Recent content by NetherLeeFarm

  1. NetherLeeFarm

    All Things Treadle Feeder

    I hear ya! We have the rockiest soil imaginable. Lots of roots near the coop also. I've resorted to a pickax many times! I hope you get it worked out soon. Nothing wrong with little tweaks. With the cost of lumber & other materials now, a new custom coop would be out of my budget also!
  2. NetherLeeFarm

    All Things Treadle Feeder

    Thanks, Al, I did see where she wrote that. I was just offering some advice, if needed, because it was our experience that they kept coming in even after we secured all feed. They could have been looking for scraps and/or any dropped feed, enjoying the warmth and security of the coop, or just...
  3. NetherLeeFarm

    All Things Treadle Feeder

    I realize this is an older thread and you may have resolved all your issues, but we had this exact same thing happen years ago. We dug out around the posts where they were tunneling in and filled those areas with concrete. Nary a rat since (knock on wood!). Just make sure you're not trapping...
  4. NetherLeeFarm

    Treadle feeder problem

    Honestly, this sounds a lot like normal chick antics. They're testing everything at this age but also little scaredy cats. I'd keep them off the top by using the cones and just leave it there. I feel pretty confident that they'll figure it out, but if you have older hens that are also afraid of...
  5. NetherLeeFarm

    Treadle feeder problem

    I don't have your feeder but I have the Grandfather treadle, and those might be a little young for a treadle feeder. I've used it on chicks this age but it's been more accidental - for example, the chicks learned to run onto the feeder and grab some bites while an adult hen was using it. I tend...
  6. NetherLeeFarm

    What am I doing wrong?? Egg Eaters

    Just found this! If it continues, definitely a good budget alternative to roll out nesting boxes: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/roll-away-boxes-using-paint-trays.1452875/
  7. NetherLeeFarm

    What am I doing wrong?? Egg Eaters

    You've gotten some really good advice and I totally agree with @Folly's place - everything Mary said is spot on. Once this begins to happen, it's hard to get them to stop even with feed improvement. I'd immediately separate out the main perpetrator (your EE) to keep her away from the other eggs...
  8. NetherLeeFarm

    What did you do in the garden today?

    Running a bit late this year with garden planning and yearly seed orders, but this morning I ordered garlic bulbs for fall planting. If anyone else is looking, Johnny's Seed still has some in stock. I'm surprised! They usually sell out by mid-January, so I'm tickled that I wasn't too late this year.
  9. NetherLeeFarm

    How's everyone else this fine morning?

    Yes, about a mile off the river and good for you! We've not been above freezing for more than a week now. All the parking lots and gravel roads are solid ice, including our driveway. Doesn't look like we'll be above freezing anytime soon either, but ice always thaws eventually. Thanks for...
  10. NetherLeeFarm

    How's everyone else this fine morning?

    Thanks! And yeah we're pretty much the same way with the cold, snow, and wind. No blame at all! Thankfully we don't get wind chills quite as cold as you do, but this is par for the course around here during the winter. If it wasn't for the news, we wouldn't know that there was a major winter...
  11. NetherLeeFarm

    How's everyone else this fine morning?

    1-degree F with more than a foot of snow. Pretty normal for an Appalachian winter. Got enough of the roof cleaned off to let some light in and also cleaned off the solar panel because the sun's trying to shine. How's everyone else's flock and coop doing after these back-to-back winter storms?
  12. NetherLeeFarm

    Wind chill doesn’t count, right?

    Not a silly question at all! Boy that's cold, but the wind doesn't really make a lot of difference if they're protected from it. You sound like you've done this a long time so I assume that you have cold hardy breeds, so a good shelter with adequate ventilation should be okay. The feet on your...
  13. NetherLeeFarm

    Wind chill doesn’t count, right?

    I found this quite funny also. 😄
  14. NetherLeeFarm

    Wind chill doesn’t count, right?

    You can use the heater if it will make you feel better, but these temps are fine for most breeds. The high number of birds that you have (body heat) and the deep litter method help also. I don't have an insulated coop or heat and mine frequently sail right through sub-0F temps, even my little...
  15. NetherLeeFarm

    Advice for a Farm Dog please. Scotch Collie, English Shepherd, Pyrenees, etc. ?

    In my experience, this is more common with Pyre males, especially intact males (likely of any breed). Our female Pyre won't test a baby gate and I can lead her with a shoestring. Now if she's off lead or unfenced and sees a perceived predator, that's another story.
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