Simple Off Grid Homesteading: Chicken Run, Adding Roosters To Our Flock

I add a simple chicken run to our chicken coop. We also added some new chickens on our off grid homestead. #diy #homestead #offgrid

[@maxybuddy1913]

The skills you learn from this lifestyle are priceless

[@eddiedority1816]

The chicken coop is a alsome job is well done ,

[@loucinci3922]

Growing the flock is a good thing. Happy to see an egg. Good start. Thanks for sharing

[@desireelivemore823]

Doing a good job lovie, hard SEI g your animals being eaten when you are looking after them so Well. God bless love you New Zealand

[@marilynmeade2286]

So shame about your chickens You did a good job securing the coop Take care and see you all in next video ❤❤❤❤

[@lindabrooks8242]

Awesome, Kyle! Love the chickens, and I know you sre doing your best to keep them safe.

[@garybonz]

Kyle, you need the right dog, with the right attitude.

[@DOUGLASLASH-xy4ct]

loved your shirt! as a retired I.B.E.W. member that sure caught my eye!

[@KeithandPamBilyeu]

Pam here, get the movable electrical fencing. You can move them around in the good months, have a smaller perm space for the winter. Electric keeps out stuff too.

[@dannykoroscil6685]

Suggest you dig out your dirt in the run go down about 8-10 inches, lay down chicken wire cover the whole base of your run and the put the dirt back in. Animals will dig under your fences run and get the chickens if you don’t put a bottom on the run. Birds of prey will also try to come in from the top so you need to have a top as well. 😎

[@msmith7472]

How nice to see a real homesteader...nit someone spending 100 of thousand with huge equipment and 10 thousand dollar solar equiptment..reality is the average person would be creative and make due...not having million in bank and saying im off grid living in huge house...

[@Mary-dh5tu]

Put a predator net over the top of the run

[@marnamoran4627]

Thank you for letting us get away from the worlds problems for a little bit and feel the peace you and Sierra have

[@rosherridge9540]

String up a big net over the top of the chicken run, one that you can still walk under, much safer for your them 😊

[@genehunter6925]

With the new chicken in future try putting them in at night when all the others have gone to roost. It makes adding new chickens much less stressful. Clip 1 wing and it discourages flight as they will be off balance. Good luck.

[@garyboothroyd5416]

Nice IBEW shirt !

[@shockcoach]

Love the bug on the back of your shirt.

[@janetgray8737]

Kyle, if they fly out, just clip their wings. You can also cover the run in with a mesh covering so nothing can swoop down and killing more of your chickens. Free range is nice but it has its issues too.

[@cgregornik]

One wing as it helps keep them in but also gives them a fighting chance for escape

[@carolynsilvers9999]

Those ebony black hens are beautiful.

[@ellenbacigalupi3767]

Yes, wing clipping!

[@joannabowers1358]

I’m in northeast Texas. Way too many predators to free range here. I found that getting an inexpensive poultry netting and attaching it to the top of my fencing has worked to keep my birds in and the hawks out. I still lock them in the henhouse at night though because foxes, raccoons and possums can get into the run somehow during the night. Roosters definitely help though. I had a storm blow the coop door open one night. The next morning, my rooster was standing tall and proud, crowing for all he was worth with the hens all bunched behind him hiding. Your rooster’s short spurs tells me that he is young., probably less than 10-12 months old. They get to be louder as they get older and more confident. Roosters are always prettier. They have fluorescent feathers. Keep Darrel. You want at least one rooster for each 10 hens. One will be more dominant, but that’s okay. As long as they get along, all is okay.

[@pennyh3101]

Why am I so happy to hear the rooster crow?. Somehow makes it seem more authentic and real.. 🥰🥰🥰great job and look forward to seeing progress.. I’ve seen some build a portable run on wheels so whenever they need new pasture they push it out and chickens go to work 🥰🥰

[@dhs186]

Bruce is a character

[@TheLipRipp3r]

Eat Darryl and cape his hackle for tying flies! :D

[@brianbarnes3645]

Consider a 6 ft high fence with netting over the top so the chickens don't fly out and predators can't get in .

[@KimandFrank]

We had a martin squeeze into our chicken coop one night and he attacked a few of our chickens by the time we got outside. Make sure you plug up any small holes. Always lock them up by dusk. and have the dog and yourself pee around the area lol

[@geraldineross5168]

Beautiful chicken coup/hen house! Happy Birds.❤

[@dangoodall-williams4200]

You have a great channel. Loved seeing the chickens. Their noises are funny, definitely tell they are talking. Hope you make the fence taller and make it so the fox can't get in.

[@phillipgregory6517]

Jamaica 🇯🇲 here sorry about the chickens the place is shaping up nicely love it good work you both

[@brendahogue5487]

May the lord bless and protect you and your family

[@sueyates3555]

Nice job on the chicken coop Kyle. Hope it'll help save your chickens from getting killed.

[@dandrson7903]

Get a Great Pyrenees to protect the chickens

[@chantaln6843]

Awwww, I was hoping to be introduced to your sister 👧 You created a nice chicken run & glad to hear that they are getting along.

[@sandybehanna7704]

Maybe a little more bedding in there laying boxes. Enjoying your videos

[@jacksg1809]

Electric fence ... Plus fold top of wire to stop them getting out and prey getting them 🤞

[@tkskagen]

Never boring content from you Kevin!

[@JH-gd2rv]

Who's Kevin

[@ruthrandall2451]

​@@JH-gd2rv😂😂😂☝️

[@sodobson]

Lol Im sure Kyle got a laf.

[@WehuntOutdoors]

Go get that big buck!!

[@jayasbill7137]

Had a problem with foxes & coyotes at my place, bought some box traps and trapped them, called the state biologist to come out and re-locate them far away lol

[@frankp215]

They got their pecking order figured out.

[@teresatano193]

Daryl is a little "metro" LOL

[@robertjacobs7223]

Very enjoyable !! Every vid!! keep well, Safe!!

[@motownXJdad9565]

another way to prevent infighting in your flock is to have the roosts in the coop at all the same hieght, it prevents them from establishing a heirarchy in the flock

[@franceshenry2239]

Love the chickens.and the video.

[@nikburton9264]

Clip the feathers on one wing on each bird. It throws them off balance so they can't get over that fence.

[@offgridamy717]

Be warned chickens can easily get over the fence. We have bear , foxes, more. I added solor twinkle lights on my fence. Also my garden. Keeps the preditors away at night.

[@sarahhamlin634]

You can trim one wing on your chickens so they cannot fly.

[@msmith7472]

@@sarahhamlin634 trust me they can still fly...trimming wings only makes them off balance which isn't good

[@offgridamy717]

@@sarahhamlin634 yes we choose not to. They fly back in lol.

[@user-kh3ys3ht1v]

​@@sarahhamlin6348⁸ I'm no

[@kodylloyd5495]

Top notch awesome! Every vid you post!

[@zachhendry8523]

Hey brother, first off, sorry to hear about your losses, never fun losing your livestock. Secondly, love your channel and what you're doing. I'm learning a lot from your channel. Here's something to consider when keeping chickens and preventing predators from taking your livestock. I've done backyard chickens for close to 10 years now and I have lost a lot of chickens and tried many different methods to prevent them from getting taken. I've used the method you have for some time and it is effective but after a while the chickens may start to fly out and you'll need to clip there wings. Also it won't prevent hawks, owls, or eagles from gaining access. Even some four legged predators are nimble enough to hop over and take a meal. The one that has trumped them all is a chicken tunnel. Ever since I set up a chicken tunnel, I have not lost any chickens, and my chickens can still "free" range depending on the length of the tunnel you provide. We set up ours so that our chicken tunnel goes around the perimeter of our garden, which is about 100x50 and we built an actual tunnel going underground for our entry to the garden. This is also a nice buffer to keep some crawling insects that might damage your garden from getting in with that line of defense, aka Chicken patrol. It's a lot of work but I can say it's worth it because all other methods of chicken keeping has had losses to predators, where as this method we have not lost any. Hope this may help. Thanks again for your work, keep it going and God bless!

[@YellowRoseoftx]

In our area (TX) it’s coyotes, dogs, owls and hawks..we did the bury the fence too and a wire cover also. Good job you guys. We do learn a lot from animals

[@disco4535]

Great point! Definitely have to bury it. Foxes love to dig

[@tomparker9966]

If your chickens start roosting in the middle of the day start looking for shelter a bad storm is coming . You're right about learning from animals.

[@chadnoonan8992]

Maybe make a few chicken tractors? It's hard with many chickens but maybe an idea for a future project.

[@chadnoonan8992]

Maybe wolf urine would help? Coyote urine might work but it might attract more coyotes, it's tough in the wild, you guys and your channel make my day. And of course Skeeter!

[@shanepadgettii9784]

If they start flying over just crop one wing. There is some good videos on how to do it. Super simple!

[@genehunter6925]

Have you considered a Premiere 1 Electric Netting fence. It is solar powered and can be moved easily. It can keep the chicken in but most importantly it keeps/deters predators. One good zap and they usually avoid the area all together, especially smaller animals like fox, raccoon, skunk and opossum.

[@douggibson9084]

Thanks Kyle, great update. You need an outside dog that likes Foxes 😊.

[@Cptstokes]

I had the same problem with hawks and skunks. So I dug down a foot or so buried the bottom of the fence and made it 10 feet tall. No hawks no skunks and the coop had a electronic door that kept them in at nigt. Major pain in the ass bit after losing a few it worked. The Reds were happy and layed like crazy and no more loses due to hungry predotrs

[@michaelfrench6197]

Kyle have read the comments and yes they are right... Fox will dig to get under a fence and climb over it also... good luck you going to need it.

[@martihetrick609]

Slider on the coop wall rope to close it at night

[@Josephine-sm2db]

Great idea for the chickies

[@carolynsilvers9999]

Racoons love chicken dinners, as well.

[@LeverActionLarry]

Cluckin' awesome!

[@DeterminedDIYer]

My mom has ducks not chickens. They're great. Gotta keep them safe.

[@soleillebolduc2448]

Weve found that galvanized wire mesh is the only material that actually keeps pesky critters like raccoons out. They cant bend it easily. Good on ya for battling the predators. Also solar powered chicken door works great.

[@nanalesa24]

Glad the new chickens are coexisting well. Bruce is beautiful! Thanks for the video, always enjoyable.

[@mikahist4155]

Im living now 30 years in the city since i was 6 years old! That Sound of that rooster Made me so happy- cant wait to finally move Back to Village Life!

[@CavemanCBB]

You need to build a "Chicken Tractor". It's a portable chicken coup that you move around your yard so that the chickens get fresh dirt to scratch in.

[@bettyolis6228]

So glad for the calm blending of the chicken and rooster families. 🐓🐔 Nice outdoor enclosed area! There are several channels that use a movable enclosure for their chickens, which they move to a new area when the chickens have successfully tilled an area. They have an electric fence that is moved and set. I know you have a couple of battery banks. Maybe next summer. I love chickens they are so entertaining and functional.🍳 As always nice job you two.❤

[@brandons9398]

Sorry to hear you lost a few chickens, it really sucks when predators do what they do. My only suggestion would be to clear a bit of the brush and tall grass around the coop fence. And possibly put a few solar motion lights out there. Predators, do not like to cross open ground, and the light may act as a deterrent. Best of luck, you guys!

[@J3B24]

I cannot wait for the next video. I wish you two created more videos. You two take care of yourselves and I look forward to the next one.

[@halinawiecek2297]

Nice to see you guys, take care.

[@retiredyeti5555]

Besides burying the bottom of the fence, might be a good idea to also stake it down at about 3 - 4 ft intervals, or anchor it with rocks, Big rocks, BIG, BIG rocks ! . Makes it harder for the foxes and coyotes to dig under the fence. Bears will just go through it! On the farm we clipped their wings, put up 8 foot fences and fencing across the top. Some predators can easily jump that 4 foot fence and the roof fencing kept hawks and owls looking for field rodents instead.

[@russellwatters5891]

Great job with the fencing, it should keep out the 4 legged predators anyways. Netting for the roof will keep aerial attacks to a minimum as well. You already know all this. Love what you're doing 😊

[@metricdeep8856]

Not Bruce.....Brewster! Who doesn't want a rooster named Brewster? And yes, that's a pretty hot rod lookin' rooster.

[@nancyl3843]

I admire you and Sierra; I love the lives you are making.

[@gshooty55]

It’s really easy to clip wings. One person holds and the other cuts with a pair of scissors. It’s the outer most feathers and you cut them about a half inch from the next set of feathers. Usually by the time they grow back they lose interest plus they a heavier and it takes more energy. There are plenty of videos to watch on YT. You’ll be surprised at how easy and fast it goes and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

[@tomparker9966]

Generally you only cut feathers on one wing but it exposes them to predators if all they can do is run. I used to trim my peacocks when I first got them to keep them from flying away. Takes about a month of feeding them everyday before they decide to hang around. I bought a few ducks at the livestock auction and they flew away the 1st day. Went back next week and the same guy was selling them again. Live and learn.

[@gshooty55]

@@tomparker9966 we raise American Bresse chickens and even with trimming both wings they can get off the ground plenty enough to evade predators… if they want to. I say that because we lost five to a Fox who’s wings were not trimmed. In our case we put up better fencing and just needed to keep them in during the first few months.

[@randyburmingham4821]

Another way is cattle fence with chicken wire. You have plenty of trees to use for posts

[@williamspurgeon3803]

I live in Ga have Racoons weasels big rats stray dogs. that wire you have want work you need 3/8 inch hardware cloth with a metal top need the hardware cloth to go all the way to top we also have cayotes

[@timrobinson1393]

You can clip their flight feathers and keep them from flying out. That’s what I did with mine and I only have a 3 foot fence.

[@firstname6826]

Not a good idea when there are predators around, they would be helpless.

[@timrobinson1393]

@@firstname6826 the roosters will fend off predators.

[@IggyDalrymple]

In the Florida Panhandle we must contend with foxes and hawks and the snakes go for the eggs. I watched another youtube which uses a solar powered chicken tractor with trained dog to help keep the varmints out.

[@ericrochester8835]

I use solar sensor light to deter pests.

[@tinapeterson3814]

Hey Kyle, love your videos. I meditate on just living in the woods some day. Anyway, looking at your store, just an idea. What if you made up a calendar with every month having a thought or encouraging quote and a photo of your homestead. I know I would buy one or two as gifts! Tina - NE Wisconsin

[@Oldnoitall]

Keep on Keeping on brother man

[@thewoodsmanhomestead]

Love the new birds ! If I may add make sure you buy nesting pads or add way more wood shavings or hay. We had. A few birds lay an egg and it cracked when it dropped and they got into the habit of eating their own eggs and it took us 2-3 weeks to break the cycle. It was awful. Just a heads up! Love the new birds

[@stevefarms7494]

If they can fly you may have to clip their wing feathers so they can't... I have the same problem and I even had to get a solar electric fence on the outside of the run because raccoons and other small predators were getting in even bear until I got the solar electric fence

[@billcampbell2943]

We used to clip the feathers on one wing to keep chickens in the run

[@coreyriley7160]

Hello Kyle. Greetings from Anoka County.

[@929cbr_rr]

Yep, when you mentioned some time back that your dog gets to run free, I thought, man, where I live, if I let my dog run in the open, the coyotes would have her before the week was done. There 'ya go, it's nature, big animals eat smaller animals.

[@KYLESCABIN]

I’ve lived in the woods for about a decade now. Everything eats everything. It’s the way she goes.

[@mikaelthesleff3333]

I want to say I really like your videos, they are just the right length and you do a very good job combining talk with action, explaining what you do but keeping it short and sweet

[@stevecascaden6345]

I just love watching your videos. You are living in a way that I wish I had done when I was younger and in better health. So in a sense I'm doing it by proxy. 😊 I would actually love to come visit sometime and see your places in person, but that is just a dream.

[@rosaparrish6089]

Yes you need to put a net over because is a lot s of trees and is a lot of chicken hawks ! You know!! By the way you doing a great job!❤❤❤

[@DonKennedy918]

Hey Kyle I just want to say I love watching your videos and learning some things about off grid life. Im 17 and I am from California and I currently live in a city with violent crime and bad air quality as well as weather. I want to get out of the city because of those factors. I will graduate high school early and join the military. While Im in the military I plan to save up my money for a camper and then I want to take a roadtrip to Alaska to purchase a plot of land so I can begin building my homestead. By then I will have VA benefits and they will cover majority of the cost for the land. And I really agree with the idea of raising your own chickens because now the Government is starting to inject all kinds of things in store eggs. I wish I had learned all this in school because all Ive ever been taught was how to rely on the system. When I have my own wife and kids one day I want to teach my kids how to live off the land and teach them that nothing in life is handed to you and that you have to work for it.

[@dubehigh]

If you didn’t clip their wings they can fly 7’ up. Put wire over the top. It needs to be enclosed 100% Fox can climb too.

[@T-Stat79]

We have a 4' fence for our chickens and just clip their flight feathers.

[@bruce8162]

You're a good man Kyle

[@the_truck_farmer]

Keeping predators from eating birds is a trick. For us raccoons have always been the most persistent problem, but we've also lost ducks and chickens to fox during the daytime occasionally. Needless to say I've gotten lots of practice with live trapping and my .22 rifle

[@tanyajenkins919]

Add the new after dark Kyle it looks well for me

[@jamiehoward3151]

Love your channel ❤️

[@4D-acres]

you can cut their wings and that will help keep them from flying out the fence. and u can use a rock,golf ball in the nesting box's as false eggs and they will lay in them box's

[@tomparker9966]

Snakes will sometimes eat the golf ball which kills the snake not necessarily a bad thing but I usually just mark 1 egg with a black marker and throw it out ever mont or so. Free range chickens will lay in the same nest but fight over it when they start sitting if you leave to many eggs in it. I've watched them stand in line for their turn to lay. Helps increase egg production too.

[@H2Shadow]

Black Australorp are your best egg laying chickens they're both cold and Heat Hardy

[@spencer1854]

"Bruce is the real deal" made me lol pretty hard

[@kathybrooks-uz2kv]

Pretty sweet

[@ericam9114]

Anyone know of other channels similar to Kyles? I like the style of video simple lifestyle. Thanks!

[@dewauneflowers7901]

Get you a solar electronic box and make an electronic fence.