Recent content by kvtolbert

  1. kvtolbert

    Bulge near vent

    I have our first major illness. Soaked a chicken booty a few weeks ago because it looked dirty, today it has a huge bulge of skin to the left of the vent. I'll call a cart, what can I do in the meantime besides soak her again and apply a cleaner?
  2. kvtolbert

    Cover for chicken tractor

    Someone on here uses weed landscaping rolls in the summer. Breathable and repels water if it's installed on a slope. But you'd have to cover it with something draft resistance in winter.
  3. kvtolbert

    Make your own - No waste - 5 gallon (25# feed) bucket feeder for about $3

    Mine is fine outside too. It's under a tarp but I'm sure it gets some blown rain. No issues yet, the food sits safely back inside the bucket
  4. kvtolbert

    Nest boxes how to

    I think 12x 12 is pretty normal... Mine are little smaller, 10x10. Mine are right on the floor under the roosts. I have a poop board that catches everything from above so there's no contamination. But I'm sure it would work great to put them higher, too. I just didn't have the space for that.
  5. kvtolbert

    Make your own - No waste - 5 gallon (25# feed) bucket feeder for about $3

    This really was a fantastic tutorial! I got free food grade frosting and egg product buckets from a local wedding cake shop, so the buckets were free. Didn't have a hole bit, but I used the Sawzall to cut out the hole in the bucket. It's not pretty, but it works great and only cost me $3 for the...
  6. kvtolbert

    Nankin Discussion Thread

    We are totally new to chicken keeping, but once I get a notion I really sink my teeth into it. So if we were going to have chickens, I wanted lovely, good natured, silly little ladies that were special. We found a breeder a few hours away that got his own initial birds from Colonial...
  7. kvtolbert

    Only going to have 2 chickens but want a walk in run area of the coop...

    We converted an old extra-large doghouse easily enough by cutting out window holes, and cutting off the entire back wall, turning it into a hinged door for cleaning. Then creating a ladder and door for the 'dog' opening that the girls enter and exit from. Found some cheap skylights on...
  8. kvtolbert

    Chain link run roof

    Construction question. We have a shed and just acquired some 10x10x6 chain link frames and fencing. Planning on creating a run along 3 sides of the shed with the fencing, then running hardware cloth along the bottom. #1. What do I do about the gaps between fence posts and the gate? It needs room...
  9. kvtolbert

    Need help with my coop...

    There's an awesome article on here with suggestions for toys. It was the feature article last week, if you search toys I'm sure you'll find it. Ideas about seed dispenser toys and hanging CDs and stuff
  10. kvtolbert

    Hardware cloth in coop

    I'm putting hardware cloth in my coop windows using screws and washers to secure it. Should I put it inside or out?! I don't want rough edges inside for the girls to clip wings on, but I also don't want it in the outside around my kids for the same reason!
  11. kvtolbert

    Need help with my coop...

    Agreed with adding a window! Preferably more than one so they get a nice cross breeze. They give off a lot of moisture, especially in winter, and good ventilation can prevent illness. You might try adding horizontal foot holds to the plank, they might be having trouble walking up or down it...
  12. kvtolbert

    Hi, excited to be here.

    I've been scouring this site for months- it's like Rome, all internet searches lead me back here! I cannot believe the wealth of information. We just got our first birds. 2 Nankins because I couldn't resist how small and adorable they are, 2 Java chicks and 2 Wyandotte chicks. It's been...
  13. kvtolbert

    fencing options?

    Great tips. I used chicken wire on the 'windows' of my coop. About 6 feet off the ground, windows are about 8 inches high by 16 wide. All my larger doors and access spaces are hardware cloth, as is the run. Think I should switch out the chicken wire in the smaller spaces ?
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