DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[Aphrael]

Nice! I guess you can just line them up then?
I was going to do something similar at first, but decided to commit the fixed position along the fence (my hubby is already being really tolerant about extra work due to chickens, so this actually gives him less lawn to mow and not much to move out of the way to do it).
And yes, Vevhe, I am hoping to cut down on pests...mostly ticks, those woods are thick with them.

I haven't seen a single tick on our dogs since getting the chickens. It is great!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I love the tunnels. But I do have one question.

Is there a way to access the inside of them if you need to get to a chicken? I think ML's are in sections which would make that possible.

Other question is how to keep snow out of them in the winter.

 

[mlowen]

Nice! I guess you can just line them up then?
I was going to do something similar at first, but decided to commit the fixed position along the fence (my hubby is already being really tolerant about extra work due to chickens, so this actually gives him less lawn to mow and not much to move out of the way to do it).
And yes, Vevhe, I am hoping to cut down on pests...mostly ticks, those woods are thick with them.

Yes. I have "portable paddocks" and move them around (front yard this summer, around the garden for the Fall.) I can set up the fencing & then run the tunnels to wherever the "paddocks" are.

 

[mlowen]

I love the tunnels. But I do have one question.

Is there a way to access the inside of them if you need to get to a chicken? I think ML's are in sections which would make that possible.

Other question is how to keep snow out of them in the winter.

They are in various lengths, so I could get into them and fetch out a chicken if I had to. I think if I really wanted to keep them going throughout the winter, I could drape plastic over them and staple it to the wood frames on the bottom. I think they would hold a few inches of snow, but a really heavy load of wet snow might squish them.

 

[MeepBeep]

the ones at Staples are nothing like as strong as the real milk crates.  Just sayin'...

If you want 'legally' purchased milk crates you can get them from one of the primary manufactures that many dairy farms use as they also sell to the public...

http://www.milkcratesdirect.com/

They are a little costly after shipping but not stupid costly...

Another option is plastic produce crates that are used by out of country produce companies, they are significantly 'flimsier' but unlike milk crates they are not re-used as it's not worth the International shipping cost to return them... Check around the independent grocery stores or 'ethnic' restaurants in your area a lot of them toss copious amounts in their dumpsters, beware of major chain grocery stores though as many of them use 'rented' ones for distribution between their warehouse and local stores, those are not disposable...

I have been collecting these for a few weeks now from a few stores (as well as traditional wood ones) after I had the (unoriginal) idea to use them a raised bed planters after this last growing season where the weeds and bugs really put a cramp on the gardening... Next year everything will be in nearly weed free raised beds, i just need about 200-300 of those bins before next spring, but that shouldn't be a problem as I have been getting about 20-30 of them each week from my local hookups...

 

[Biologrady]

I love the tunnels.  But I do have one question.

Is there a way to access the inside of them if you need to get to a chicken?  I think ML's are in sections which would make that possible. 

Other question is how to keep snow out of them in the winter.

It's actually easy to open on either end to crawl into if necessary, but the easier way is to just pull up any of the stakes (about every 7 feet or so) and reach in.
Luckily they'll come for treats, so I haven't had to go in after one yet. It definitely could fill in with snow, so I'll be putting some plastic sheeting over some sections. The ribbing is pretty sturdy and can take the weight of some snow without collapse.

 

[amenfarm]

ok, I would't call it an invention-just a reuse idea. Lots of people , me included, use heated dog bowls with a sand bucket inserted to keep the water unfrozen over winter and make water changes easier. Well, my chickens are not tall enough yet to use a sand bucket, and when I put the water straight in --someone poo's in it. I came up with a KISS idea- I took our 1 gal. plastic waterer and just set in on top of the heated dish already full of water. Keeps it ice free!

 

[MeepBeep]

when I put the water straight in --someone poo's in it. I came up with a KISS idea- I took our 1 gal. plastic waterer and just set in on top of the heated dish already full of water. Keeps it ice free!

Another KISS idea is to simply put a shelf/roof about 4" above the water bowl... Plenty of room for them to reach in and get a drink but no poop from above...

 

[amenfarm]

humm, might have to do this this spring, if they don't qiuit jumping up on everything.

Another KISS idea is to simply put a shelf/roof about 4" above the water bowl... Plenty of room for them to reach in and get a drink but no poop from above...

 

[Leahs Mom]

Another KISS idea..

Put grit into a heated dog bowl deep enough to to form a stable base and raise the waterer up to the rim level; put water in the grit to conduct heat. Place one of these 2 kinds of waterers on the bed of grit depending on which sizes you have.

Quart size heated bowl fits the chick sized water bases which cost about $2 and can be used with any regular mouth canning jar or a 5 lb honey jar which holds 1/2 gallon. This photo shows the 5 lb. honey jar (apx. 1/2 gal. water). (I used this size all last winter successfully with all age birds.)




The 5 quart larger dog bowl fits a 2 gallon waterer:
Photo by @hoosiercheetah

Hoosier Cheetah is trying this size this year and so far has kept thawed. Watching to see how it does in negative temps.