building paradise for the birds

[birdman55]

so here's some more on the incubation station...
your going to need a six to eight foot cord....that looks like this...make sure to color one side of the wire cause you will be cutting this and you don't wanna mess this up

cut the wire so that there is about six to eight inches of wire like so

split the ends and take off 3/4" of an inch like so

put the colored wire with the other colored wire and twist together but don't put on the wire nuts...

these we will be using later to connect the other pieces of wire to and then putting the wire nut on after that....and that's all I can post right now...I somehow lost one of the screws that goes on the back of the ceramic plug for the bulb so I will try and get one tommarow and continue tommarow....

 

[birdman55]

I just got done with the incubator theres a couple more things I need to do before I can post again about it...theres a lot to write about so ...I will finish it tommarow and pictures will be posted...have a good night everyone...

 

[bigmrg74]

well the day is shot...basically got nothing done other then dragging these heavy logs and making the bottoms solid so the birds cant get out...I got like 75percent of it done...and that was not fun...at all...they were heavy....all I no is I cant wait to do the peafowl coops infront AFTER THE GROUND THAWS...it will go way smoother and faster....don't try and do this when the ground is frozen you are just beating a dead tree...(I have to lift the entire unit when the ground thaws put a stable foundation on...and fill in with dirt to level and couple of inches of sand...) and that wont be until after breeding season is done...I wont disturb the birds until after there done laying eggs...so to say it is going to look like crap..(but still functional) until the time is right for the birds....then after all that is done I will be putting a solid not tarp roof on..but for now a tarp with plastic around the bottom is going to have to work...(I have to keep telling myself don't worry in due time it will be finished and looking great..until then im just going to be mad at myself for doing this in winter...but hey you gotta do things sometimes when the time is just oh so not right. and If I want to breed the new birds...I have to do this in the wrong time of the year...so hang in there with me and it will turn out nicer....just after winter...so grrrr the looks.....

You need a Mattock. Hands down the best hand tool there is when it comes to digging into frozen dirt. With a little practice with this, you should be able to get things at least eyeball level for your pens.

 

[Chrysolophus]

I saw this from internet.

 

[birdman55]

that would have been awesome to have earlier ...but now I have to wait....the other coops are going to be built on somewhat level land...the four coops you see are off by about a foot over forty feet....so ill be adding dirt and then a lot of sand...along with a good bottom piece for a base...it just wont look pretty for a bit..im fine with that...
anyways heres an update on the incubator
so the stc1000 that I have..and this is your digital controller is dc....so I have to take this unit...which is ac to dc and cut the end off like so....then you expose the ends of the wire about a 1/4"....

like so

then you take this unit....which is your stc 1000 and plug the wires into 3/4....this is the power supply to the unit....every unit will be different....so depending the unit you buy you might have to wire it in a bit different...if you do get this and try and build your own incubator if you have questions let me know and I can help....

so after you plug the wires into the stc1000 you can plug your unit into the extension cord...make sure your cord is not plugged into the wall because as you can see the wires are exposed.... now if you were to cap the wires and plug in you could test your unit to see that you hooked it up right and then you would have to take the wire clips back off...(I tried it because this is my first time)

this is the temp sensor which I plugged into the 5/6 slots on my unit..every unit is different....

this is what it looks like when you install all of the above

next you have your computer fan...which is dc...and you have your ac extension cord so you need another ac to dc converter...now this you will have to put together inside the unit...but if you wanted to go ahead and cut the ends off both units and prep yourself for the next step...not going to get there tonight....

then you take four wires...two of the same colors, and then another two of the same colors....

and install them like so....I had to stop here because one of my little bitty screws are gone so I have to go get a replacement..and at 3am theres nothing open....

so till tommarow we will be back for another journey to being the little farmer that I know I can be...(im going to make a large incubator next...its gunna be huge....)like really big...see you in a couple of hours....hahaha

 

[misfitmorgan]

if they are molting they will not produce eggs...I normally butcher mine before they molt...anyways been busy today didn't get much work done on the coop...and since I couldn't get the ground level and place the coops on the level piece everything has become a lot more difficult...ie doors properly shutting...so ive been gone today but now im back for a hour of light...going out for some work...see you soon

Only 3 of 15-20 are in molt atm...the others still havnt laid jack since the move.....i have two white leghorns one of them is molting...i was thinking about culling them but they look young and are suppose to be good layers, if they would lay lol.

well the day is shot...basically got nothing done other then dragging these heavy logs and making the bottoms solid so the birds cant get out...I got like 75percent of it done...and that was not fun...at all...they were heavy....all I no is I cant wait to do the peafowl coops infront AFTER THE GROUND THAWS...it will go way smoother and faster....don't try and do this when the ground is frozen you are just beating a dead tree...(I have to lift the entire unit when the ground thaws put a stable foundation on...and fill in with dirt to level and couple of inches of sand...) and that wont be until after breeding season is done...I wont disturb the birds until after there done laying eggs...so to say it is going to look like crap..(but still functional) until the time is right for the birds....then after all that is done I will be putting a solid not tarp roof on..but for now a tarp with plastic around the bottom is going to have to work...(I have to keep telling myself don't worry in due time it will be finished and looking great..until then im just going to be mad at myself for doing this in winter...but hey you gotta do things sometimes when the time is just oh so not right. and If I want to breed the new birds...I have to do this in the wrong time of the year...so hang in there with me and it will turn out nicer....just after winter...so grrrr the looks.....

The pens actually look great birdman!! i'm pretty sure the birds will love the extra space and not care that you had to put large beams at the bottom and it isnt flush to the ground etc. i mean i will rig up some crazy things that look like absolute poo as long as i know it is safe and will make my animals more comfortable/happy. i dont really care what other people think, i would rather be concerned with the animals i'm suppose to take care of and provide for are healthy and happy.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Also birdman you were looking for some kind of bush thing that would make shade cover etc.

You should look into Burning Bush, they are easily prunable, grow fast, and look very pretty in the fall.
These are not my pics btw lol.

This is a dwarf burning bush


You can also trim/prune them as they grow to look like a tiny tree.


This is a close up of the sticks/leaves...no pokey bits/thorns or anything


This is what they look like in the Spring/Summer


Also a burning bush is not the same thing as a spindle tree or a wahoo bush, no fruit pods to get everywhere just leaves.

 

[birdman55]

Also birdman you were looking for some kind of bush thing that would make shade cover etc.

You should look into Burning Bush, they are easily prunable, grow fast, and look very pretty in the fall.
These are not my pics btw lol.

This is a dwarf burning bush


You can also trim/prune them as they grow to look like a tiny tree.


This is a close up of the sticks/leaves...no pokey bits/thorns or anything


This is what they look like in the Spring/Summer


Also a burning bush is not the same thing as a spindle tree or a wahoo bush, no fruit pods to get everywhere just leaves.

I shall keep this in mind for the near future..maybe they will hit the pond area....

Only 3 of 15-20 are in molt atm...the others still havnt laid jack since the move.....i have two white leghorns one of them is molting...i was thinking about culling them but they look young and are suppose to be good layers, if they would lay lol.

The pens actually look great birdman!! i'm pretty sure the birds will love the extra space and not care that you had to put large beams at the bottom and it isnt flush to the ground etc. i mean i will rig up some crazy things that look like absolute poo as long as i know it is safe and will make my animals more comfortable/happy. i dont really care what other people think, i would rather be concerned with the animals i'm suppose to take care of and provide for are healthy and happy.

as for the leghorns....I would give them a chance...and I noticed that when the bird hits one ....one and a half they actually loose the thick and fluffy look and I feed mine very well....ive been thru a couple hundred in about two years....so...like I said before I keep mine about a year and then we butcher for this reason...my birds get messed up by the roosters and they never make it to there first molt....my three little leghorns are producing eggs like crazy....we got another 13 so that makes 8 dozen in the fridge....so it is up to you...

 

[birdman55]

well done with the hard stuff...and the rooster went into the pen and I figured I would say hi...
now onto the netting and then the tarps

 

[mymilliefleur]

Very interesting. I will be checking in again to see how your coops and incubator are coming along. Nice looking rooster by the way.