Minnesota!

[lalaland]

yeah, it seems the work on coops never ends, does it?

I have to start thinking about the sun porch - last year I built with hay bales and old storm windows for walls, and old plywood for the top. It was well used - gave a warmer area out of the wind, and since I just did it on bare ground, they had access to snow free dusting baths all winter. I think it was about 2 hay bales wide by 3 bales long.....I want to do it again. It tickled me to see half the flock crammed in there on sunny winter days when they still weren't too happy about walking on the white stuff.

so that means, gotta go find someone with hay in small bales. harder and harder to find each year.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Pictures?

Would love to see the New set up!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

@Coffee 1st there is a great article on feeding your chooks and watching out for too many treats, etc. on the home page of the carousel. Here's the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/feeding-chickens-an-introductory-guide

 

[lalaland]

I have pics from last year:
Open end faces the area under the coop, which is a repurposed construction trailer. it was late afternoon and the shadow lines from the 2x4's supporting the wire fence roof (hawk protection needed in the fall and winter) make it hard to see the pic.

:

this is from the north end - it is hard to see the haybales in this pic, but you can see the big square opening for chickens to enter the coop, and you can barely see the "roof" in the pic of the run.
.
and this is an interior shot from under the coop, I used old storms on the north side instead of solid hay bales. the windows make it nice and light under there, instead of how dark it used to be with all haybale sides




If I wasn't already in the redneck club, I think these pics would clinch getting in!

 

[Mistahbue]

a quick fly by - I was out of town working last week and getting prepped for it the week before - holy cow - 200 pages of posts.

just took delivery of baby chicks yesterday -- got one with eyes closed all the time and have force fed water and watered dog feed. read on another (non-MN post) that suggested antibiotics, vitamn B, poly-vi-sol

suggestions? Shes sitting here sleeping fine - just very low energy and eyes closed - I swear they look sealed shut.

In other news I hope all is well. Ralphie - Ole' is tough as nails -- one of the dogs got ahold of him on Sunday. Ole 1 - Dog 0 (what's worse? having to cull your dog because attacking the guineas, chickens, and the goat kids or having to dig a grave in the dark with flashlight, stuck tractor, and mosquitoes) Yep it's been a sheety week already.

then another dog has about torn off a nail. Got her doctored and in a sock bandage - she ain't happy but it has to do until I can get her to the vet.

Ole had mild injury - but bless his pea picking heart - his new tail feathers are gone again.

Also I hope it's okay to use blood stop on chickens. At least 2 or 3 of the feather injuries were blood feathers. I was afraid to pluck them. Put pressue on then applied the blood stop. then sprayed him with Blue Kote. He didn't take kindly to that but suffered the indignity of it okay. Kept him locked up for 36 hours before allowing him out to roam. So far he is fine. I think he's a cat - got more lives than the average feathered bird.


Please say a prayer, swing a live, chicken, exude good energy -- started working a 2nd full time job -- this will allow me 100% remote work but I've got to juggle two jobs for a few months. I'm about addled as all get out but I'm doing it for my critters!!!

 

[Mistahbue]

And on another note - do ya'll know a vet or even an old time farmer - who will do an orchiectomy on a goat? We got Elvis too old to be castrated - that was fine because we did want him to breed. We've gotten 2 kids off him - and had a vasectomy because our vet wouldn't attempt more in-depth surgery. He's still running over with testosterone and about to drive Gladys crazy - and me. He thinks I'm his sweetheart too I reckon.

If no on will remove the testosterone factory reckon I can find a vet to put him on estrogen? and yes I am serious!

 

[cottonlouie]

re: investing in a barn before home improvements....we need a new roof and we're putting in a wood stove but that will have to wait because I want to fix up a shed that's just sitting there ....we don't need it for anything so I'm getting goats. And cattle panels for goat fencing. And possibly solar electric fence to keep the wolf away. I figure the shed is near the coop so I'll just make a bigger enclosure and the goats and chickens can hang out. I am striving to join the red neck club so I had my dh haul home 12 free pallets. It's a start.

 

[Cluckies]

You will be able to tell when it is complete, because I will have moved in, parked my 4 wheeler and old pick up outside. It looks like a good place for an old redneck like me to inhabit.

Hahahaha!

 

[Cluckies]

a quick fly by - I was out of town working last week and getting prepped for it the week before - holy cow - 200 pages of posts.

just took delivery of baby chicks yesterday -- got one with eyes closed all the time and have force fed water and watered dog feed. read on another (non-MN post) that suggested antibiotics, vitamn B, poly-vi-sol

suggestions? Shes sitting here sleeping fine - just very low energy and eyes closed - I swear they look sealed shut.

In other news I hope all is well. Ralphie - Ole' is tough as nails -- one of the dogs got ahold of him on Sunday. Ole 1 - Dog 0 (what's worse? having to cull your dog because attacking the guineas, chickens, and the goat kids or having to dig a grave in the dark with flashlight, stuck tractor, and mosquitoes) Yep it's been a sheety week already.

then another dog has about torn off a nail. Got her doctored and in a sock bandage - she ain't happy but it has to do until I can get her to the vet.

Ole had mild injury - but bless his pea picking heart - his new tail feathers are gone again.

Also I hope it's okay to use blood stop on chickens. At least 2 or 3 of the feather injuries were blood feathers. I was afraid to pluck them. Put pressue on then applied the blood stop. then sprayed him with Blue Kote. He didn't take kindly to that but suffered the indignity of it okay. Kept him locked up for 36 hours before allowing him out to roam. So far he is fine. I think he's a cat - got more lives than the average feathered bird.


Please say a prayer, swing a live, chicken, exude good energy -- started working a 2nd full time job -- this will allow me 100% remote work but I've got to juggle two jobs for a few months. I'm about addled as all get out but I'm doing it for my critters!!!

Hope everything turns out ok. I'd add electrolytes to the water as well for her.

 

[Cluckies]

re: investing in a barn before home improvements....we need a new roof and we're putting in a wood stove but that will have to wait because I want to fix up a shed that's just sitting there ....we don't need it for anything so I'm getting goats. And cattle panels for goat fencing. And possibly solar electric fence to keep the wolf away. I figure the shed is near the coop so I'll just make a bigger enclosure and the goats and chickens can hang out. I am striving to join the red neck club so I had my dh haul home 12 free pallets. It's a start.

I think you need a couple of lamas too, they well help keep the coyotes away, don't know about the wolves though.