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

[Minflick]

I had quarter inch mesh, and it got clogged too fast for me. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to cleaning up the coop floor, and the smaller mesh didn't let anything through, so the wood shavings from the nesting boxes, and the feathers, just sat on top of the wire mesh and blocked the loose PDZ from getting through. The half inch mesh, for me, works better. If I scooped more often I might be able to use the smaller mesh, but I don't, so this works for me.

I will see if I can get out later today and take a picture.

 

[aart]

I had quarter inch mesh, and it got clogged too fast for me. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to cleaning up the coop floor, and the smaller mesh didn't let anything through, so the wood shavings from the nesting boxes, and the feathers, just sat on top of the wire mesh and blocked the loose PDZ from getting through. The half inch mesh, for me, works better. If I scooped more often I might be able to use the smaller mesh, but I don't, so this works for me.

I will see if I can get out later today and take a picture.

Wood shavings were not previously mentioned........I only sift poops out of sand/PDZ mix on the roost boards, rarely any other other 'bedding' on there.
I don't even try to clean poops out of shavings on floor.

 

[Minflick]

I know! I wouldn't BE sifting wood shavings if I had my 'druthers, but my lovely messy birds being what they are, my coop floor is a mix of PDZ and shavings kicked out of the nesting boxes, and giant poops from my girls. I had a poop 'hammock' that they broke, and now they poop directly on the floor...I will eventually get another poop board made, and re-do the roost, and modify the nesting boxes to try to keep the shavings IN the box where they belong, but at the moment, it is what it is.

On the other hand, my pipe feeder is doing extremely well, with very little mess, and very little stoppage due to moisture in the tubes. I'm happy with it. They pled starvation this past week, so I went in to refill the feeder, only to find it NOT EMPTY, I think they just didn't like the Purina Organic I got at Tractor Supply. They're used to King brand pellets, and crowded around when I refilled the feeder yesterday, demanding the Real Stuff... Feeder is 6" ABS, with 2 uprights with caps, 2 90 degree bends, and a horizontal pipe maybe 14" across with 3-2" holes drilled in. The pipe is fat enough that any moisture that gets in isn't so bad that it can stop up the vertical pipe, and the horizontal pipe, also 6" diameter, is tall enough that they just can't bill out any food, no matter how hard they try. The feeder was a huge PITA to fill, but I ended up getting an oil funnel at the car place, sawing off most of the tiny end, and now my big scoop just about perfectly channels food into the funnel, which nicely aims food INTO the upright pipe, not sending it all over the floor like my previous iteration of funnel did. The feeder is held up off the floor with 2 small shelf brackets which work fine, and 2 tiny bungee cords going from a screw hole, around the ABS, back to the screw hole. I have some plastic plumbers tape that I'm going to replace the bungee cords with, but really, for now, the bungee cords hold the feeder up on the brackets quite nicely for me. When the girls were smaller, I had a big cement block in front of the feeder so they could reach in, but now they just stretch up from the floor to eat.

 

[aart]

I know! I wouldn't BE sifting wood shavings if I had my 'druthers, but my lovely messy birds being what they are, my coop floor is a mix of PDZ and shavings kicked out of the nesting boxes, and giant poops from my girls. I had a poop 'hammock' that they broke, and now they poop directly on the floor...I will eventually get another poop board made, and re-do the roost, and modify the nesting boxes to try to keep the shavings IN the box where they belong, but at the moment, it is what it is.

On the other hand, my pipe feeder is doing extremely well, with very little mess, and very little stoppage due to moisture in the tubes. I'm happy with it. They pled starvation this past week, so I went in to refill the feeder, only to find it NOT EMPTY, I think they just didn't like the Purina Organic I got at Tractor Supply. They're used to King brand pellets, and crowded around when I refilled the feeder yesterday, demanding the Real Stuff... Feeder is 6" ABS, with 2 uprights with caps, 2 90 degree bends, and a horizontal pipe maybe 14" across with 3-2" holes drilled in. The pipe is fat enough that any moisture that gets in isn't so bad that it can stop up the vertical pipe, and the horizontal pipe, also 6" diameter, is tall enough that they just can't bill out any food, no matter how hard they try. The feeder was a huge PITA to fill, but I ended up getting an oil funnel at the car place, sawing off most of the tiny end, and now my big scoop just about perfectly channels food into the funnel, which nicely aims food INTO the upright pipe, not sending it all over the floor like my previous iteration of funnel did. The feeder is held up off the floor with 2 small shelf brackets which work fine, and 2 tiny bungee cords going from a screw hole, around the ABS, back to the screw hole. I have some plastic plumbers tape that I'm going to replace the bungee cords with, but really, for now, the bungee cords hold the feeder up on the brackets quite nicely for me. When the girls were smaller, I had a big cement block in front of the feeder so they could reach in, but now they just stretch up from the floor to eat.

Pic of feeder?

 

[Minflick]

Looking oh so spotless this day!

I need to make many modifications to my coop for one reason or another, but I got this feeder idea off this forum, and it has worked beautifully for me.

 

[flocking nuts]

Automatic waterer And an important step... toad proof the toilet valve.

!!!!! I love it. I've been bouncing around how to use toilet innards for a few days. I hadn't thought of it like that. @Eznet2u thanks for starting the thread. Lol@ not googling reefer forums. Great laugh and info with my morning tea

 

[perchie.girl]

I know! I wouldn't BE sifting wood shavings if I had my 'druthers, but my lovely messy birds being what they are, my coop floor is a mix of PDZ and shavings kicked out of the nesting boxes, and giant poops from my girls. I had a poop 'hammock' that they broke, and now they poop directly on the floor...I will eventually get another poop board made, and re-do the roost, and modify the nesting boxes to try to keep the shavings IN the box where they belong, but at the moment, it is what it is.

.....

You can use sand or PDZ in the nest boxes..... eliminate shavings all together. Or Rice hulls throughout..... they are fine enough to sift.

Poop hammock is on my list of wants for my next build. I use rice hulls when I can get them and dont scoop.... Just add more. They break down a bit slower than shavings and are naturally water proof so even when it rains and my coop floors get soaked the top stays pretty dry. look up Mallard Creek bedding..... They are a California based company. Rice hulls are not available in all states unfortunately ....

deb

 

[Minflick]

If you make the poop hammock, make SURE the side bars are up to the birds weight. I think I had 1" doweling that I thought was good and solid, but on closer inspection after the first break, it was short lengths that were nicely spliced together. With pretty much NO structural integrity... I have no idea what the intended purpose was, but it didn't work at all for my hammock.

I've seen 2 kinds of support on here - 1 had the supports on the short ends, and the other had the support on the long sides, (like mine) Darling girls decided that they'd bounce off the 2x4 roost onto the doweling, and just snapped the daylights out of it. It's long gone. Waste of time and money for me... Bad design on my part, yes, but frustrating. It was nice having a cleaner floor than I now do.

 

[perchie.girl]

If you make the poop hammock, make SURE the side bars are up to the birds weight. I think I had 1" doweling that I thought was good and solid, but on closer inspection after the first break, it was short lengths that were nicely spliced together. With pretty much NO structural integrity... I have no idea what the intended purpose was, but it didn't work at all for my hammock.

I've seen 2 kinds of support on here - 1 had the supports on the short ends, and the other had the support on the long sides, (like mine) Darling girls decided that they'd bounce off the 2x4 roost onto the doweling, and just snapped the daylights out of it. It's long gone. Waste of time and money for me... Bad design on my part, yes, but frustrating. It was nice having a cleaner floor than I now do.

If I use doweling it will be Closet rod... which is up to the weight... but I am toying with the idea of Just using canvas with clips on it. I recognized the possibility of chickens trying to walk on the edge.... or in the hammock.




deb

 

[scottcaddy]

My chickens will roost/jump/walk/fight over anything in their area. I learned the hard way not to raise the bird netting on top of a walkin run so a sunshade tarp can drain. Those hens started roosting on the 2x2 cross supports and busted one.
That was a fun afternoon.
Scott