Conversion of "3 sides totally open" aviary to a "good for chickens" coop.

[paneubert]

I think slime mold is smooth from the get go......hard to say what it is, so many different kinds. Pretty cool tho!

Yeah. I wonder how long it has been growing. Can't be long at all since I walk past the pile multiple times per day and this is a bright yellow. While it seems fast, I would not be that surprised if this bloomed overnight. We did have a bit of rain about 24 hours ago after a long stretch of dry weather. May have triggered the bloom.

 

[paneubert]

Actually.....some Googling makes me think it IS a slime mold.

The interestingly named "Dog Vomit Slime Mold".

https://wimastergardener.org/article/dog-vomit-slime-mold-fuligo-septica/

"Many people get quite concerned when a whitish to bright yellow or orange patch that looks like a dog threw up suddenly appears seemingly out of nowhere on the ground. With the apt common name of dog vomit slime mold (or less accurately dog vomit fungus) the species Fuligo septica, with a worldwide distribution, is one of nature’s interesting oddities."

Image Search: https://www.google.com/search?q=Fuligo+septica&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilhpe4s7nhAhWhFjQIHfTGBe4Q_AUIDigB&biw=1917&bih=942

 

[aart]

While it seems fast

Lives and dies fast.

 

[paneubert]

This is nuts! Someone rang my video doorbell, so I tool a look to see who was at the door. Mail lady. But check out the bright yellow on the mulch pile! That stuff is cool.

 

[paneubert]

Chickens approve of the old wooden ladder.

 

[paneubert]

Since they have a habit of roosting on the edge of the nest box (pooping all over a 2 by 4 that is just inside and below the front lip), I decided it was time to be mean and block it off. Added the floor into the nest box and then cardboarded up the front. They were all out in the run and now are refusing to come inside. Haha. Hoping they start to roost up where they are supposed to. I have seen our one inquisitive white bird do it, but no others. And the white bird only got as brave as roosting on the poop board frame. Nobody has roosted on the actual roosts yet.

 

[aart]

I just put them up there, both during the day and after dark at night.
They kind of freak out but it sparks their curiosity.
Sprinkle some chick sized scratch grains on the ramp.
Ramp might be too steep, cleats too large in size and and spacing?
But they'll figure it out in time.

 

[paneubert]

I just put them up there, both during the day and after dark at night.
They kind of freak out but it sparks their curiosity.
Sprinkle some chick sized scratch grains on the ramp.
Ramp might be too steep, cleats too large in size and and spacing?
But they'll figure it out in time.

I might put them up there tonight if they don't get super wild on me. When they were tiny and I tried to get them to sleep under the heat plate, they scattered on me and it was nuts. Not worth stressing them out. If I stick them on the roost tonight, first step will be cutting off their access to the heat lamp so that they can't see. Haha.

Just did the math and they are a day or two over 6 weeks old. All look feathered. Taking away their lamp won't be a problem.

Ramp seems to be ok. I have seen them hop up and down it a couple times, and have caught a couple of them walking along the poop board frame. But the only one to take a nap up there has been the white bird.

 

[paneubert]

Last night was fun. I was determined to stick them all on the roosts, even if they then jumped down right away. Took some mental and physical gymnastics, grabbing of some legs, maybe some tail feathers....and a small rake. Ha! But I got them all up there at one time.

They all protested vocally, but stayed on the roosts for a while. The deal I made them was that I put the heat lamp up there. I checked the camera after heading back inside to get ready for bed, and it seems most stated up there for about 30 minutes. Then we lost a few into the dark of the lower part of the coop. This morning at first light I counted 6 of 10 up there. Pop door opened and they all ran outside. As of when I got to work, 2 had gone back up to take a nap. So we are making progress.

These are the nappers.

 

[Relleoms]

Last night was fun. I was determined to stick them all on the roosts, even if they then jumped down right away. Took some mental and physical gymnastics, grabbing of some legs, maybe some tail feathers....and a small rake. Ha! But I got them all up there at one time.

They all protested vocally, but stayed on the roosts for a while. The deal I made them was that I put the heat lamp up there. I checked the camera after heading back inside to get ready for bed, and it seems most stated up there for about 30 minutes. Then we lost a few into the dark of the lower part of the coop. This morning at first light I counted 6 of 10 up there. Pop door opened and they all ran outside. As of when I got to work, 2 had gone back up to take a nap. So we are making progress.

These are the nappers.

What camera are you using? I’d like to add one to our coop.