Recent content by mickt42

  1. mickt42

    Long Woods colony house floor

    I've been thing along those same lines.... As far as structural supports I don't know how he built buildings so light and had them stay standing. We regularly get 4' snow and very strong winds and looking at his designs I knew it wasn't going to work here... 2 x 3 studs? Sheesh... When I built...
  2. mickt42

    Long Woods colony house floor

    Thanks Howard E that was a thoughtful reply. I currently have about 120 breeder hens/cocks I overwintered. In the fall it goes a bit ridiculous then I cull way back to about 8 roosters and however many hens. The goal is breeding this rare breed for the future... So if money was not an issue and...
  3. mickt42

    Woods-style house in the winter

    I am about to start building my third Woods style coop in northern Idaho and can attest to being much MORE winter-hardy than my mother's closed in and heated coop. She's a city girl and names and babies her hens. I eat my culls and expect my flock to produce at top-notch or get the hatchet. I...
  4. mickt42

    Long Woods colony house floor

    You'll love the Woods style coop. This is the 3rd one I'm building... The other two are both 20 x 16... Basically two 10 x 16 plans side by side with a divider so I can split them into two sections if desired. One thing I don't like about them is the unorthodox angles and sizes... Makes building...
  5. mickt42

    Long Woods colony house floor

    I am building a long Woods style half-monitor colony house for a large farm flock... And I wondering what the consensus is for a bedded pack system... Dirt floor with concrete stem wall or concrete slab? Any thoughts? Thanks
  6. mickt42

    Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

    I just wanted to put in my vote... I've raised 3 batches of 25 chicks up to 3-4 weeks old with sunbeam xpress heatpads outside in the chicken coop and they are the healthiest chicks I have ever raised. Trick is to go out just before dark for the first few nights and make sure they are all under...
  7. mickt42

    Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

    I would think that may stem from them feeling safe with their "mama" right next to them....
  8. mickt42

    Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

    After seeing hens hatch clutches of eggs multiple times through extremely cold winter storms, I am very confident this method is valid, effective and trustworthy. I purchased a heater pad with the thoughts of setting up my own system and if nothing else my wife would love to use it as intended...
  9. mickt42

    New Hover Brooder

    Hello! I am planning on building a couple new brooders as I have three batches of chicks arriving this spring. I am planning on building area brooders with hover heaters (Ohio brooders). The plans I see online and in Plamondons book are 4x4, and I was wondering how people feel about the...
  10. mickt42

    Practicalities of mating

    Hello! I have a larger flock of completely free range icelandics and am thinking about this springs mating... How does everyone control mating? Do they lock the hens up for 3 weeks while the semen clears, introduce the cock and then collect and incubate the eggs? I prefer to let everyone run on...
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