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

[rojororeo]

The cap on top of the jug makes it an air-tight waterer...like the ones at TSC and other places. The plug is to keep it from spilling out as you fill the jug and carry it out to your birds. When you put it in the pan (or heated dog bowl, if it's big enough) you unscrew the plug and the water comes out only up to the level of the hole. (Because the cap is on and it's airtight.) I had to take the plug completely out of the hole, because the fit is so tight the water just trickles out...it was too slow for me. I wanted to be sure it would stop at the level of the top of the hole. And it did.

Thanks MLowen, that is what I was thinking, but wasn't sure. And if the lid is taken off to help the trickle grow, it messes up the pressure aspect of preventing too much from filling up the pan, correct?
I do like the idea of putting something like that in the dog bowl, full of hot water... one would think it would be safe, right? I could even elevate the bottle on a brick, if there is a plastic on plastic heat issue. And I could even bring a heated brick every evening/morning from in the oven inside.. ha I could go on! lol (am mostly kidding about the heated brick. Can't imagine that is safe for the plastic dog bowl.)
Thanks!

 

[Black wallnut]

Some pics of what I have:

First up is what has turned out to be a waste of wood. My chickens prefer to roost in the rafters.



One of my built-in feeders:



Two other built-in feeders, close one is for oyster shells sized to hold a whole 50# bag, far one for crumbles:



One of my RIR:

 

[jimmywalt]

For the question on using chicken wire on the bottom of the tractor to try to prevent deep scratching- was your concern about moving it WITH chickens still in it? If so, what about making a rectangle frame with chicken wire to 'fit' the tractor on top of when moved? Place the chicken wire frame where you want the tractor moved to. Pull tractor over to it and just lift (slide) a corner at a time over onto the frame until it rests in it. A piece of looped rope on each corner would make it easy to handle and tractor would only have to be lifted as high as the edge of frame. I haven't made any tractors yet and looks can be deceiving but yours looks like it isn't very heavy. Hope I didn't sound too confusing

PERFECT idea!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!! I would have never thought about that, but it should work just fine and I think it would work great too!!!!

That might be my project for the coming spring. With winter coming soon no need to build it right now. That was a great idea.

 

[rojororeo]

So here is a makeshift 'invention' I came up with.
Someone on here posted a nifty bowl holder made of 4 pieces of wood to set to bowl in to prevent tippage. Well, I tried to make that, and couldn't get the darn nails in the wood without bending them, so I gave up until my husband can do it (yes it could be screwed, but he gets annoyed that I use screws for everything in my desire to avoid hammering, lol).
My replacement idea currently- I stuck a big rock in the middle of the bowl and poured the food around/on the rock. We shall see how that works, but since up here in eastern WA, we seem to all breed rocks in our pastures (shh, don't tell the gov'mnt, we might get taxed!! lol), I have *plenty* of rocks to use!
Anyhoo, my 1/2 a penny's worth of an idea!

 

[perchie.girl]

So here is a makeshift 'invention' I came up with.
Someone on here posted a nifty bowl holder made of 4 pieces of wood to set to bowl in to prevent tippage. Well, I tried to make that, and couldn't get the darn nails in the wood without bending them, so I gave up until my husband can do it (yes it could be screwed, but he gets annoyed that I use screws for everything in my desire to avoid hammering, lol).
My replacement idea currently- I stuck a big rock in the middle of the bowl and poured the food around/on the rock. We shall see how that works, but since up here in eastern WA, we seem to all breed rocks in our pastures (shh, don't tell the gov'mnt, we might get taxed!! lol), I have *plenty* of rocks to use!
Anyhoo, my 1/2 a penny's worth of an idea!

Hay a rock works.

BTW I use a couple of quick nails to Hold stuff in place but then I use screws to hold it for ever. ON small projects I dont bother with the nails. I got tired of going through stuff I built over time and having to pound the nails back in. then I discovered first Dry wall screws then deck screws. No pre-drilling Just screw it all together. Plus you have less of a chance for splitting the wood.

deb

 

[Chickensmart.com]

Great idea! I used bird netting - but it's awful it collects leaves and sticks and then gets weighted down. This looks like a great solution

 

[aart]

Hay a rock works.

BTW I use a couple of quick nails to Hold stuff in place but then I use screws to hold it for ever. ON small projects I dont bother with the nails. I got tired of going through stuff I built over time and having to pound the nails back in. then I discovered first Dry wall screws then deck screws. No pre-drilling Just screw it all together. Plus you have less of a chance for splitting the wood.

deb

I use drywall and deck screws for almost everything I build....have for years.

You can still drill a pilot hole if it's necessary on thinner wood to prevent cracking.
If the longer ones are a bit hard to drive or you're using old wood, try scraping the screw over a small chunk of beeswax a few times before driving.

 

[AK Baha]

I use drywall and deck screws for almost everything I build....have for years.

You can still drill a pilot hole if it's necessary on thinner wood to prevent cracking.
If the longer ones are a bit hard to drive or you're using old wood, try scraping the screw over a small chunk of beeswax a few times before driving.

A bar of soap works also.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I definately use pilot holes where necessary.... Sometimes washers for back up.... On thin stuff. Good to know about the wax.... Thanks.

deb

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I definately use pilot holes where necessary....  Sometimes washers for back up....  On thin stuff.   Good to know about the wax....  Thanks.
 
deb

Same principle as running a needle through your hair (if you haven't just washed it) and it will go through fabric very easily after that.