CLOSED - NYD Hatch-along Contest #4: Most Ingenious Chicken Product Design

[deelake71]

 

[Gardeningmama]

This is the brooder my DH built. It is huge, has a screened hinged lid, a removable divider that is sometimes necessary, a beautiful viewing window, and best of all sits on an island in my 2nd living room, so my chicks are always within arms reach.

 

[sarahannecloud9]

My wacky invention. I only had a cpl days to throw something together and had $0 to spend. I also love to repurpose! Hey, it works!

Hope this is the correct place to post, if not please someone pm me!!!!!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-tractor-coop-for-chicks-upcycled-boxspring

This is what it is:

 

[Brechin]

Cochins! I would have to dig through my hard drives from 2 years ago to find some pics I took of my roosters with the little hats on. But I do know that the idea came from a very similar felting project to this. I had made doll hats before and felted them. What we did was put in a thin layer of petro. jelly then a bit of saran wrap and then the hat. The jelly helped keep the comb moisturized because Alaskan winters are DRY! The saran wrap offered extra insulation and the wool felted hat offered warmth. We did string like chin straps to keep them from shaking or scratching them off. The few roos we had did not have a problem, I figured that it was because they are used to having things hanging from their chins already! A little extra chin bling wouldn't hurt. I might even have the little comb covers somewhere in a box. But everything got boxed up for the move form Alaska to California that we did a few months ago. If I find something I will PM you!

 

[Little Wing]

My watering system that runs through the coop.

 

[Flogged Again]

My first ingenious idea is a compact chicken tractor that is maintenance free for one week. I only have to refill the water and feed weekly. The coup has handles each end so it can be moved every day, a big door on bottom left end and a small chicken door on the top right end. There is also a door up top on the side, that is hard to see, giving me access to the V.I.P. penthouse sweet.

On the left end is a roof lid that opens to the homemade water nipple bucket and feeder.

On the right end is a roof lid that opens to the two egg nests.

Above the nest box lid is another small door where you can view the roost area for warmer weather, and a draft free room beyond for those cold winter nights.

There is also a hinged lid (behind Mrs. Roo above) that I can let the lid down over the stairway to temporarily enclose the hens up top, if needed. It is one tight package with all the amenities....

 

[Flogged Again]

My second ingenious idea is a drip pan for my homemade water nipple buckets that I use for my stationary chicken house that has a wooden floor.



The problem with nipple buckets is the chickens will dribble water while drinking, and that is fine if there is a dirt floor. But what do you do for a wooden floor that needs to stay dry? Twa La... I give you the Nipple Drip Pan. It is a jug with the side cut out on one side, suspended by hanger wires, and an automotive vacuum hose connected in the bottom to drain water down through the wood floor to the ground below.

The piece of metal roofing above the water buckets is hung on a slant to prevent the girls from roosting and messing up the bucket tops.


The Nipple Drip Pan looks crude, but the girls don't mind. It is very functional and saves me from refilling water no more than once a week.

 

[Flogged Again]

My third ingenious idea came to me two weeks ago when I was desperate for two chicken feeders on the CHEAP.

It was a moment of genious while walking through Lowes hardware. There in the mortar section were these huge long Quik Tubes. I grabbed one up under my arm and then headed for the automotive store to get an oil pan, and this pan happen to have a raised center section for laying oil plug down while the oil drains, but in this case it helps push the feed toward the sides of the tube where its needed. I took some metal tabs, that came from my electrical panel box knockouts a while back that I horded up, and used the tabs to bend/make brackets to attach the tube to the pan with bolts. At the top I just screwed a 1" x 2" block of wood inside the top of the tube and fastened an eyelet bolt. Twa La ..... the Quik Feeder was born.... The Quik Tube I purchased at Lowes was very long so I cut it in half and actually made two Quik Feeders, twice as fast. The old piece of tin on top is basicly a roof to keep the feed clean from dust and occasional poop. This feeder is only good for dry locations because the tube made of a strong cardboard material, but not waterproof.

 

[chickenpooplady]

Here's mine!


When my hens first started laying, I noticed that the eggs were always cracked. I soon found out it was because the nest boxes were made of wood. When the girls scratched around in the shavings they allowed the wood to show. Therefore when they laid, the eggs cracked.







I found an old rug that somewhat resembled grass. Then I cut it to the size of the nest box. I secured it in the nest box and waited to see what would happen.







They have no problem laying on it because they can still scratch around. And their eggs no longer crack.

 

[Flogged Again]

My fourth ingenious idea is so so. The chickens needed a roost and I needed their chicken manure to spread on the garden. So here is a roost that is hinged against the wall so I can lift it like a lid. There is an old piece of roof tin underneath to catch the goood stufff. Once a week I just take a small scrape shovel and clean the surface of the tin into a bucket.


With the bucket full, now I have $15 worth of fertilizer to do what ever I want......