The broilers were moved to their pens on the new farm. Now we had a problem with a varmint coming around the chickens - probably a raccoon or a possum. First we tried a beefed-up electric fence. Trying to go more “green” it is a solar powered unit. Anyway he was not impressed. The live trap didn’t catch him. So we decided to make the pens more varmint proof. Thursday after work we got the new material and headed over to the farm. The storm was brewing back to the west. On arrival we rushed into the pasture. The wind was picking up and a few raindrops were falling.The first pen was quickly upgraded and readied for the storm. The wind had blown the top off the second pen. Once we got over to it we could see the lid was broken. The storm had arrived by now. The wind was blowing strong and the rain was coming down in heavy sheets. With no top on the second pen the young birds would either be attacked by the varmint or get soaked and probably die overnight. We gathered up birds by the handfuls and rushed them over to the first pen. Once we got them all moved we ran back to the barn to try to dry off and wait for a break in the rain. The next day we had a possum in the live trap.
The second pen will need the top repaired and the new varmint proofing put on, then we can move the birds back over there. I don’t know how m\any we lost in all this. It may change our process dates. Stay tuned –