Arizona Chickens

[LadyKotaDoria]

 
Does anyone know of a reliable, reasonably priced plumber?  

Wish I knew how to do multiple quotes. I can answer most any question you have and will even be able to tell you if your being quoted a reasonable price. We have been slammed silly for over the past six months so if it was an emergency type thing I would be of little help.

Draining your water heater (meaning shutting the water, gas/electric off and letting all the water out) is old news and very wasteful. It is quicker and better to simply hook up the hose to the drain valve and open it up. Let it run full blast for about 2-3 minutes. The pressure will force all the sediment and garbage that can fit through the opening out; it's all sitting on the bottom anyway. I've  changed out dozens upon dozens and after draining them the sediment is still sitting there in the bottom. One problem one might encounter is that the valve will then not completely seal back so be prepared to install a cap. Most w/h drains are plastic and even with the brass ones on quality w/hs only one brand comes with a 1/4 turn ball valve type. This of course is not needed if your house is equipped with a water softner

Tankless w/h can be great and can save you money depending on how the hot water is used. I have no experience with electric ones because I've never heard a good thing about them. You would need a lot of free space in your electrical panel and it makes your electric meeter spin like a top! Gas ones have a good chance of working with the current gas pipe size but if you were to run all your gas appliances at one time there is a good chance you would "starve" the w/h. Usually you would want to upsize the gas system which then makes it not that affordable. A good home inspector would catch this at a time of sale too. Well I've said to much.......

no you haven't. Even if I know something, I still learn, I never seem to know it all.

Singletary, our plumber is second generation, his son is third. He is also a cattleman. What I like is that they are honest and there is non of that messing around with pricing. Saying one thing then saying oh, it is not what I thought it is going to cost more. They are usually very reasonable for the work they have done for us and are PORA approved. In Sun City & Sun City West they have PORA, you have to have a good record to get their approval to in in SC & SCW.

A lot of people never heard of maintenance on a water heater, just get a new one. It is old hat, for a few people.

 

[chicksurreal]

PIT BULL! OH NO! You have to see this.......... And a confused rooster,,,,,,,,,,,,

More Sharky:

Lol! That's so cute! Play time in the poultry pen!

 

[Timskins]

no you haven't. Even if I know something, I still learn, I never seem to know it all.

Singletary, our plumber is second generation, his son is third. He is also a cattleman. What I like is that they are honest and there is non of that messing around with pricing. Saying one thing then saying oh, it is not what I thought it is going to cost more. They are usually very reasonable for the work they have done for us and are PORA approved. In Sun City & Sun City West they have PORA, you have to have a good record to get their approval to in in SC & SCW.

A lot of people never heard of maintenance on a water heater, just get a new one. It is old hat, for a few people.

Pora hasn't been very worthwhile for me. I have gotten 8 different electricians from them to do some work in my back yard all but 2 have flaked out. Some just don't show, some won't return calls, or give promised quotes. Of the 2 that actually gave quotes there customer service is still lacking enough to not want to use them.

 

[pipemum]

It happened again. Coyote got all 15 of my 4 week old broilers and the hen that was raising them. The coyote ended up moving 30 lb cinder blocks and boulders out of the way, ripping out the wire apron surrounding the meat pen, moved a buried 4x4 log, and chewing off chunks of the plastic (just decorative and sun shade, but still, determined animal), and ended up ripping off a small panel of wire in the corner of the A-frame and getting every single animal in the pen. I'm sick. Despite it's efforts--it kicked those cinder blocks at least 5' away--it didn't end up digging in, but got in where wire was attached between the metal and wood frame. The opening was the size of my hand. I truly believed my animals were completely safe, and their death is completely my fault. I'm just disgusted.

I'm done with meaties for a bit. Honestly, I'm not really sure there was anything further and feasible that I could do to protect their coop. Electric fence doesn't seem feasible in a small space in a suburban yard with kids.

My layers and their coop seem undisturbed. But now I'm not as confident as I was before that the devil coyote can't chew right through the hardware wire.

 

[Timskins]

It happened again. Coyote got all 15 of my 4 week old broilers and the hen that was raising them. The coyote ended up moving 30 lb cinder blocks and boulders out of the way, ripping out the wire apron surrounding the meat pen, moved a buried 4x4 log, and chewing off chunks of the plastic (just decorative and sun shade, but still, determined animal), and ended up ripping off a small panel of wire in the corner of the A-frame and getting every single animal in the pen. I'm sick. Despite it's efforts--it kicked those cinder blocks at least 5' away--it didn't end up digging in, but got in where wire was attached between the metal and wood frame. The opening was the size of my hand. I truly believed my animals were completely safe, and their death is completely my fault. I'm just disgusted.

I'm done with meaties for a bit. Honestly, I'm not really sure there was anything further and feasible that I could do to protect their coop. Electric fence doesn't seem feasible in a small space in a suburban yard with kids.

My layers and their coop seem undisturbed. But now I'm not as confident as I was before that the devil coyote can't chew right through the hardware wire.

What makes you think it was a coyote? Sounds like a lot of work for something that small.

 

[OScarlet]

Not from AZ but I saw your post. We have an electric wire around our coop. We only put it on at night or if we are away from home for the day. Perhaps you can try that?

 

[pipemum]

What makes you think it was a coyote? Sounds like a lot of work for something that small.

It had to be something that can jump a 6' fence, and strong enough to move big, heavy cinder blocks and boulders. And eat many birds and leave no trace but feathers. Coyotes are the only thing I can thing of that could do all those things together. I'm pretty sure a chicken-motivated coyote could squeeze in such a small space.

 

[pipemum]

Not from AZ but I saw your post. We have an electric wire around our coop. We only put it on at night or if we are away from home for the day. Perhaps you can try that?

It'll have to be something like that.

 

[Stynch]

It happened again. Coyote got all 15 of my 4 week old broilers and the hen that was raising them. The coyote ended up moving 30 lb cinder blocks and boulders out of the way, ripping out the wire apron surrounding the meat pen, moved a buried 4x4 log, and chewing off chunks of the plastic (just decorative and sun shade, but still, determined animal), and ended up ripping off a small panel of wire in the corner of the A-frame and getting every single animal in the pen. I'm sick. Despite it's efforts--it kicked those cinder blocks at least 5' away--it didn't end up digging in, but got in where wire was attached between the metal and wood frame. The opening was the size of my hand. I truly believed my animals were completely safe, and their death is completely my fault. I'm just disgusted.

I'm done with meaties for a bit. Honestly, I'm not really sure there was anything further and feasible that I could do to protect their coop. Electric fence doesn't seem feasible in a small space in a suburban yard with kids.

My layers and their coop seem undisturbed. But now I'm not as confident as I was before that the devil coyote can't chew right through the hardware wire.

Condolences on your loss.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

So sorry to hear this pipemum.