Recent content by TheMatador

  1. TheMatador

    Year old guineas any good for eatin?

    I'm now on the fence about the guinea situation. The other night I looked out back to see what all the noise was about and the three guineas were wing to wing, closing in on a big grey fox. They were fearless in defending their yard and chicken friends and I was truly impressed. They then flew...
  2. TheMatador

    Year old guineas any good for eatin?

    I'm done with guineas. They're evil. The terrorize the chickens, have a Maran rooster picked almost bald and are generally a downer on my otherwise happy flock. They wont go into the coop and let me lock up and relax for the evening until its almost pitch black out. I'm done. I have 3 that are...
  3. TheMatador

    Suggestions please... buy or build?

    If you want a new experience/challenge and would like to learn some new skills, build. If you just want to get the goal met as efficiently as possible, buy. Building may save money on materials but you'll easily negate that cost with the time you will spend building (particularly if you are...
  4. TheMatador

    Alarm Clock Automatic Coop Door

    Quote: We don't get raccoons in Australia. But you're right, this design may not be appropriate elsewhere. I'm still in the process of modifying the design, adding a (light) spring to provide resistance when the door is opening, and to help when closing the door. That said I don't know how...
  5. TheMatador

    Need help about attacking chicken please.

    I like the air horn idea. No idea if it'll work but it seems like fun to scare the feathers off of mr tough guy! If this were an attack dog, cat, raccoon, flying squirrel, goldfish or human there'd be no question about how this gets handled. Why does the rooster get a pass? He's hunting and...
  6. TheMatador

    hoop house using electrical conduit?

    Great stuff everyone. Thanks for all the great replies. This has already been covered, but just to clarify, I am interested in metal conduit, not PVC. The primary quality I need in a material is that it can be erected and left in the sunshine and freezing temps year round, which PVC cannot do...
  7. TheMatador

    hoop house using electrical conduit?

    Hi All, Does anyone have experience with building structures with electrical conduit? I've heard it suggested as an alternative to PVC as it is freeze hearty and can be left up all year. I'm interested in constructing a "sunroom" off of the coop to collect a bit of heat during the day and a...
  8. TheMatador

    I need to safely DEcrease egg production, temporarily

    Thanks MissJenny! We're pretty excited. I use a 5 gal waterer and a 30lbs feeder. Enough food and water for at least 3-4 days. I was just worried about uncollected eggs and board chickens lying around in the same space. Don't want to create any egg eaters. rather than screwing around with diet...
  9. TheMatador

    the girls and guy got a treat from the neighbor today

    Quote: ^^^^^^ I have some of the best neighbors in the world and along with a garage full of frozen pumpkins I get a garbage bag full of bread and rolls about every other week. Almost too much for them to eat.
  10. TheMatador

    I need to safely DEcrease egg production, temporarily

    No lights. I could cover the windows....but that just seems kind of mean. Cold, no visits from daddy and no sunlight? I'm a sissy chicken owner. I just couldn't do it. (and it might drop the temperature in the coop) I'll just put them on all scratch grains starting in a week or so and see if...
  11. TheMatador

    I need to safely DEcrease egg production, temporarily

    So I need to safely DEcrease egg production, temporarily. My wife is due to lay her own egg in about 2 weeks and I will be not around/around minimally to collect eggs and such. We don't have anyone close by who can tend to the flock for us so my plan is to load them up on food and water and...
  12. TheMatador

    My hen attacks me...

    Quote: I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be a he. In my limited experience they are pretty hard to tell apart at that age. Then again, you could just have a crazy hen. I have a Campine that I'm pretty sure is plotting my death. She's like the Stewie Griffin of chickens.
  13. TheMatador

    Solar (water) heating in coop?

    Quote: Not an either-or. If you want to get any value out of solar you need to insulate the heck out of the heated space. The first thing to do is stop heat loss, then you look for ways to get heat into the space, whether solar panels, solar windows, or even thermocubes and red lights...
  14. TheMatador

    Solar (water) heating in coop?

    hens & chicks : Mother Earth News has the plans (several designs) for a home made solar window heater. Cool. Any chance you can post a link?
  15. TheMatador

    Solar (water) heating in coop?

    Quote: I agree. I certainly appreciate your desire to tinker and get into a cool project but I can't believe that its the best way to go. A solar system would be a heck of a lot more fun, but insulation would be much more effective and reliable. Nothing to freeze or break and insulation...
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