DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[mom of silkies]

Zip ties or pipe cleaners work great for attaching hardware cloth. I made a few of these when I had to transport some birds.

Q? Is it sturdy enough with Zippy ties to keep a cat out? (I have a cat where the chicks are going to be) Also, I use those all the time and they have plenty of ventilation without cutting holes. But I keep mine in the house with A/C for the first week or so, so I guess I understand if they were in a car or indoors while being transported. Great idea by the way!

 

[Star2014]

I'll be making a PVC feeder. Not exactly orginal but its only about $25. and also would probably be more efficient. I'll post a couple pictures when it's done.

 

[Eliza1313]

Quote:
Ventilation is needed to keep their lungs from being damaged by the break down of their waste into ammonia. The zip ties are plenty strong enough to keep the wire attached to the lid of the container, I would not use the pipe cleaners if you are trying to keep a cat out. I would be more concerned with the cat being able to pop the lid open and off of the container, than getting the wire loose from zip ties. In that case I would use a container with the latches on the sides, fair warning a determined cat can still figure out how to unlatch the lid. If you think the cat will figure it out then drill small holes through the lid into the lip of the container and use something to secure it, such as a spring clip (what is on a dog leash).

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Those zip ties take wire cutters to break.... cat cant get in.... But the reason for the ventilation is those chicks put off a lot of humidity.... alot... between Poopin and breathing. as well as their waterer... humidity is not good for baby chicks... especially when it turns into ammonia.

Not sure what the slit on the side of the tub is but that would definately be cat arm access....

Last time I tried brooding chicks in a tub things did not go well... But I had forty in the BIGGEST tub I could find. I used a big piece of hardware cloth with a one by one frame..... Pleanty of ventialation right? Not when the silly buggers kicked shavings up into the waterer and it ALL Wicked out and into the bottom of the tub and in the shavings....

So for one or two or five tubs a great idea.... But my next batch is going to be raised on plastic coated Wire. Of course my next batch will be more than forty chicks... or in my case Keets. and outside.

deb

 

[mom of silkies]

Quote: Thank you! That is a great idea! I will definitely put snaps on it!

 

[mom of silkies]

Those zip ties take wire cutters to break.... cat cant get in.... But the reason for the ventilation is those chicks put off a lot of humidity.... alot... between Poopin and breathing. as well as their waterer... humidity is not good for baby chicks... especially when it turns into ammonia.

Not sure what the slit on the side of the tub is but that would definately be cat arm access....

Last time I tried brooding chicks in a tub things did not go well... But I had forty in the BIGGEST tub I could find. I used a big piece of hardware cloth with a one by one frame..... Pleanty of ventialation right? Not when the silly buggers kicked shavings up into the waterer and it ALL Wicked out and into the bottom of the tub and in the shavings....

So for one or two or five tubs a great idea.... But my next batch is going to be raised on plastic coated Wire. Of course my next batch will be more than forty chicks... or in my case Keets. and outside.

deb

Yeah, lol it is cat arm access! I've had pretty good luck brooding in "tubs" but I need a lid so my cat can't hurt my chicks.

 

[bruceha2000]

Q? Is it sturdy enough with Zippy ties to keep a cat out? (I have a cat where the chicks are going to be) Also, I use those all the time and they have plenty of ventilation without cutting holes. But I keep mine in the house with A/C for the first week or so, so I guess I understand if they were in a car or indoors while being transported. Great idea by the way!

Um, A/C the first week? How hot is it where you live? I have learned by watching my 7 new chicks (now 6 weeks old) being raised by a broody hen out in the coop they don't need anywhere NEAR the constant 90F- 95F that "they say" you NEED but A/C? I'm guessing you don't have it set in the high 80's.

 

[dpenning]

Um, A/C the first week? How hot is it where you live? I have learned by watching my 7 new chicks (now 6 weeks old) being raised by a broody hen out in the coop they don't need anywhere NEAR the constant 90F- 95F that "they say" you NEED but A/C? I'm guessing you don't have it set in the high 80's.

I'm guessing they are in the house for the first week and the AC is for the people. That being said, we have been having a string of 100* days here, my chicks have had a fan in the door of the coop to create airflow so that could be considered AC for chickens.

 

[mom of silkies]

Um, A/C the first week? How hot is it where you live? I have learned by watching my 7 new chicks (now 6 weeks old) being raised by a broody hen out in the coop they don't need anywhere NEAR the constant 90F- 95F that "they say" you NEED but A/C? I'm guessing you don't have it set in the high 80's.

No, my A/C is around 73F in my house but the chicks also have a heat lamp.

I'm guessing they are in the house for the first week and the AC is for the people. That being said, we have been having a string of 100* days here, my chicks have had a fan in the door of the coop to create airflow so that could be considered AC for chickens.

And yes, the A/C is for the people, lol And it's around 90F here lately.

 

[ceubel]

Hawk Shield!!! After having several deadly incidents, involving either red-tail hawks, owls, or falcons with my chickens, I decided I could no longer let my chickens free range without patrolling right by their sides. Working and other time commitments made this impossible except occasionally on the weekends. This swayed me to build a rectangular fence around the coop last spring; that way they can stretch their wings and dig in the grass all day without me worrying about them getting into danger's way (but I lock them away in the coop&run each night however).
The fence allowed protection from gorund-predators but didn't provide a solution for the real problem, the predators from the sky. This gave me an idea to create a fishing line-webbing atop each fence post, spanning above the coop and across the whole fence-pin. My design required two 10 feet beams placed generally centered in the pin and equally distant from each side of the fence. Each 6 ft post holding up the fence has an eye hook drilled into the top allowing strong Spiderwire fishing line to be attached from the tops of each post to both center posts.



It has been up 6 months and I haven't had a single bird-predator problem since. The web of green, braided fishing line forms a criss-cross pattern overhead and doesn't give the hawks access to the chickens on the ground if it were diving from the tree tops overhanging the coop. Now I can leave my chickens out all day without worry. The only problem I have encountered so far is falling limbs from the shadowing canopy tearing threw and breaking the wires on their way down. Therefore the only maintenance of this design requires replacing broken lines a few times a year.