What every chicken WANTS in their run (But few have!)

Рет қаралды 26,315

Күн бұрын

Pet canopy (AFFILIATE LINK) - amzn.to/4cMySNN
For maximum chicken happiness, you'll also want to incorporate contrafreeloading into your run - Learn more here in "Ancient secret to chicken happiness REVEALED!"
- • Ancient secret to chic...
00:00 What most chicken runs are missing
02:10 THIS is more wanted than perches
03:37 Plants for your chickens
05:28 Structures you might already have on hand
07:02 Building a pallet structure
07:32 Pre-made pet canopy
08:41 What your chickens REALLY want!
10:10 Super simple DIY ideas
11:01 Ancient secret to chicken happiness REVEALED!

Пікірлер: 108

@tinab7791 5 күн бұрын

I have some extra lattice hanging around, just waiting for a purpose. Found it!

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

Lattice is the perfect thing!

@revk8611 5 күн бұрын

Hey! So do I. Great idea.

@rikkeknudsen_ 4 күн бұрын

My best tip would be to put som old garden chairs next to each other in a row. If they are light weight, put a brick on top of each chair. They love resting under there, and also jumping up and down onto the seats and sometimes perching on top. My «chair-arrangement»are a favorite thing in my chicken yard

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

Great idea - so easy to do too!

@beckeytibbets9871 5 күн бұрын

My girls debug the yard during the day and rest in the shrubbery. They love tucking themselves into our hedges. Love your videos

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

Hedges are the perfect thing for them! :)

@jaha5761 5 күн бұрын

Low cover is spot on. My flock loves to escape the urban backyard and hang out in the boxwoods close to the house. They also make do with another area where the AC drips into a muddy puddle, where they drink and cool their feet in hot weather. Nearby cast iron plants are almost good cover and shade. They also like shade cloth draped over pvc pipe arches (until it flaps in the wind.) Your video is wonderful, I hope it inspires more low cover as a desired element in coop desugn. Many thanks for posting it.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Sounds like you have a wonderful setup for your birds!

@baddogcustoms7496 5 күн бұрын

This is why they love being under porches so much so you just might as well make under your porch. They’re dust bathing area. Seriously do yourself the favor. I have 3 what I’d say fancy perfect places for my free ranging chickens to go dust bath & what do they do?? Run 2 acres away to under my neighbors porch “bc I blocked mine off” bc I didn’t want to find eggs under it or have to crawl under it regularly lol. I think my chickens just really love grandma next-door. She was raised with chickens and had not seen chickens in 75 years. & having some different almost strange breeds it blew her mind. It’s great to see a 94 yr old woman throwing things out for my chickens it really makes her day 🥹

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

I'm jealous you have a porch... Maybe someday I'll join you as a member of the porch club! (And my chickens too!)

@kayfrick7129 4 күн бұрын

yep under the deck and porch. So happy for your neighbor. Chickens should be prescribed for anxiety, depression and loneliness. 😄

@mendynoma4272 5 күн бұрын

I am babysitting my neighbor’s chickens while she is out of town and therefore doing a lot of research online and this video is very helpful! Branch tepee build is SUPER doable !❤

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

So glad to hear it! :)

@PointOWoodsgal 5 күн бұрын

I love the mention of the chickens digging around the concrete blocks that support the shed. My coop is an 8'x12' shed. As of now I don't have a run for them, they just wander the yard and stay within 40 feet or so of the coop. They LOVE to settle under it and use the bare ground as a dust bath as well as shade. They do tend to dig out bowl shaped areas right up against the block and I've been concerned about them shifting too. Now I know that I will build them a run and provide them the low cover that they need, and block off the area under the shed. great video!

@MikeSheasheaDtree 4 күн бұрын

BAM! I have raised chickens for years, but recently, I left a milk crate in our chick nursery to sit on when I came in for a visit. I found our newly hatched chicks loved to hang out under it. Then I took the over to our squash plants, they were to happy being under the big leaves. I also just heard recently the chicken originated in the jungle, a 10 egg/per year 3 to 4 pound bird...

@retusaforce 5 күн бұрын

Enjoy all your videos.

@amel2784 5 күн бұрын

Your content is always so good. Thx!

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

❤️❤️❤️

@aciemiega2875 4 күн бұрын

Dang, when you think you know all about your chickens and you really don’t. After years of research in the Internet on chickens, you were the first to talk about the subject and you are totally correct. I always got mad at my chickens for hanging out underneath my back porch, which is about a foot off the ground, during the middle of the day thinking that they should be out in the yard getting insects, but they only do it of a morning and of an evening. Now I know why. Thank you!

@AmyHaddy-gn8ls 3 күн бұрын

My chickens are being raised in a food forest/jungle and I can confirm they love to hang out all day under the bananas and lemongrass.

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

How nice for them! That's my goal too - to raise them in a food forest.

@CeeDeeTeeVee 5 күн бұрын

I have a similar pet shade structure but it’s gray…. I also got it on Amazon for about $50. My girls love it! Their main run is 6’ x 21’ and I stretched a 6’ x 8’ tarp across it about 20” high… they absolutely LIVE under that ! It keeps their water shaded also!

@thomasgamache1354 5 күн бұрын

You have answered many questions about something I've seen the girls do

@BeautifulLorah 5 күн бұрын

Oh that’s explain a lot of my chicken behaviors, thank you ❤ love your vids

@TammieBuckeye 4 күн бұрын

Great information. I love the way you deliver your knowledge. I subbed right away

@kaedrian 3 күн бұрын

Oooh, I have an old kids' soccer goalie outside that nobody is using anymore. Add some shade cloth to it, and that might work.

@revk8611 5 күн бұрын

I just found your videos. They are amazing.

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

❤️❤️❤️

@user-wt1eo9ho7i 5 күн бұрын

We have a run that the coop is above part of it. About 3 ft high maybe. They just love to hang out there especially in the sunshine.

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

Raised coops are so great for them!

@louisegogel7973 5 күн бұрын

Have you thought of putting a different cover over your structures? You could also modify the blue cover to include either open strips or clear ones. One could weave grasses into mats to cover the sides… put some ropes to give the warp and you make the weft with whatever is handy. Also, consider planting comfrey around the perimeter of your coop, but fence it in on both sides so the plants can thrive while the chickens peck whatever leaves they can reach… helps them have stronger egg shells.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

These are all great ideas - thank you!

@kayfrick7129 4 күн бұрын

I have comfrey protected by chicken wire next to all my runs.

@nccrchurchunusual7990 4 күн бұрын

Where do I find comfrey? I have chkd my local nurseries.

@louisegogel7973 3 күн бұрын

@@nccrchurchunusual7990 where do you live? I have tons. Join a plant group and ask… or go on free cycle, or community yard sales etc and put a photo of comfrey out with a request to dig up some roots.

@BelindaTN 5 күн бұрын

Though I love the canopy idea, they would quickly blow away where I live.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

They do come with stakes to keep them anchored to the ground, but I have no idea how well they work.

@kayfrick7129 4 күн бұрын

Concrete block for anchor at each corner would work also. But when really powerful winds are expected, I would just put them in an outbuilding temporarily. The shelter not the chickens. :)

@Afroyogacollective 3 күн бұрын

Ahhhh! Time to rebuild the teepee. I already have a 12" pallet cover in their free range area they love. I took out the teepee when the baby chicks were fully integrated and didn't need to hide from "peck attacks" from the older girls. I just don't want to invite mice 🤧. Already trying to get rid of them.

@angelareynolds1111 2 күн бұрын

I bought a canopy when I saw your post an about a month ago . lol however I’m thinking about getting another one! I will definitely purchase by using your link!! I absolutely adore you!! Hope you’re doing well!! Love your chicken friend from Vail,AZ!

@kayfrick7129 4 күн бұрын

LOVE this!!! I too have experimented with all kinds of low cover and coop designs and have yet to come up with anything I'm 100% happy with. I'm fortunate to be able to free-range most of the time and they have plenty of natural low ground cover then. The pallet on 5 gallon buckets works great and I now make runs with chunnels with a tarp over the middle part and they absolutely love that! the chunnel goes from the coop area to a corral area where they can flap their wings freely. I've always kept food and nest near the coop, but I'm experimenting with moving food and nest to the corral away from the coop.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Love these ideas! So nice you can free range. We have so many predators I only free range mine with supervision, but we're working on building a large fenced area with netting on top - I'm excited to plant a little jungle in that area for them. Thanks for sharing your setup and experiments!

@kayfrick7129 4 күн бұрын

@@thefeatherbrain I've actually only recently created a FB forum called Do No Harm to brainstorm humane ways of coping with predators. I have eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, racoons, skunks and neighbors' dogs to deal with. So far only racoons have killed any and that was when they refused to go in coop and roosted too high for me to put them in the coop. During the day, my ten roosters do and AMAZING job keeping 23 hens safe. And they usually get all the hens safely in their coops at night well before most nocturnal predators are looking for breakfast.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

@@kayfrick7129 Glad to hear you've had such great success! At my previous home, I free ranged my chickens for years. Then one day a neighbor who lives several miles away - their dogs got loose, yellow labs. Within no time they'd killed 7 of my chickens, even with 4 roosters on guard. Those dogs killed chickens (including several roosters) from 2 other neighbors I know of that same day. It was such a horrible experience and my surviving chickens were traumatized and didn't leave the coop for a week, not to mention many had lost close friends. I'm the type of person who bawls over every lost hen, so I decided then I would never free range again. Here, we're going to build them a large protected yard with a jungle food forest, and then I figure in later years I'll do less protected but still fenced paddocks off of the larger yard that they can go in with supervision (either me or my dog.) I plan to plant different food forest stuff in these paddocks so the chickens can go into different paddocks at different times of the year and always have new and fresh things to eat, while at the same time, plants can recover/regrow (or new plants can get established) in the paddocks when need be without chicken interference.

@kayfrick7129 3 күн бұрын

@@thefeatherbrain that's my dream setup also! So sorry about the dog attacks. I've had at least 6 over the years, but thankfully never lost a chicken. That was early on, but all my neighbors apologized sincerely and felt horrible and kept their dogs under control after it. I really am blessed to have great neighbors but I know most people don't. One time it was 3 dogs plucking my alpha and one was a great Dane!!! AMAZINGLY after putting him in a dark room to recover from shock for a few hours, I did a health check and he had zero wounds just missing a lot of feathers. The next day he was walking around like nothing happened. I have had chickens refuse to go in their coops for unknown reasons and roost too high for me to get them and a racoon got them. I sometimes think they know they are visiting at night and if one has been suffering in pain without my notice, it may have been there way of seeking relief. I only recently discovered Just The Fowl Facts and am so happy to FINALLY have reliable health advice for my chickens!!! And I have a vet just one hour a way that did an awesome job for five year old Angelica who was bitten just last week when I didn't notice she hadn't gone in her coop Wednesday night. Love your channel and looking forward to learning more from it! 🐓🐓🐓

@patty9265 5 күн бұрын

I have places like that all over my outside run areas for shade spots and for places to run from flying predators. And your wright they do most of there roaming around early and later evening.

@CitySlickinChickens 22 сағат бұрын

Best ideas every. Thank you.

@BroadShouldersFarm 3 күн бұрын

GREAT video. 👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👍🏻

@77lases 5 күн бұрын

Would love a follow up video covering all the DIY experimental alternatives for low cover, and how the chickens favored one over the other! That would be interesting and fun to see :) Thanks for the great content!!

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

I'll be sure to do a follow-up!

@SamuelCiuriuc 5 күн бұрын

Thank you for the great information

@AndyDelosSantos 5 күн бұрын

Wow this was a great video. 🙌🏽 so much to think about.

@MichelleCombs-o1h 5 күн бұрын

I have been watching a lot of your videos lately, as I’m in a researching deep.hole! LOL.(II have 2-week old chicks). 😁. Your content is excellent, and I always learn so much from you. Thank you!

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

I love them at that age!

@aaronhopkins6697 2 күн бұрын

Thanks Feathers, i just found your chanel and subbed. I'm new to chickens, and this is helping me with many great thoughts and ideas. Green love from Australia 💚🌲🐓🐔🌴🌏🙏

@MyScubadoo 3 күн бұрын

Freebie idea! I have several lean-to’s made out of 2 pallets in my orchard. They love them. They are pretty easy to move too.

@thenextpoetician6328 3 күн бұрын

On the list but not during haying season is finishing the new coop and integrated greenhouse. The current setup on the farm I lend a hand on is at its tail end. I've been keen for a few years to get this done, and some of your practices are musts for the flock. They deserve it. Thanks.

@kjmnature 3 күн бұрын

When I bought my property it came with used, non-working appliances like 2 ovens, drier, washing machine, etc. I unscrewed the sides of the washing machine leaving me two, metal tee-pee look a like pieces. After a couplehoursofworm hunting Iwent to give the ladies a watermelon treat only to find them under metal tee-pees 😂 as I went to load them up for recycling I was seriously yelled at by the girls. Everyone calmed down with happy purring when I put them back. Seems to be a favorite place for a afternoon power nap. B4 you recycle UR appliances consider taking off the side panels. A metal swing set with metal roofing is now the home of my juvenile chick's, tree branches roped to the inside V for roosting at night was another great, junkyard save.

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

This really made me laugh - and thanks for sharing! Such great ideas here...

@ECole-le7we 5 күн бұрын

Your videos are always the best.

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

Thank you! 💕

@davinasquirrel7672 4 күн бұрын

Great idea to incorporate a mini shelter/hide within the main run. I noticed with my hens, even when they have their free-range time, they are only in the open for a little while, then retreat either under the raised garden beds or back into the run (which has shade cloth cover over it). So I will see what I can rig up for inside the run.

@Afroyogacollective 3 күн бұрын

@richardmatthys7133 5 күн бұрын

Have a raised coop about 24" off the ground. They hang out underneath during bad weather.

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

I love raised coops

@ElizabethKlimas 3 күн бұрын

I’ve build long time ago & originally as a shelter from the heat triangle from 2 pallets connected by door’s hinges so you can fold them into triangle structure & just set on the ground. Easy, simple, nothing to it just screw the hinges to both pallets & fold them, yet you can put it bars in-between the gaps (wooden sticks) so they can even perch if they want to

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

That's such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

@LLjean-qz7sb 4 күн бұрын

Instead of a teepee, maybe just make a loose brush pile from your branches and cuttings from trees( like a burn pile that you don't burn!)and the chickens will find their way under it or on it! Make the base of it sturdy with the larger branches, and pile everything else on top of that! They will love it!😊❤🐥🐤🐣🐔🐓

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

Oh that's a great idea! You could keep the cover very low that way too which they seem to prefer.

@librarymouse567 4 күн бұрын

Cute little dinosaurs ❤

@christelchristely2816 3 күн бұрын

Cammouflage netting, they love it.

@thefeatherbrain 2 күн бұрын

That's brilliant!

@JennfamousartBlogspot 4 күн бұрын

Just an idea I had… cut the fabric on the canopy to create the blinds effect. It seems simple enough, and you would not even need to take it apart if you have liquid stitch (a fabric glue) and a razor blade/ box cutter. I would do a video of it if I had my homestead (current in dreaming stage while in the concrete jungle 😢)

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Great idea! ...And I'm sure you'll get there! I think must of us started our dreaming in the concrete jungle... :)

@LeatherHomestead-io8dt 4 күн бұрын

you need to protect your lungs when you are in that chicken dust

@MrSpinnerbug 5 күн бұрын

It was so timely for your video! I watch your videos and was wondering what the blue shades were. I ordered one today fir my flock as I think it will be good. I have a karge run, 30 x 40 open ended hoop house, predator proof yard. So a great roof but closed in, occasional free range when I am out with them. The low cover is good idea as they usually go under a second raised coop I have in the yard, but this will provide one out in the main yard like yours. Also anxious to see what you plant as I want to do that. Thanks😊🐓🐓

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

I love the hoop houses! Sounds like you have a great setup. :)

@PracticingLiberty 5 күн бұрын

I bought two of these after seeing them in a previous video. They are well-built. They even come with screw-in ground stakes and everything to keep them tethered in the wind. Still have not put them up... Also, my Mohawk Rhode Island Reds ,which seem pretty jungley, spend a lot of time under low cover - Makeshift lean-to of pressed board against covered fence and sometimes under leftover piles of construction materials next to the aviary. They even go inside a loosely rolled piece of surplus hardware cloth. The other chickens are doing it too. Now I know why. Thank you!

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Now that I think about it, at my old house, they spent a lot of time under my truck whenever it was parked near enough to the coop - they're pretty good at finding cover everywhere!

@JessicaJLandi 20 сағат бұрын

I have a large wide wooden slab leaning onto one side of the coop. I try to put dust/dirt in it so the hens have a low covered dustbath area.

@thefeatherbrain 17 сағат бұрын

I'm sure that's EXTRA nice for them during the warm days!!

@zachhot 2 күн бұрын

My run is under a tree.

@hopeup2792 4 күн бұрын

You can use a shade cloth over your pvc structure.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Great idea!

@joyadams507 5 күн бұрын

Love this idea , just wish it was available in a different color 😂

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Me too!

@baddogcustoms7496 5 күн бұрын

Raised beds with hardwire cloth over them in your run & your chickens will love it. Things like oregano or lettuce etc anything that’s leafy & repels pests would be best options. Note lettuce grows best when picked from the top of the plant leaving the bottom growing part which means the chickens will just have an endless salad bar 😇

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Great idea! Would love to experiment with that!

@Galaxy-gj9wy 2 күн бұрын

So thats why they like to go up under the coop in the day time. 🤔

@evelynrogers7145 5 күн бұрын

First time I heard about this. Where are you located?

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

Horseshoe Bend, Idaho

@rosammitchell6313 Күн бұрын

Hi, what size are you demonstrating on this video or recommending ( small, medium or large)?

@thefeatherbrain 17 сағат бұрын

I have mediums.

@kipclairday1431 Күн бұрын

Where do you get them.. wow

@thefeatherbrain 17 сағат бұрын

Pet canopy (AFFILIATE LINK) - amzn.to/4cMySNN

@kayte13 3 күн бұрын

Can you say what plants are safe for our chickens to eat if we put plant them in our chicken run

@thefeatherbrain 3 күн бұрын

Yes, I'll be doing a lot of looking into that - thanks! :)

@redscott3113 4 күн бұрын

My chickens eat everything I plant😀

@HunzaExoticHensFarm 5 күн бұрын

What season is going on there

@thefeatherbrain 5 күн бұрын

It's summer here.

@rosewood9839 2 күн бұрын

Mine eat everything!

@thefeatherbrain 2 күн бұрын

Yes, always a challenge!

@TaylorJackson-fn2om 4 күн бұрын

Hi there just lost my girl Elsie who my dog killed. Still sad.

@thefeatherbrain 4 күн бұрын

So sorry to hear it. My condolences. 💕

@TaylorJackson-fn2om 4 күн бұрын

Thanks, she was a cuddly fluff ball. A buff Orpington with a little sister named Barbara so I’m worried about depression. Any tips?

@PointOWoodsgal 5 күн бұрын

@baddogcustoms7496 5 күн бұрын

My 4 x 8 coupe is 3 foot off the ground on stilts like a beach house and like you said they love it for shade and dust bathing area because it stays dry similar to having a boat that sits in the same place in the yard all the time is always dry under it and it’s there safe place to go dust even if it’s raining. I have braces under my coop on the legs of the beach house that act as perches & they love it. Definitely suggest braces on the legs about 1-2 ft off the ground on all raised coops “beach house coops”