Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

Wow mustang, that is a fancy hoop coop. Mine isn't nearly that fancy, I just have a tarp over mine & hardware cloth down the sides, back, & front with a door.

Well I managed to get the last 3 posts pounded in, it was a bit easier today with the melted snow. Now with all of the walls up for the pens, tomorrow I will work on gates & try to get them together. I have to make a run to the store for a few things first & then try to get as much done as possible. I hope to be moving birds this weekend.

Danz, it sounds like you're busy as usual & you too Karen.

 

[chicken danz]

It was a pleasure to meet you Jeanniac. Heavens no you didn't stay too long. I was having so much fun watching your grandson with the puppies. Five or six hours might have set me back. I wish you the best of hatch rates. Let me know how they do. If there is any problems I will make it right with you. And thank you Frizzled and Jeanniac for the vote of confidence. Some day I hope to have the construction done and have the mess cleaned up. I got my feed shoveled off and came in here and made a quick post. Then went back outside and worked on the hoop coop. So here is the progress for the day. This is what I had done this morning when Jeanniac was here: I built this frame yesterday. 20' 3 inches long by 8 foot wide.


Here is what I did on the corners. I cut the cattle panel with a grinder to fit over the frame work, so some of the end would stick out. I plan to staple it to the wooden frame which will sit on the outside. Plumbers tape used to hold the panels. I used a ratcheting come along and pulled the panels up to size. One trick I did learn on this was to fasten the hooks of the ratchet up on the second level of horizontal wire so it doesn't get in the way of the frame work.


After I got the panel cut and in place I installed the first set of corner braces.



Then I installed one panel at a time down the sides. I will go out tomorrow and put a few more pieces of plumbers tape on the panels to make sure they are really secure. And I will finish wiring the individual panels together so they stay straight. One thing I did was use a pair of vice grips to hold the panels together while I wired them. It saved me a lot of holding and stretching.
This is the final end. I have one extra section left on the panels I will cut off when I am done. I also cut the bottom wire of the panels so I could go over my center brace as well. I added the brace to the original frame to keep everything straight and to give the frame work strength.







Tomorrow I hope to move this to it's permanent place after I finish the wiring and the extra plumbers tape. Then I will put the ends on it and maybe even start building the coop part. I actually only worked on it for about 3 and a half hours today, so it went really fast.
Then I had to hurry and feed everyone and got in the house just before dark. I am having some of this homemade bread hot out of the oven this evening with dinner. Yum!

 

[SpooncreekJenn]

Wow mustang, that is a fancy hoop coop. Mine isn't nearly that fancy, I just have a tarp over mine & hardware cloth down the sides, back, & front with a door.

Well I managed to get the last 3 posts pounded in, it was a bit easier today with the melted snow. Now with all of the walls up for the pens, tomorrow I will work on gates & try to get them together. I have to make a run to the store for a few things first & then try to get as much done as possible. I hope to be moving birds this weekend.

Danz, it sounds like you're busy as usual & you too Karen.

Hi Trish we got a swedish rooster from you wondering about your speckled sussex are you hatching them or have already hatched some?

 

[JosieChick]

Josie, sorry about the stress related to midwives. For what its worth, I had one of mine in a birth center and it was a great experience. It was a very home-like room - not like a hospital room at all. They followed my birth plan to the letter and I didn't have any clean up to do afterward.
Thanks for the encouragement! I am hoping it will all go well. I don't want to be in a hospital bed tethered to an iv and monitors etc. I will probably lose my mind if I can't move around.


Hawkeye, thanks for the compliments on the birds. I have never seen a fence stretcher in action - I will have to YouTube that. My neighbor put in the twisted wire (non-barbed) fencing 17 years ago when they moved here and it is still really tight. Phew! Glad to hear this, the place I used to board my mustang at had twisted wire and it looked really nice and seems a bit safer than barbed wire. Of course we all know a horse could be wrapped in bubble wrap and in a padded room and still manage to hurt itself! I don't know if they've had to retighten it over the years though. Yes, we'll think positive that it will be WHEN you build your silkie pens. I really would highly recommend the gutter feeder. I've tried about everything over the years and had every issue under the sun with various types - mice getting into them, billing the feed out, you name it. This is the first feeder I've tried that I'm truly happy with. It was dirt cheap since I had the section of gutter left over from when I put the gutters on my coop, and the PVC pipe was one I've had laying around for years. I was glad to get it out of the shop where it was just taking up space. All I had to buy was an end cap (one end is in the corner so didn't need a cap), the gutter brackets, and the metal strapping (only used a small piece so had most of the roll left over). With a mixed flock it was hard to know what height to install it so I did it at the height of a large fowl back. As you can see in the pics, the seramas, and even my bantam silchin just jump up into the feeder, but everyone else, including the silkies, can reach into it fairly easily. However due to the depth of the gutter, they can't bill the feed out. I am going through feed more slowly since I installed it and quit using my other feeders. And the best part is that I am now in a routine of filling it just once a day. I used to go back and forth to the coop and refill feeders whenever I noticed them low throughout the day, so I never really knew how much feed I was going through. Now I just fill the PVC pipe in the morning and it lasts them all day, and there is still some left to eat the following morning. So far they have never completely emptied it, but I figure if I just fill it each morning, it is easier to keep track of how much they are eating.
I may have to make some of these, I am sick of these birds scratching all their pellets out of the feeder!

Quote:

So Josie, I hate barbed wire. I tore out a bunch of it when I moved here. The old hedge posts were rotted and the fences weren't where I wanted them. All I got to say is those old farmers could pound in those staples a whole lot better than I could pull them out. No kidding! We had to do some repair here on fencing that was stapled to hedge and boy they put that fence up so it could never come down!
Hawkeye I tend to take it very easy and then go like gangbusters. I am NOT a morning person. I get up fairly early but I take my time and chill in the AM when I can. Then once I get moving I keep moving until I crash. I've always been that way. It drives DH crazy cause he is a slow slow worker and doesn't like to rush. While I am working on one thing I am thinking about something else I need to do. I keep saying I want to find some down time but my projects never stop.
I always kid that I need a few days in the hospital each year just so I can get some rest. Look at Josie! My God she is pregnant and painting cabinets and taking care of everything else while moving. She makes me look inefficient. Thanks! DH seems to think I can just super woman it and I am getting worn out for sure. I don't know how you take care of all those birds and still manage to get anything else done! I would be spent after just that. Never mind your giant FF operation!
Feed bills? Mine was $350 yesterday and that was only 10 days since I spent $270. Something has got to give!!! These growing youngsters for my future flock are total pigs.

Wow, that is a LOT of feed. But a lot cheaper than the feed store, I think mine was $80 for 4 bags of feed and 2 bags of scratch? That doesn't last me that long and I don't have near the number of birds you have. I need to find a coop down near Wichita for when we move.
I need to cull some more young roos out of that bunch. I hate to do that until I can see how they will develop.
HeChicken, you've done a great job on your hoop coop so far. I hope to have some pictures of my progress soon as well.

Josie, I'm glad to hear your posts came in, that must be a relief. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble setting up things for the midwife. I delivered in a hospital, so I wouldn't know anything about any of that. I ended up with pre-eclampsia at the end, so I was in the hospital before my due date anyway with high blood pressure. They ended up inducing me & once they started I surprised everyone including the Dr. who didn't make it back in time by delivering not only that day, but in about 4 hours of active labor. Lucky duck! Only 4 hours, that is FAST!

Welcome RosieMoe!

Hi folks!
I'm new! I live in Kansas! I got a new job and need to find the chicken-lovers network in Salina!
Where ya'll at?

That is an awesome hoop coop! I wouldn't want you to see my hoop house, hahahahaha!

I finally found a photo from last fall of our Hoop Coop. I couldn't find the photo of the inside so I will take one of that sometime. It is way over-built, and not yet finished, but was far more than adequate for the chickens over the winter.

Busy, busy. Jorgie? Surgery? I must have missed something...

Danz, I'm with you. I'm beat. Thank goodness for late start Wednesdays! DH took Jorgie for his surgery this morning and the kids and I got the chickens/ducks all set. I had a sick kid and so I made a run to the doctor's office, then to Walmart, off to the pharmacy, grabbed some lunch, got gas (for the van), back home. Then flew back out the door to loan some supplies to a couple scrapbooking buddies, back home, out to the chicken pen to check on feed, clean out the waterers the ducks made a mess of and gather eggs, a man showed up to replace our old gas meter, kids got off the bus, I flew back to school to pick up the yearbook staffer and stuco president, back home. Gas man finished up, relit everything, left. Time to start supper and DH came home. Between all of that mess today, I got a call from the vet saying that Jorgie's surgery went fine and he will be coming home tomorrow. I was so relieved but wished he could come home today. How could I be so busy and not really get anything done?

I don't know but I have it down to a fine art.

Phew, I am pooped and I need to get back to painting. SO many cupboards and this is only the start of the painting that needs to be done. I need to list some birds for sale tonight. It was so nice out today I painted cabinet doors outside on the saw horses which was awesome cause the breeze dried them really fast! DH sent me an email with a pic of an afghan that a client made for the baby, isn't that the sweetest thing? It is beautiful. I love homemade blankets. We have two now and I hope one becomes her favorite! She is quite the little busy baby but she must be running out of room at the inn because there is far less kicking and more rolling around. Last night she stuck her fist out right next to my belly button! Felt like I could be in a horror movie!!

Random pics I took today while out photographing birds for sale:
Calico cochin boy and his serama girlfriends


Grey call duck washing herself, I am going to miss these silly little ducks



The sebbie gander in the front is one that I am going to be selling but what I love most about this pic is the awesome curly grey gander behind him! Look at those chest curls! Can't wait until he is old enough to breed next year, must find a good goose for him to go with!

 

[Trish44]

Spooncreek, As soon as I get my birds moved into their new coop I do plan to hatch some Speckled Sussex. I'm also getting some new stock in April too.

 

[mstng67]

Thanks all for the kind words about the hoop house. I want to put a more translucent permanent cover over it to keep things dry. I did build a coop into the far end and have nesting boxes that are accessible from the outside. The hens seem happy with it!

This spring I also need to build something more permanent for the ducks.

I get worn out just reading about how busy you all are. It puts me to shame.

 

[WichitaKidd]

That's as far as I've got with this project so far. Tomorrow I hope to do the end and then start on the front of it to include a gate.

Looks like you're off to a good start. Can't wait to see more pics when it's all done.

Now for WichitaKidd, here are some photos of Betty. I am still learning about type, and I know she is a hatchery bird but I actually think she has nice type, if the goal is a feathered basketball (which for Wyandottes, I think it is):





OMG! She has grown up nicely. Thanks so much for taking a few pics for me.

And yes, she was a hatchery bird. Got her last spring from MPC. She's definitely a Wyandotte!

Last, here is my Welsummer rooster. His tail is looking really ratty - not sure why:



Beautiful Welly Roo! You should get some pretty barnyard mixes out of this one.

I finally found a photo from last fall of our Hoop Coop. I couldn't find the photo of the inside so I will take one of that sometime. It is way over-built, and not yet finished, but was far more than adequate for the chickens over the winter.


Sweet! Would love to see some more pics of the inside.

It was a pleasure to meet you Jeanniac. Heavens no you didn't stay too long. I was having so much fun watching your grandson with the puppies. Five or six hours might have set me back. I wish you the best of hatch rates. Let me know how they do. If there is any problems I will make it right with you. And thank you Frizzled and Jeanniac for the vote of confidence.



Ever thought about converting that old cement mixer into a chicken plucker? Just a thought.




Nice!

Before I forget. Wanted to know what your plans are for your pups? Are you going to sell any of them? If so let me know. A girl I work with is in the market for a puppy.

 

[michelleml]

Hi folks!
I'm new! I live in Kansas! I got a new job and need to find the chicken-lovers network in Salina!
Where ya'll at?

It was a pleasure to meet you Jeanniac. Heavens no you didn't stay too long. I was having so much fun watching your grandson with the puppies. Five or six hours might have set me back. I wish you the best of hatch rates. Let me know how they do. If there is any problems I will make it right with you. And thank you Frizzled and Jeanniac for the vote of confidence. Some day I hope to have the construction done and have the mess cleaned up. I got my feed shoveled off and came in here and made a quick post. Then went back outside and worked on the hoop coop. So here is the progress for the day. This is what I had done this morning when Jeanniac was here: I built this frame yesterday. 20' 3 inches long by 8 foot wide.


Here is what I did on the corners. I cut the cattle panel with a grinder to fit over the frame work, so some of the end would stick out. I plan to staple it to the wooden frame which will sit on the outside. Plumbers tape used to hold the panels. I used a ratcheting come along and pulled the panels up to size. One trick I did learn on this was to fasten the hooks of the ratchet up on the second level of horizontal wire so it doesn't get in the way of the frame work.


After I got the panel cut and in place I installed the first set of corner braces.



Then I installed one panel at a time down the sides. I will go out tomorrow and put a few more pieces of plumbers tape on the panels to make sure they are really secure. And I will finish wiring the individual panels together so they stay straight. One thing I did was use a pair of vice grips to hold the panels together while I wired them. It saved me a lot of holding and stretching.
This is the final end. I have one extra section left on the panels I will cut off when I am done. I also cut the bottom wire of the panels so I could go over my center brace as well. I added the brace to the original frame to keep everything straight and to give the frame work strength.







Tomorrow I hope to move this to it's permanent place after I finish the wiring and the extra plumbers tape. Then I will put the ends on it and maybe even start building the coop part. I actually only worked on it for about 3 and a half hours today, so it went really fast.
Then I had to hurry and feed everyone and got in the house just before dark. I am having some of this homemade bread hot out of the oven this evening with dinner. Yum!

Danz this looks nice. I would love to spend the day with you i could learn a ton

Welcome RosieMoe!
That is an awesome hoop coop! I wouldn't want you to see my hoop house, hahahahaha!
Busy, busy. Jorgie? Surgery? I must have missed something...

Phew, I am pooped and I need to get back to painting. SO many cupboards and this is only the start of the painting that needs to be done. I need to list some birds for sale tonight. It was so nice out today I painted cabinet doors outside on the saw horses which was awesome cause the breeze dried them really fast! DH sent me an email with a pic of an afghan that a client made for the baby, isn't that the sweetest thing? It is beautiful. I love homemade blankets. We have two now and I hope one becomes her favorite! She is quite the little busy baby but she must be running out of room at the inn because there is far less kicking and more rolling around. Last night she stuck her fist out right next to my belly button! Felt like I could be in a horror movie!!

Random pics I took today while out photographing birds for sale:
Calico cochin boy and his serama girlfriends
Lindsey are you selling them all or just him? Is that a frizzled i see also? how much are you asking and how many if you sell as a group?

Grey call duck washing herself, I am going to miss these silly little ducks



The sebbie gander in the front is one that I am going to be selling but what I love most about this pic is the awesome curly grey gander behind him! Look at those chest curls! Can't wait until he is old enough to breed next year, must find a good goose for him to go with!

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Josie--- did you say Serama???? How much? Or are you just selling the roo there, which by the way is stunning. I still think the offspring from them would be adorable.

 

[chicken danz]

David the pups are for sale now. Just put an add up on the Kansas Farm animal swap. I really need to get them moved fast. I need their space and they are eating way way too much!!
Nope I don't think I'll be using the cement mixer for a chicken plucker. I did just replace the motor on it for a better geared one last summer. I have used that cement mixer a million times and it is probably my most important tool. Setting fence posts; it makes just the right amount for a 2 foot hole. You can't imagine what all I've used it for. It's also been my all time best purchase. You can't buy anything comparable these days. Those cheap tinny things they have now don't hold a candle to this dinosaur. I paid $25 for this at least over 20 years ago as a used item from a friend. It has saved me thousands, not to mention hours and hours of having to hand mix cement. It does give me an idea though. The old electric motor I took off this things could be used for a plucker. I need to figure out where DH put it.
When I lived in town my neighbor borrowed my cement mixer every fall and shelled black walnuts in it. I was afraid it would stain it. But instead the walnuts cleaned out the inside and polished it up for me. So he got his work done and I got my mixer cleaned up once a year. I've even built sidewalks one square at a time with this. It's perfect for those smaller jobs you can't justify the expense of paying for a cement truck to come out.
But thanks so much for the ideas. That gives me another idea for a project. By the way I have been looking for an old metal washing machine tub if anyone has one in their junk. I have an old washer here but it has a plastic tub. I just don't think that would hold up to the work a plucker needs to do.
So for the record I was building this hoop coop on the back side of the barn where no one ever goes. As you can see it has become a graveyard of projects. That tractor belongs to a neighbor and DH was supposed to rebuild the starter in it. That has been about 3 years. The two cars were supposed to be combined to make one. The old truck is a bad buy DH made and he never got it running after spending a chunk on it. Of course my chicken projects have prevented any of this from getting done!

or so I am told.
Michelleml necessity is the mother of invention. I have always been a do it yourselfer. The longer I go, the more I learn how to do things and what to use to make the task easier. I'm certainly not a whiz bang know it all. Sometimes it takes a failure to figure out an easier way! I LOVE power tools and probably own more tools than most men do. I have a lot of "Duh!" moments for sure.
By the way, anyone who might be interested, there is going to be a 4-H benefit swap meet on Saturday April 6 at the Coffey county fairgrounds in Burlington. It will start at 9AM and end at 3PM. Sellers will be charged a $5 entry fee. The entry proceeds will go directly to the 4H club. Hopefully the kids and parents will also have a concession stand there as well.
All birds will require PT testing and must be in good health. I will be there doing PT testing at cost for those who don't have a current certificate.
Anyone who has birds they would like to sell please attend. This will be an opportunity for the kids to buy birds to show this year but also an opportunity for people to buy and sell birds for themselves.
I'd love to see this be a huge success for the kids sake but it also gives people a local swap to buy and sell.
Just a plug for this. The meeting was last night and the date just set so there will be more information in the future.