Colorado

[COChix]

Thanks COChix: I just got a link to fake ceramic eggs from another thread... I'm going to order a couple dozen and place 1 or 2 in each nest box (16). I think I'm also going to cut up an old bed sheet and staple it up in front of the openings as a curtain to make the nest boxes a little darker inside. Since all my birds are brown egg layers, I wondered if the (white) gold balls would work...

We bought a big basket of golf balls at a thrift store and they do the trick and are less expensive than ceramic or wodden eggs.

Hard to see the bottom one but I see a bullseye on the top egg. I'm not an expert though as I was just starting to get fertilized ones when everyone stopped laying. I've gotten an egg most days from my friend's leghorn the last week, but no one else yet, and haven't cracked a single one yet.

We celebrated christmas early while my parents are in town, and my uncle gave us a weather station that remotely measures wind speed, humidity, and temp. I put the temp/humidity meter in the coop. I had a analog one that my camera could sort of see but I didn't believe the humidity readings. It said 100% when it was completely dry out once. So I'm excited to be able to see those numbers from the house. The outside temp is in the 40s and the temp in the coop is 60! I didn't realize it was so much warmer in there. It will be interesting to see what it is tomorrow during the storm. 

We got our prototype for an automatic door we can sell, done and installed today. It turned out really nice if I do say so myself. So much nicer than my first door! I'll take pictures tomorrow and list them on my blog. I took a video but it didn't turn out too well. I miss my newer phone! It broke about 2 weeks ago and I had to go back to an old one. It just doesn't take as good of pictures.

Nice, I read your blog again about the door and will probably task my dear bf with building later this winter. I know nothing about gears, spools or electronic type stuff.

Golf balls work great as fake eggs. Some thing I figured out after I bought stupid wooden eggs...the chickens don't seem to notice a difference, sitting on any in the box. Cheaper and easier to find, check out a thrift shop.

x2

Can't wait to see the door! That's pretty awesome your guys are making it yourself!

Well, unfortunately for my little flock, it seems we have a gapeworm problem. Turns out the egg layers are Athena & Calypso. Found out this morning & was surprised. Penelope was still hiding in the house, back of the house again, so I spent some time calling to her to get her out. That's when I noticed she would stretch her neck & mime making the old witch laugh sound the hens make to each other, but no sound would come out. She can still make the lower kinda rolling R noise, she eats & drinks fine & everything else is fine once she makes her way out of the house, but it seems pretty safe to assume & treat everyone for gapeworm. Does anyone have a type of wormer they like to use? A broad spectrum one seems like the best thing to use right now.

I wish I would have known this yesterday so I could have cleaned the entire area more thoroughly than I did before the weather turned. :/

Yea on more eggs and I just read a good article on Gape worms and some natural preventatives. Hope that helps..

http://fresheggsdaily.com/2013/06/dont-let-fear-of-gapeworm-keep-you-from.html

@samsr, that really bites! The nerve of some people, hope you are able to find some replacements.

 

[samsr]

I did some more looking and couldn't find here. I got thirsty afterwords and went to the garage refrigerator to get a pepsi. When I close the door, I heard a small chicken sound in the facinity of the big garage door. I have a kitchen cabinet that is sitting on the ground in that area. it is kind of hidden behind the refrigerator. I looked on top of it and, low and behold, she was roosting there on top. I snatched her up and brought her in the house, gave her some treats and some water and she is doing well now. I sure didn't see her there last night. She is solid black however. I just figured I would update everyone. Hen found. Her mate sure does seem happy again. He was moping around in the nesting boxes looking for her still. Poor guy.

 

[COChix]

I did some more looking and couldn't find here.  I got thirsty afterwords and went to the garage refrigerator to get a pepsi.  When I close the door, I heard a small chicken sound in the facinity of the big garage door.  I have a kitchen cabinet that is sitting on the ground in that area.  it is kind of hidden behind the refrigerator.  I looked on top of it and, low and behold, she was roosting there on top.  I snatched her up and brought her in the house, gave her some treats and some water and she is doing well now.  I sure didn't see her there last night.  She is solid black however.  I just figured I would update everyone.  Hen found.  Her mate sure does seem happy again.  He was moping around in the nesting boxes looking for her still.  Poor guy. 

e glad they were safe and sound.

 

[trsturself]

Yeah! Glad you found her!


I didn't get to take a better pic of the door due to weather. I'll try to get one tomorrow. It worked flawlessly last night and this morning though. Nice to have something reliable again. We might need to make another one to replace the one on my friend's side. I used the existing door on that side so the wires are exposed. The chickens keep pecking them and causing them to disconnect. The new door has everything hidden so the birds can't get to it.

 

[trsturself]

Yeah! Glad you found her!


I didn't get to take a better pic of the door due to weather. I'll try to get one tomorrow. It worked flawlessly last night and this morning though. Nice to have something reliable again. We might need to make another one to replace the one on my friend's side. I used the existing door on that side so the wires are exposed. The chickens keep pecking them and causing them to disconnect. The new door has everything hidden so the birds can't get to it.

Here's the pic I took yesterday. Hoping to get a better one tomorrow. This is with the door down.

 

[maggiemo]

Nice door. How much did it cost to make it?

 

[COChix]

Nothing like some Colorado wild turkeys, got these shots yesterday up Left Hand Canyon.
There were about 15 turkeys I this flock.

 

[trsturself]

Nice door. How much did it cost to make it?

I haven't added exact costs but I would say roughly $50. We are going to sell them for $75.

 

[Percheron chick]

I keep coming across the flock of wild turkeys at Valmont and 75th. They will stroll across the road like they own the place and stop traffic in it's tracks. They all made it through Thanksgiving. Nice to see them.

 

[suncatcher]

Cool wild turkey picture~ I miss seeing the wild turkeys! Not sure they exist in the mountains.

We have blowing snow here today, snowed about three inches yesterday, but the sun is out, so hopefully it will melt away.

Hope everyone is staying warm today!!!