So we bought a dome. It works great during the day however it does not protect your chickens during the night at all. The dome structure is easy to put together but not easy to screen. They also do not protect your chickens from any kind of weather.
Have you lost any chickens in the dome to predators? We have several people tell us that they have not lost any chickens when using the dome: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/taunagrinager.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/jeffnorkoli.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/glennwilson.htm You can put a tarp over the dome to protect the chickens from the weather. If you have any questions, please call us at (931) 858-6892. Thanks, John Hurt
@@susanperry3222 Very sorry for your loss. We have a Great Pyrenees dog that patrols our yard at night and keeps the ground predators out. We also have 1/2" PVC pipe tied to the inside of the dome, like a trapeze, for the chickens to roost at night - so if something did get in, it could not get up to the chickens roosting inside at the top of the dome. I hope this helps. I used to lose a lot of chickens to a chicken hawk before we used the domes, and it works very well for aerial predators. Thanks for the comments, if I can help you, let me know.
When you move the dome every day, it throws off the predators to an extent. Some people do bury the chicken wire for better protection. We use Great Pyrenees dogs to patrol the property. The dome really works well against aerial predators, like chicken hawks. But most people tell us that they have had no problems with predators since they started using the domes: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/taunagrinager.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/jeffnorkoli.htm www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/glennwilson.htm Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I just received and constructed my dome. I notice in your videos that you drag it to move it, I moved it from the driveway to the grass by getting inside and lifting up one "side" by two struts and dragging it that way; instead of pulling from the bottom. It seemed to work out okay as nothing was being bent out of place or anything, is it okay to continue doing it that way? Seems structurally sound enough to withstand the trials of being moved.
The chicken wire is stretched over the hubs that rest on the bottom of the dome which stops most predators. When you move the dome every day, this throws off many of the predators, as they usually dig more than one night to get in. Also, we have Great Pyrenees dogs that guard the domes. We have raised a lot of chickens and have never lost any to predators while they were in our domes. The number one predator the dome protects against is the chicken hawk - before I started making these domes, I lost more chickens to the chicken hawk than any other predator. Fences, dogs, nothing protects grass fed chickens against the chicken hawk other than a moveable dome or pen. Thanks for watching our videos. John Hurt
Maybe have the wire fence extend past the bottom by 2 feet and bend outward to lay on the ground. Then lay tube sand bags on top near the outer edge. If it tries to dig, it would likely try at the base of the dome. If it goes for the outer edge, it is a long dig.
I'm interested in buying several of these but first I am more interested in what is the max rated wind it can handle. Also do you have a low profile version that is rated for heavy winds? I think a load test is as important as wind testing. I am interested in buying several of these, please let me know.
We have a 2 year guarantee on all parts, and we have never had to replace any parts for a dome that did not leave the ground. We have replaced parts for free for several domes that have come off the ground in a high wind, such as in this customer review, where the dome was lifted off the ground in an 80 mph windstorm: www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/marckuehl.htm Regardless of the reason, we will replace any broken hubs. If you can tie your covering to the ground anchor, and not to the dome, then if your ground anchor comes loose, the covering will just flap in the wind and not take the dome with it. When you tie your covering to the dome, if the ground anchor gives way, the dome will act like a giant parachute and fly away in the wind. We strongly recommend that you tie your covering directly to the ground anchor when a high wind is expected. The load test video for this dome is at this link: www.ziptiedomes.com/video/pvcloadtest.htm Thanks, John Hurt
We use a plastic laundry basket from Walmart and wire it to the inside of the dome about a foot off the ground, then fill the basket with hay for a laying box.
I put a bin in mine upside down with a hole cut in it. One lays inside, the other on the grass, two aren't laying yet and the other four are too young.
Thanks, Garuthius. If there was a good way to collect chicken poop for power production, that would be awesome. That would be a great video. But for most of us, there is not enough chicken poop produced to be worth it. It does help your lawn grow if you move the dome around the yard. But if you leave the chickens for 2 weeks in one place, the poop will definitely burn up the grass. If you can age out the chicken poop so it is not so "hot", it does wonders for a garden. A LOT of nitrogen. Thanks for your comment. John Hurt
So we bought a dome. It works great during the day however it does not protect your chickens during the night at all. The dome structure is easy to put together but not easy to screen. They also do not protect your chickens from any kind of weather.
Have you lost any chickens in the dome to predators?
We have several people tell us that they have not lost any chickens when using the dome:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/taunagrinager.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/jeffnorkoli.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/glennwilson.htm
You can put a tarp over the dome to protect the chickens from the weather.
If you have any questions, please call us at (931) 858-6892.
Thanks,
John Hurt
We lost all six of our chickens by leaving them in the dome one night . This is great for the daytime. Happy chickens during the day and easy to move.
@@susanperry3222 Very sorry for your loss. We have a Great Pyrenees dog that patrols our yard at night and keeps the ground predators out. We also have 1/2" PVC pipe tied to the inside of the dome, like a trapeze, for the chickens to roost at night - so if something did get in, it could not get up to the chickens roosting inside at the top of the dome.
I hope this helps. I used to lose a lot of chickens to a chicken hawk before we used the domes, and it works very well for aerial predators. Thanks for the comments, if I can help you, let me know.
So here’s the problem I’m running into: What if a predator digs under the coop?
When you move the dome every day, it throws off the predators to an extent. Some people do bury the chicken wire for better protection. We use Great Pyrenees dogs to patrol the property. The dome really works well against aerial predators, like chicken hawks. But most people tell us that they have had no problems with predators since they started using the domes:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/taunagrinager.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/jeffnorkoli.htm
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/glennwilson.htm
Thanks for watching the video.
John Hurt
But where do they roost? Like sit on the branch?
We tie a branch inside the dome for the chickens to roost at night. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I just received and constructed my dome. I notice in your videos that you drag it to move it, I moved it from the driveway to the grass by getting inside and lifting up one "side" by two struts and dragging it that way; instead of pulling from the bottom. It seemed to work out okay as nothing was being bent out of place or anything, is it okay to continue doing it that way? Seems structurally sound enough to withstand the trials of being moved.
That is a great way to move the dome, I have done that myself. You won't hurt it by picking it up. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Can wheels be added to this? We have rocky/bumpy terrain.
It has round hubs on the bottom that allow it to slide across the ground. But you can add lawnmower wheels to the hubs.
Great information, Thank you .
Frank - Thank you for your comment. John Hurt
How do you keep wild animals from digging under?
The chicken wire is stretched over the hubs that rest on the bottom of the dome which stops most predators. When you move the dome every day, this throws off many of the predators, as they usually dig more than one night to get in. Also, we have Great Pyrenees dogs that guard the domes. We have raised a lot of chickens and have never lost any to predators while they were in our domes. The number one predator the dome protects against is the chicken hawk - before I started making these domes, I lost more chickens to the chicken hawk than any other predator. Fences, dogs, nothing protects grass fed chickens against the chicken hawk other than a moveable dome or pen. Thanks for watching our videos. John Hurt
Maybe have the wire fence extend past the bottom by 2 feet and bend outward to lay on the ground. Then lay tube sand bags on top near the outer edge. If it tries to dig, it would likely try at the base of the dome. If it goes for the outer edge, it is a long dig.
What size coop do I need to include a dozen Guinea Fowl with the chickens?
The 11' dome is good for 15-20 chickens, the 13' dome for 25-35 chickens. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
I'm interested in buying several of these but first I am more interested in what is the max rated wind it can handle. Also do you have a low profile version that is rated for heavy winds? I think a load test is as important as wind testing. I am interested in buying several of these, please let me know.
We have a 2 year guarantee on all parts, and we have never had to replace any parts for a dome that did not leave the ground. We have replaced parts for free for several domes that have come off the ground in a high wind, such as in this customer review, where the dome was lifted off the ground in an 80 mph windstorm:
www.ziptiedomes.com/customers/marckuehl.htm
Regardless of the reason, we will replace any broken hubs. If you can tie your covering to the ground anchor, and not to the dome, then if your ground anchor comes loose, the covering will just flap in the wind and not take the dome with it. When you tie your covering to the dome, if the ground anchor gives way, the dome will act like a giant parachute and fly away in the wind. We strongly recommend that you tie your covering directly to the ground anchor when a high wind is expected.
The load test video for this dome is at this link:
www.ziptiedomes.com/video/pvcloadtest.htm
Thanks,
John Hurt
where do they lay there eggs
We use a plastic laundry basket from Walmart and wire it to the inside of the dome about a foot off the ground, then fill the basket with hay for a laying box.
I put a bin in mine upside down with a hole cut in it. One lays inside, the other on the grass, two aren't laying yet and the other four are too young.
Oh I have always wondered what's the best way to feed chickens to raccoons.
I thought "free range" was the best way to feed chickens to raccoons, hawks, coyotes, etc. Thanks for watching the video. John Hurt
Watch Out for that chicken poop !
Yes!
for the record, chicken poop is a major source of feedstock for CHP power generation and the price of it is sky-rocketing, just sayin :D
Thanks, Garuthius. If there was a good way to collect chicken poop for power production, that would be awesome. That would be a great video. But for most of us, there is not enough chicken poop produced to be worth it. It does help your lawn grow if you move the dome around the yard. But if you leave the chickens for 2 weeks in one place, the poop will definitely burn up the grass. If you can age out the chicken poop so it is not so "hot", it does wonders for a garden. A LOT of nitrogen. Thanks for your comment. John Hurt
lmao, what a joke.
Yes, but a lot of people apparently are liking this type of humor. We can't keep up with the orders that are coming in. Thanks for watching the video.