Coop's coming along - slowly - LOTS o' new pics on page 3

[Pineywoods Peepers]

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Well, I've spent an hour sitting in the coop with them. It'll probably be the only time I can sit in the shavings without having to worry about chicken poop getting all over me.

So far they really seem to be enjoying it. I put a little mini roost in the coop, but, of course, when I checked on them an hour ago they were all roosting on the platform I put their water and food on to keep shavings from getting in them. sheesh.

Thanks, drumstick and Jenny!

Rachel

 

[joebryant]

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That won't be a problem if you're using food-grade diatomaceous earth. Just sprinkle it on the wood chips in the dropping pan and on the floor's wood chips.

 

[Pineywoods Peepers]

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My folks rave about DE. I'm hoping I can find someone locally who carries it.

Rachel

 

[rainierlass]

Great looking coop!!! Love it and am sure your girls do too!

I use the deep litter method and use Stall-dri - it is available at most feed stores - it is a mixture of DE and clay - seems to work well for me and much cheaper!

 

[Pineywoods Peepers]

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I checked at Tractor Supply, but they weren't carrying Stall-Dri anymore. All they had was Sweet PDZ, but I didn't know what the ingredients in it were, so I didn't buy it. Guess I'll check around at the other local feed stores to see if they carry the other.

 

[Pineywoods Peepers]

Last week my wonderful husband got water piped to the chicken house. He rented a trencher and dug lines to go to the barn/storage shed and then over to the chicken house. I now have a spigot on the outside of the chicken house I can use to fill waterers and wading pans! Hopefully soon he'll be able to get back in there build my counters and shelves and hook up the indoor plumbing which will consist of a small sink and faucet I can use to fill and clean water bottles, food bowls, etc.

While we were running plumbing to the building we went ahead and ran power to it as well. Tonight my brother finished hooking up the lights. yeehaw!!

After the girls put themselves up for the night, I went in to check on them, trusty flashlight in hand. As I peered at them through the narrow beam of the flashlight, I could see they were huddled up in the corner ready for a good night's sleep. (They're not roosting yet) Then I remembered I didn't need the flashlight because I had P-O-W-E-R!

When I flipped on the light, the chicken house lit up like the Las Vegas strip exposing 23 very confused and groggy peepers. They sat in a stupor for a few seconds, then they roused up and headed to the feed bowl and water in the coop. I needed to top off the indoor feeder so I grabbed it and did so. After I put the feeder back in with them, I told the peeps goodnight, turned off the light, and headed out the door. Their indignant protests that I'd turned the lights out on them filled the evening air as I headed back inside.

Those chicks make me smile all the time.

Rachel