Colorado

[Adam7]

Yep- ordered hatching BCM eggs and they arrived frozen. Not sure I want to repeat that again. I am thinking chicks might be easier, then hatch my own later! Most all of the big hatcheries are sold out.

Doh! I knew that, sorry to rub salt in an old wound. Good luck finding your BCMs. Have you tried posting a want ad on Craigslist? Maybe for some local hatching eggs as well?

Shed and Chicks update: Chicks arrived this morning, P.O. called at 7:30 am, picked them up about an hour later, got them situated in the bins, they don't have enough room for more than a week, so we need the shed to be dried in by the weekend. Some are pre-sold and will leave this week, but the rest are either pre-sold as started pullets or not sold yet, so they will be needing more room fairly quickly. I had planned on going to work this morning until McMurray emailed me about shipping, so I worked a few hours from home before I could go out and get to work on the shed. Between that and picking up/situating chicks, I didn't get out there until 12:30, which left us about 4 hours before we started to lose light and Bob's shoulders started reminding him of his age, so we got five trusses up. Three to go tomorrow and then we install one of the windows before we start siding. Hoping to at least have siding started if not finished by the end of tomorrow (I am on vacation the rest of the week although I will work from home an hour or two every day while we wait for temp to come up). I figure Wednesday we will finish siding and hope we get the doors and other window in. Thursday and probably Friday roofing. Saturday paint first coat floor and do trim work on exterior. Sunday second coat floor and paint siding. I'm dreaming, huh? Just have to do our best. Issues with chicks are that 4 Silkies arrived dead, but all were extras, and one Barred Rock arrived with a twisted neck - like 180 degrees, should never have been shipped - and had to euthanize. Frequent checks during the day all resulted in chicks eating, drinking, sleeping, running about, and doing pretty well. I could have stayed down there for hours staring at them, but there was work to be done Right now I have the Black Silkies in with some of the White Leghorns, which won't last long due to growth differences, but for now they seem to be doing fine together. In the picture my finger is blurring the bottom, but you can get the general idea. There just isn't much room for growth, and I bought the biggest bins I found. Wanted smaller feeders but this was all Big R had, they take up way too much room and I may switch to something else to give more space. Waterer is 1 gallon - smaller would again give more space but they will go through it and I don't want any chance of dehydration. For a few days this will work.

Sounds like y'all are getting the shed up fine . Keep up the good work! I really like the picture of the chick inside the feeder! Can't wait for mine!

 

[Pozees]

Now you have to come get the brooder boxes so they can run around with lots of room!

Yes exactly! Bob asked me if I had any near future plans for the pickup, and I said Yes! I need to get to Wendell's to pick up the brooder! Plan on doing it this week. I have one box here about half the size of your brooder, so that with your boxes should give the littles plenty more room. Just waiting for the day the shed is dried in and the floor is painted and dry, but I should actually be able to pick it up before that. I need to get to the office one day this week, right now I'm thinking Thursday, is that a day that would work for you? Tentative of course, but tomorrow I should actually be here all day to work with Bob, and we think we can get the other three trusses up in about 1.5 hours, now that we sort of have them figured out. Then we put in the window that has to go in before siding. That should leave us a few to several hours to put up siding, and we are so hoping to have it done or close by the time we have to quite tomorrow.

So far nothing has gone easily, but it's gotten done. Bob is rather OCD about exact measurements and leveling and such, which at times can make me crazy but in the end totally pays off, so things take longer but should not have to be redone down the road. The only issue I know we have with the siding is that they built the walls 8'1" instead of 7'8 5'8" - means I have a coverage gap at either the top or the bottom. After much discussion we have decided to trim the gap at the top with probably 1x6 pine boards. The boards we got for the soffit are 1x6, and the room left for soffit is WAY less than 6", so that will be re-purposed to trim and it is likely we will later add to the tails of the trusses as well as out from both gable ends and buy new soffit.

Anyone with experience with such things feel free to chime in, especially if there is some consideration we should take now.

 

[Pozees]

Sounds like y'all are getting the shed up fine

. Keep up the good work!

I really like the picture of the chick inside the feeder! Can't wait for mine!

Thanks Aren't those chicks funny ducking inside the feeder? Gawd they are cute, it is SO wonderful to have fuzzies again

 

[wsmith]

Yes exactly! Bob asked me if I had any near future plans for the pickup, and I said Yes! I need to get to Wendell's to pick up the brooder! Plan on doing it this week. I have one box here about half the size of your brooder, so that with your boxes should give the littles plenty more room. Just waiting for the day the shed is dried in and the floor is painted and dry, but I should actually be able to pick it up before that. I need to get to the office one day this week, right now I'm thinking Thursday, is that a day that would work for you? Tentative of course, but tomorrow I should actually be here all day to work with Bob, and we think we can get the other three trusses up in about 1.5 hours, now that we sort of have them figured out. Then we put in the window that has to go in before siding. That should leave us a few to several hours to put up siding, and we are so hoping to have it done or close by the time we have to quite tomorrow.

Cool! I will be at CSDB tomorrow afternoon. Friday I "might" be going to Elbert for Hanover's game there, don't know yet for sure. Someone will be there nearly all the time though.

 

[samsr]

Shed and Chicks update:

Chicks arrived this morning, P.O. called at 7:30 am, picked them up about an hour later, got them situated in the bins, they don't have enough room for more than a week, so we need the shed to be dried in by the weekend. Some are pre-sold and will leave this week, but the rest are either pre-sold as started pullets or not sold yet, so they will be needing more room fairly quickly. I had planned on going to work this morning until McMurray emailed me about shipping, so I worked a few hours from home before I could go out and get to work on the shed. Between that and picking up/situating chicks, I didn't get out there until 12:30, which left us about 4 hours before we started to lose light and Bob's shoulders started reminding him of his age, so we got five trusses up. Three to go tomorrow and then we install one of the windows before we start siding. Hoping to at least have siding started if not finished by the end of tomorrow (I am on vacation the rest of the week although I will work from home an hour or two every day while we wait for temp to come up). I figure Wednesday we will finish siding and hope we get the doors and other window in. Thursday and probably Friday roofing. Saturday paint first coat floor and do trim work on exterior. Sunday second coat floor and paint siding.

I'm dreaming, huh? Just have to do our best.

Issues with chicks are that 4 Silkies arrived dead, but all were extras, and one Barred Rock arrived with a twisted neck - like 180 degrees, should never have been shipped - and had to euthanize. Frequent checks during the day all resulted in chicks eating, drinking, sleeping, running about, and doing pretty well. I could have stayed down there for hours staring at them, but there was work to be done

Right now I have the Black Silkies in with some of the White Leghorns, which won't last long due to growth differences, but for now they seem to be doing fine together. In the picture my finger is blurring the bottom, but you can get the general idea. There just isn't much room for growth, and I bought the biggest bins I found. Wanted smaller feeders but this was all Big R had, they take up way too much room and I may switch to something else to give more space. Waterer is 1 gallon - smaller would again give more space but they will go through it and I don't want any chance of dehydration. For a few days this will work.

What kind of chicks did you get. My kids are dying to raise a few. Brooder is all set up and ready to go. Let me know if you have any extra that you would be willing to sell. I am currently extending my coop to the other side of my shed. I will have another 8x10 feet for chickens to run around in.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Shed and Chicks update: Chicks arrived this morning, P.O. called at 7:30 am, picked them up about an hour later, got them situated in the bins, they don't have enough room for more than a week, so we need the shed to be dried in by the weekend. Some are pre-sold and will leave this week, but the rest are either pre-sold as started pullets or not sold yet, so they will be needing more room fairly quickly. I had planned on going to work this morning until McMurray emailed me about shipping, so I worked a few hours from home before I could go out and get to work on the shed. Between that and picking up/situating chicks, I didn't get out there until 12:30, which left us about 4 hours before we started to lose light and Bob's shoulders started reminding him of his age, so we got five trusses up. Three to go tomorrow and then we install one of the windows before we start siding. Hoping to at least have siding started if not finished by the end of tomorrow (I am on vacation the rest of the week although I will work from home an hour or two every day while we wait for temp to come up). I figure Wednesday we will finish siding and hope we get the doors and other window in. Thursday and probably Friday roofing. Saturday paint first coat floor and do trim work on exterior. Sunday second coat floor and paint siding. I'm dreaming, huh? Just have to do our best. Issues with chicks are that 4 Silkies arrived dead, but all were extras, and one Barred Rock arrived with a twisted neck - like 180 degrees, should never have been shipped - and had to euthanize. Frequent checks during the day all resulted in chicks eating, drinking, sleeping, running about, and doing pretty well. I could have stayed down there for hours staring at them, but there was work to be done Right now I have the Black Silkies in with some of the White Leghorns, which won't last long due to growth differences, but for now they seem to be doing fine together. In the picture my finger is blurring the bottom, but you can get the general idea. There just isn't much room for growth, and I bought the biggest bins I found. Wanted smaller feeders but this was all Big R had, they take up way too much room and I may switch to something else to give more space. Waterer is 1 gallon - smaller would again give more space but they will go through it and I don't want any chance of dehydration. For a few days this will work.

Love the babies! Sorry you had so many not make it. Good luck with the shed! Hope you get it done in time without stranding/spraining anything. My last two chicks with the yoke issues are now in the brooder. They are doing much better. One you can barely tell had a problem and the other isn't far behind. I neosporined over what is still exposed to keep it moist and clean. Unforeseen bonus, antibiotic ointment tastes bad so the other three chicks are not enthused to peck when they see it. I was going to track down my blukote but it looks like I won't have to. Now to go downstairs to clean one up. I don't know how it happened but another chick pooped on her back and it's dried in place. Bleck...

 

[kmatt87]

Yes exactly! Bob asked me if I had any near future plans for the pickup, and I said Yes! I need to get to Wendell's to pick up the brooder! Plan on doing it this week. I have one box here about half the size of your brooder, so that with your boxes should give the littles plenty more room. Just waiting for the day the shed is dried in and the floor is painted and dry, but I should actually be able to pick it up before that. I need to get to the office one day this week, right now I'm thinking Thursday, is that a day that would work for you? Tentative of course, but tomorrow I should actually be here all day to work with Bob, and we think we can get the other three trusses up in about 1.5 hours, now that we sort of have them figured out. Then we put in the window that has to go in before siding. That should leave us a few to several hours to put up siding, and we are so hoping to have it done or close by the time we have to quite tomorrow.

So far nothing has gone easily, but it's gotten done. Bob is rather OCD about exact measurements and leveling and such, which at times can make me crazy but in the end totally pays off, so things take longer but should not have to be redone down the road. The only issue I know we have with the siding is that they built the walls 8'1" instead of 7'8 5'8" - means I have a coverage gap at either the top or the bottom. After much discussion we have decided to trim the gap at the top with probably 1x6 pine boards. The boards we got for the soffit are 1x6, and the room left for soffit is WAY less than 6", so that will be re-purposed to trim and it is likely we will later add to the tails of the trusses as well as out from both gable ends and buy new soffit.

Anyone with experience with such things feel free to chime in, especially if there is some consideration we should take now.

Why not leave the gap at the top and staple some hardware cloth around it on the inside? Then it would just be more ventilation. On the bottom it might cause issues with drafts.

 

[Dnetschke]

Great setup. I think I'll go 4" all the way. Thanks!

Here are some pics of my pvc pipe feeder. I have the hopper located in the shed next to the coop and then there is a hole where the feeder portion comes out into the run area. It works quite well. If I were to change something about it it would be to run everything in 4 inch pipe instead of adapting it down to 2 inch where it goes through the shed wall. I have to go out and shake it once or twice a day to get it to gravity feed right now. If it were all 4 inch pipe it would work much better. It definately saves on the waste expense though. I am going through about half the amount of food that I was. if you are going to put it outside then I would put a cap over the hopper portion so rain doesnt get into it. I think my total cost was about $8.00, as I had a lot of the items laying around.

 

[Pozees]

What kind of chicks did you get. My kids are dying to raise a few. Brooder is all set up and ready to go. Let me know if you have any extra that you would be willing to sell. I am currently extending my coop to the other side of my shed. I will have another 8x10 feet for chickens to run around in.

I got 25 White Leghorns, Barred Rock, Araucana, Buff Orpington, and 15 Black Silkies, although the Silkies I got to start my own broody flock are all spoken for except 3 already I also got a few Speckled Sussex and Blue Andalusian. I bought to resell, so yes they are available. This week they are $4 each, including this coming weekend, and whatever is still here after the weekend I plan to grow out to feathered and no longer needing heat, at which point they will be $8. They are all vaccinated for Marek's and Coccidiosis, and I have them on non-medicated chick starter from Sweeny's.

 

[Pozees]

Why not leave the gap at the top and staple some hardware cloth around it on the inside? Then it would just be more ventilation. On the bottom it might cause issues with drafts.

I decided not to leave a gap open mainly because when we get big wind here it has a way of making things leave - our property is old cow pasture, and when it blows there's nothing to slow it down. If I leave the gap open it can get under the roof, and although it's too heavy to actually leave unless it's a tornado, it can cause damage and make for some very unhappy chickens - at least a few times a year we get gusts strong enough to move a metal trailer full of fence pickets and stays, tip over or actually fling small chicken coops, and remove a large amount of skirting and insulation from the place next door. What we think we'll do is leave the gap at the top and trim it out with 1 x 6, and put vents in. There are two doors and two windows that open, so I should be able to keep air moving through when I want to.