It would also have to be hosed down to keep it from becoming really nasty.

Living grass won't last long, the birds and lack of sun will kill it.


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## Chelsey Gribbin (Nov 7, 2020)

Lovely -_- lol thanks for your help!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Believe me, this will not be the only time you step back and go, nuts I don't like that and have to change or redo something. It seems to be the nature of having chickens in our lives. 

I won't bore you with how many times I had to rethink something and I've been raising outside birds a long time. But first and foremost for me is safety for them if I can do anything about giving it to them. 

I get the feeling that's what you're going for too or you wouldn't have asked. We'll help in any way we can. You've done very well so far. Do some tweaking, then stand back and enjoy your flock.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Welcome to the Forum! What Robin said, the wire on the inside needs to come out. Wire on the outside attached with wood strips will help discourage predators. An inexpensive electric fencer would be best. You can always change and adapt the configuration. For next year it would be great to have as big runs as possible and access to some sunshine!


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## Biring (Sep 24, 2020)

Chickens love sunshine!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Oh yeah, you need more of those.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Great pic!


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## Vchickenwhisperer (May 13, 2021)

yea we put it on the outside too.


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