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

[LaurelC]

That is crazy! I don't know how impressed mine would be with them. Their favorite past time is digging in the pinestraw or dirt in their yard so tehy can sun themselves. Maybe in winter when they can't dig, then they might like the toys... But I am definitely going to try it! I saw online, someone took a soda bottle- hose weird round ones like the Christmas Coke bottles?- they took one of those and turned it into a roll around treat dispenser. That I think my birds might like and plan to also try one of these days. We don't drink soda, so I am trying to find something else instead since I keep forgetting to buy one of those drinks

If it worked anything like a standard dog treat dispenser, I used a juice bottle and cut holes in it, then stuck dog treats inside for my dogs and it worked beautifully. I imagine any type of juice container (extra points for a large opening) with some holes drilled and somethign like black sunflower seeds inside would be great fun for them.

 

[rojororeo]

If it worked anything like a standard dog treat dispenser, I used a juice bottle and cut holes in it, then stuck dog treats inside for my dogs and it worked beautifully. I imagine any type of juice container (extra points for a large opening) with some holes drilled and somethign like black sunflower seeds inside would be great fun for them.

Yep, this is exactly what I want to make them! I was just commenting that I did't think the cat balls with no treats would do anything for them.. they seem to only work for food, lol.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Love the cat toys!! Also the movable green feeder. I'm doing the same for the 2nd year with old window screens.

 

[1stACT]

Not so much of an invention, more like a repurpose... I have an old covered cat litter box which is graciously used as an outside nest box. More often than not, they prefer it to their coop nest box.

 

[PheasantsFirst]

I recently built an addition to my coop. Inorder to do this I had to remove my external nest boxes that leaked. I figured that going from 3 to two nest boxes will be okay because that is all then hens ever use. And to save space I put one over the other. Has anyone else done this?

 

[Sirracha]

Not sure if this has been done or not but here it goes. Over the winter months I had to close all the windows in my coop to help keep my girls warm at night. The only problem was that it was to dark inside when they went to roost. They would end up roosting on the floor, in there nesting boxes, on top of the feeder just about anywhere they could. I didn't have any power in my coop, and really didn't want to add any more lighting that I had to. So I came up with the ideal to make me chicken night light using Solar power. And make it as reliable and cost effective as possible. And this is what I didn't.

Took one of those 99¢ solar lights you find at Walmart.

Removed the top, and unscrewed the cover exposing the wiring.

Cut me about a foot long piece of wire(I used a old phone charger wire. Then CAREFULLY cutting and stripping back the red and yellow wiring to solar panel
Then added my extension to light end.

Then I installed my light inside my coop, ran wires outside, attached my solar panels and place panel on top of coop.

Now I have just enough light to enable the girls to get up on there roost, yet not to much that it'll change there laying habits.

I did the same thing only I got mine from te dollar store and drilled a round hole into the top corner of te coop and just shoved the light without the stick into it.

 

[colburg]

A while back I saw something in this thread that sparked an idea ... it was a PVC feeder set in cement blocks ... so simple and functional I knew that's what I should do for my fermented feed troughs. But I tweaked it a little ... I added a handle so I can pick it up in one hand.

I just left a little circle of PVC in the very middle of each 4' trough. I sanded everything smooth so it doesn't snag combs or wattles and is comfortable to carry.

Here is a crummy photo taken through the side of my coop. It stays pretty clean and nobody roosts in or on it. The blocks put it at a pretty good height.

So simple yet ingenious. Now I need you to tell me how to uncut my PVC feeder so I can have a cool built in handle too.

My next PVC feeders for the meat chickens will have handles thanks to you.

colburg

 

[Angelicisi]

I use crates often. Even with many nest boxes available they'll often use the same one and wait in line lol

I recently built an addition to my coop. Inorder to do this I had to remove my external nest boxes that leaked. I figured that going from 3 to two nest boxes will be okay because that is all then hens ever use. And to save space I put one over the other. Has anyone else done this?

 

[jimmywalt]

I use crates often. Even with many nest boxes available they'll often use the same one and wait in line lol

So they actually jump up into the crate? I was going to use those in my new coop but sit them on the side so they could just walk in. I'm not sure which way to put them now.

 

[fortyfivefarm]

So they actually jump up into the crate? I was going to use those in my new coop but sit them on the side so they could just walk in. I'm not sure which way to put them now.

I use crates for some of my lighter birds. The problem I found with some of the larger, lard-butt girls is that they jump on the edge of the crate & tip it over.