Downy chick I don't move my hoop coops. It would take a tractor and then be difficult. Mine have 5 panels each and are 20 feet long. I am building them larger so I can add more birds and save on lumber. After I get this double coop one done I am considering building another one right next to it with a shared frame on one side.
DH finally admitted that I could have probably built a nice building for the money I have spent on individual coops and pens. But then he still says it spread the expense out. He still doesn't get how much work it would save me to have one building. Someday I'll figure out how to pay for one!
jhammett what is a greatwall enclosure?
I saw on the weather last night that there were several tornados in the Wichita area but it didn't indicate if they touched down, if there was damage, injuries or anything. I do hope all of you are okay and haven't had any losses.
We only got rain and wind here. As I was out rushing around trying to put things up I wondered to myself if the chicken coops blew over and the pens got destroyed if they chickens would be afraid to go back to them.
I had a group of chickens who have trouble finding their way back to their coop at night and they cowered under a tree, but then when it rained really hard they couldn't figure out where to go. Needless to say they got a good major soaking. Maybe next time they'll figure out where they are supposed to go. I felt sorry for them but I wasn't going to go out and try to catch them in the pounding rain. I still didn't get my tools all picked up so they got soaked. I hope they'll be okay.
I worked on the hoop coop again late in the afternoon. I got one panel up on one wall. I asked DH to help me lift the plywood so then of course things slowed down. He was being critical of how the panels weren't perfectly round. He said one end was way off from the other. So then he measured it and it was like 1/2 inch off. Way closer than I would even expect. Since he isn't building these things he has no idea how hard it is to get 5 cattle panels all lined up perfectly. I really don't care myself as long as it doesn't look trashy. I'm hoping to get my doorway cut in the first panel then get the others up today. I haven't decided if I am putting a floor in these coops like I did the last one. I like the idea of the chickens having a nice elevated dry space rather than being on the dirt. I guess it will depend on what I can find in scraps that might work.
I got one of the double coops cleaned out yesterday and moved the Olandsk out to the empty side of the coop. One more breed separated.
I have three extra Swedish Flower Hen roosters. I haven't had any one show interest in buying them. So I am thinking I might butcher them. I hate to do that but I'm tired of feeding them. It won't be long before I have some other boys big enough to butcher. My mixed birds from Frank I got some time ago are almost big enough to butcher even though they are still pretty young. They aren't even crowing yet but they are going to be huge birds. I also have a lemon cuckoo roo that I need to sell. He is the one I am using to breed with now but my second batch of boys are bigger so I want to replace him. And then I have some extra Marans boys. I just need to set up a butchering day as bad as I hate to. I do wish I could put all the roosters together in a pen without them fighting. It would sure save me a lot of trouble.
DH finally admitted that I could have probably built a nice building for the money I have spent on individual coops and pens. But then he still says it spread the expense out. He still doesn't get how much work it would save me to have one building. Someday I'll figure out how to pay for one!
jhammett what is a greatwall enclosure?
I saw on the weather last night that there were several tornados in the Wichita area but it didn't indicate if they touched down, if there was damage, injuries or anything. I do hope all of you are okay and haven't had any losses.
We only got rain and wind here. As I was out rushing around trying to put things up I wondered to myself if the chicken coops blew over and the pens got destroyed if they chickens would be afraid to go back to them.
I had a group of chickens who have trouble finding their way back to their coop at night and they cowered under a tree, but then when it rained really hard they couldn't figure out where to go. Needless to say they got a good major soaking. Maybe next time they'll figure out where they are supposed to go. I felt sorry for them but I wasn't going to go out and try to catch them in the pounding rain. I still didn't get my tools all picked up so they got soaked. I hope they'll be okay.
I worked on the hoop coop again late in the afternoon. I got one panel up on one wall. I asked DH to help me lift the plywood so then of course things slowed down. He was being critical of how the panels weren't perfectly round. He said one end was way off from the other. So then he measured it and it was like 1/2 inch off. Way closer than I would even expect. Since he isn't building these things he has no idea how hard it is to get 5 cattle panels all lined up perfectly. I really don't care myself as long as it doesn't look trashy. I'm hoping to get my doorway cut in the first panel then get the others up today. I haven't decided if I am putting a floor in these coops like I did the last one. I like the idea of the chickens having a nice elevated dry space rather than being on the dirt. I guess it will depend on what I can find in scraps that might work.
I got one of the double coops cleaned out yesterday and moved the Olandsk out to the empty side of the coop. One more breed separated.
I have three extra Swedish Flower Hen roosters. I haven't had any one show interest in buying them. So I am thinking I might butcher them. I hate to do that but I'm tired of feeding them. It won't be long before I have some other boys big enough to butcher. My mixed birds from Frank I got some time ago are almost big enough to butcher even though they are still pretty young. They aren't even crowing yet but they are going to be huge birds. I also have a lemon cuckoo roo that I need to sell. He is the one I am using to breed with now but my second batch of boys are bigger so I want to replace him. And then I have some extra Marans boys. I just need to set up a butchering day as bad as I hate to. I do wish I could put all the roosters together in a pen without them fighting. It would sure save me a lot of trouble.