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  1. hillbillygreen

    New Coop (with winter and summer run) and greenhouse access

    So my chickens used to live in their coop inside the garage with a doggie door exit, but due to the smell, dust, and the fact we like to work out in there, I had to swing a deal with my husband: Build me a greenhouse so I can access them from an indoor location. He could barely follow my wild...
  2. hillbillygreen

    DLM in the run and wanting to try leaves

    I've had the same run for ages. Concrete base, wisteria overhead, decent air flow. I always did pine shavings, but I really notice when I turn it into the compost, I'm not getting those shavings to breakdown as quickly as I'd like. But directly between the run and the compost is a ginormous...
  3. hillbillygreen

    Can you use DLM with a raised coop?

    I'm re-designing a coop for 6 hens and I've always done DLM and love this method, but I do think I've attracted some mice and would like to avoid this if possible. My husband thinks the elevated coop looks like a better way to house them for maybe easy access, but I'm mostly thinking of...
  4. hillbillygreen

    Greenhouse/new coop design

    I only have 4 birds, may have a few more in future, but I want to redesign my coop to be half greenhouse on the south side and north side coop. It will only get southern and eastern light due to a neighboring building. I have even considered just parking their existing little tiny coop/house...
  5. hillbillygreen

    Am I going to burn my plants with my manure

    I just mucked out the coop yesterday. It's their run which I lightly clean twice a year maintaining with a thin layer of pine shavings when it gets icky. I got into the back corners yesterday and since I figured it to be the most composted I used it around the base of my tomatoes, peppers and...
  6. hillbillygreen

    no eggs in over a month

    I realize summer is over but isn't this a bit too long my birds are 2 year old Easter Eggers. Thoughts?
  7. hillbillygreen

    Chickens kicking out my pine bark mulch :(

    Maybe I'm the only one who likes both free-roaming chickens for the health benefits AND a well groomed flower bed, but I'd really like to have both. I think I'm going to have to fence in the vegetable garden this year, but was hoping to keep the flower beds intact. Why is it so many folks go...
  8. hillbillygreen

    DLM Chicken Run: Do you start over in Fall/Spring?

    We've just done a year of deep litter method in my chicken run (over concrete with wisteria over top and privacy fence for shade) and it's been pretty decent. Better in drier weather, not great in this wetter summer. It's not that deep of a deep litter at this point, so now, I'm not sure...
  9. hillbillygreen

    Roosting in the Nest Boxes: How do I stop these crazy brds?

    Hi, I have a little purchased coop for 4 hens attached to a large outdoor chicken run. There are two roosts they used to use at night, but lately they have been taking to spending the night in the next boxes. I don't know if it's because I have a thermostatically controlled red light shining...
  10. hillbillygreen

    Hay or Pine shavings on concrete chicken run?

    Hi, I just moved my chickens to their winter location (the old dog kennel area). I'm not a fan of concrete for the run since I prefer good drainage, dirt to bathe in and plants to peck at :/ but it is also the location of a hatch which leads into the garage for their now toasty warm coop...
  11. hillbillygreen

    Who feels like naming chickens?

    This first one is a group photo (6 hens now minus one Rhode Island Red--thanks to a neighborhood raccoon and poorly secured hatch) Here are my names for the mix and match: Tillie --Jenny--Etta---Mildred--Gladys--Gertrude--Myrtle Violet--Daisy--Poppy--Marigold--Lily--Petunia--Pansy...
  12. hillbillygreen

    4 month old Amercauna and Rhode Islands -still not sure what I've got

    I think I see a pea comb on one of the Rhodies... but the rest don't have impressive tail feathers yet. Last time I did this I thought they surely had big tail feathers by now. What do you think? There's 7 chickens and a duck (if you want, guess what he/she is too!)
  13. hillbillygreen

    do you put food in the run

    I've got a detachable run and want to move it to fresh grass from time to time so feed is sort of an afterthought. Definitely will have water. I just want to encourage them to forage grass. Is there a time limit for them to be without feed?
  14. hillbillygreen

    How do you clean your PVC feeders? How early can you use one?

    My duck and chicks are about 5 weeks old. I need to make and install one of these, but I like to pre-troubleshoot. Other pointers or cautions? Thanks in advance!
  15. hillbillygreen

    rabbit feeder for chickens

    I just moved my flock to their coop and am setting it all up for them, but I wanted a feeder that lays flat on the door like I did last time and all they had at the store was a rabbit feeder. I'm not sure how different the set up is... it's been too long, but they're already scraping feed out...
  16. hillbillygreen

    Messy Duckling and Chick victims

    I have 7 chicks and 1 duckling about 2 weeks old in their brooder together. The duckling is my husbands', but he is such a mess maker with the water that I can't keep their bedding clean!! I change the water twice a day because he/she splashes it all out onto the floor of the plastic enclosure...
  17. hillbillygreen

    Dirty little ducky...

    We just got 7 chicks from the farm store with one duckling (specifically for my husband who LOVES them) We've never raised them before and I've noticed this ornery little guy likes to pick up shavings from his bedding and dunk them in their water, sometimes into the food and sometimes drags...
  18. hillbillygreen

    Anyone want to buy my old chicken run? (Central Illinois)

    It was constructed and used since last year... and I'm selling it since I've got a new one! It's called "between the new fence and shed"! Nice and shady! The roof has plastic seed corn signs screwed on for rain and sun protection, but you can either remove them or add more as you like. The...
  19. hillbillygreen

    How to test humidity without specialized equipment

    Hi, I'm trying for my second hatch. I don't think I did anything special last time. My mom just advised spritzing them with water every turn (which was only 2 times daily). I still need to hand turn this time, but I'm increasing to 3 times daily and want to know if my humidity will be...
  20. hillbillygreen

    Rhubarb ruse?

    Okay, you know the big no-no about rhubarb and chickens (poisonous all parts). Well I've had some in my yard and didn't worry too much about it since they seemed to leave it alone.... up until recently. Something has been picking the leaves clean! I have not witnessed the deed, but I have...
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