~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~ - Page 112

Quote:

Originally Posted by SillyChicken 

so glad your chicks made it!   I have been enjoying your thread from the start!

 

 

I have a question about the house if you don't mind.  I have an observation and suggestion if you don't plan on doing anything with your siding, this would help prolong the life of  t1-11 siding you currently have.

 

If you're planning on residing, then this doesn't matter.  If not.... you may want to consider having him add "Z" flashing between the upper and lower sheets of siding.   The "Z" flashing goes up under the top sheet and bends over the bottom sheet to protect the lower piece of siding from water damage.   I see that some of your siding is warped at the top from water damage and this would at least stop any further damage.    Just a thought.. I worked in construction since I was 16 and it comes in mighty handy!  

I don't mind suggestions at all!  However, John noted the lack of Z flashing during his very first walk-around of the property.  It's "on the list."  Whoever put up that siding didn't put ANY Z flashing up on either side of the house. 

He called me this evening to let me know he's holding off on getting the lumber for the deck because there's a rain storm coming in tonight, expected to last several days.  He told me he had a lot of feathered company while he was replacing the coop water pipes and insulating them.  One of the valves had also blown out, so he had to go get another one of 'em.  Then he re-insulated exterior copper pipes and faucets on the side of the house where the geese have nibbled away at it, stacking more dirt and some big rocks where dust bathing chickens had removed some of the cover soil at the base of the foundation.

The flock is just friendly that way.  He did notice there was a bag o' feed next to where he was working in the coop, which had gotten wet in yesterday's deluge; "somebody" had pecked a hole in it.  He moved the bag into the Chicken Kindergarten.  Most of the chickens wandered away "to do chicken things" but Carl continued to check on his work progress now and again.  "Carl was just making sure you weren't messing with his ladies," I told him. "Oh my," John laughed.

Kate and Angus have decided they want to sleep on the porch tonight, instead of inside the coop.  I don't blame them - the floor is a soggy mess.  Chickens can roost, but the ducks and geese cannot. The big ol' resin dog house I put inside the coop for the geese, hoping they'd utilize it, stayed dry inside.  The ducks took it over. 

The surviving chicks remain in the Rubbermaid brooder in the house.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathyinmo 

Linda,

I forgot..... when are your Silkies due to hatch? I thought it was today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHandbasket 

I'm not Linda, but they were due to hatch yesterday.  So far, nada.  Maybe one pip.  I only know this because I'm waiting for them to hatch, too.  I'm like a crazy woman, standing there, wringing my hands, hollering, "Hatch, ya little buggers, hatch already!" 

 

No action on those eggs.  None whatsoever.  Bummed.  But I always wait four days past the "scheduled" Hatch Date. 

The NYD Hatch chicks are active as all get-out.  Matter of fact, two of them were perched on the edge of the brooder bin when I opened the guest room door this evening after I got home. AHA!  Both immediately jumped back into the bin.  They're gonna be all over this guest room if I don't get a lid on it soon. 

I stopped at Helwig Winery on the way home to spend some time with HHandbasket and Farmer Lew (he was working the Friday night event and she was a family member/guest), so I didn't get home until nearly 9 p.m.  The wind is terrific - both "terrifying" and exciting! - and it took some serious, two hands driving to fight against it.  It's not raining as hard as it was earlier in the day, but I wasn't able to get my car all the way up the steepest part of the driveway.  Layers of wet pine needles on top of wet soil made it too slippery.  Ah well.  I just parked inside the drive gate and walked up to the house. 

The ducks are out, pattering around in a herd on their slappy feet.  Kate and Angus are on the porch again.  Guess they all decided they didn't want to go into the coop before the auto-door closed.  Again.

All the chicks in the brooder bin are very active. They're trying out their wings.  And, surprise of surprises! there are TWO hatched silkie chicks in one of the incubators!  There weren't even any pips this morning.