Eastern Tennessee Thread

[grawg]

OK, this is my first project of the summer. DH got involved to it turned out to be a lot more elaborate than I originally planned. He's still planning on adding trim pieced and removable winter covers for the ventilation.

My backup boys used to be kept in a dog kennel that I divided with chicken wire. I had plastic dog houses for them to escape the elements and had a tarp thrown over the tarp. It was really hard to get in to feed and water and it looked awful. I called it Rooster Shanty Town. This is what we have now...





Now I have a pen for each of my three backup boys plus an extra for broodies, isolation, time out, or growing out.

Stang, your pair is in the second from the left pen and are nice and secure. So, there's no rush now for you to meet me on this end...

Wow nice job. Did you use hardware cloth for the floors? I must say if I ever get chickens I'd have to look into a similar design for a coop.

 

[tennesseeckn]

Inside of the runs is just plain old ground. The hardware cloth is on the outside and extends about 18" to keep diggers out. It's anchored with lawn staples and we've got dirt to cover it... eventually.

This is our third coop. We're getting pretty quick, now. It took us two weeks to build. It would have just taken one but I had to keep breaking to shuttle my kids to and from basketball, soccer, and volleyball camps.

I think we should start having "coop raisings" in addition to the picnics. I really enjoy taking my frustrations out with power tools.

I'm definitely not an expert. This was one of the first things I did when I started the run. Framing is not a one man job!





C'mon, Grawg. Go ahead and switch from the duck side to the cluck side.

 

[bairo]

C'mon, Grawg. Go ahead and switch from the duck side to the cluck side.

Nice job!!!! And yes Grawg...you need at least ONE pair of hens. Wait till you see how much they "do not like making mud pies" like the ducks.

Tennessee; I noticed the tyvec in the back ground too. Are you guys doing an addition on the house as well? I wish I had your DH's energy

 

[bairo]

I just ordered a bunch of these to try from a different supplier. If they are up to snuff I can order 500 at a time and have them for anyone that wants them for less than half of what avian aqua miser charges (which is ridiculous)

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/diywaterers/

 

[grawg]

Nice job!!!! And yes Grawg...you need at least ONE pair of hens. Wait till you see how much they "do not like making mud pies" like the ducks.

Tennessee; I noticed the tyvec in the back ground too. Are you guys doing an addition on the house as well? I wish I had your DH's energy

NEVER!!! and besides, I've got 18 in the incubator about 4 days away.


And on that note I could use some advice for a first timer. I just noticed two eggs have holes cracked in them. That would be pipping? Does this mean I need to go in to lockdown and stop turning them?

Also I should take them out of the half egg carton and lay them on their sides correct?

 

[bairo]

yes and yes...

Congrats
Your temp. may have been averaging a degree warm if they are pipping a few days early. You pipping usually starts 21 days minus 12 hours (in a perfect world)
I.E. I usually set eggs late on Saturday night so I can deal with hatching 3 saturdays later in the AM. so I have all day to deal with any problems that come up.

Im getting the incubator bug big time...but need to wait another few weeks so my other EE's are laying fertile eggs.

 

[tattoodchickn13]

Hello I'm from Sevierville and I'm trying to improve my flock by adding in some heritage breeds,spice it up a little. So if anyone could help me out that would be great. If not i guess I'm waiting for the county fair.

 

[Contrastphoto]

Hello I'm from Sevierville and I'm trying to improve my flock by adding in some heritage breeds,spice it up a little. So if anyone could help me out that would be great. If not i guess I'm waiting for the county fair.

I am located in Gatlinburg! I don't have a whole lot of heritage birds here but I do have a rare breed, Swedish Flower Hens. (I guess they might be heritage birds if you are from Sweden.

) I am selling hatching eggs and chicks right now. If you tell us what breeds you are looking for, we might be able to help better. All of us have our favorites or might be able to point you in the right direction!

 

[grawg]

yes and yes...

Congrats
Your temp. may have been averaging a degree warm if they are pipping a few days early. You pipping usually starts 21 days minus 12 hours (in a perfect world)
I.E. I usually set eggs late on Saturday night so I can deal with hatching 3 saturdays later in the AM. so I have all day to deal with any problems that come up.

Im getting the incubator bug big time...but need to wait another few weeks so my other EE's are laying fertile eggs.

Ok thanks. Duck eggs are supposed to be 28 days and I was thinking that would be this Thursday or Friday.

I'm not sure this gave me any kind of "bug" to catch. After all the turning and worrying about temp and humidity, I'd rather give the eggs to someone else and get a call 4 weeks later

 

[amenfarm]

bairo, i would like enough to do two buckets-- how much and do you order or me??
Does not look good coming to the picnic, our friends will be leaving that day going back to Michigan. Need cloning--just for the day...
I seem to have finially gotten the bumble-foot problem almost over, penny barely has a spot on one foot and Penelope's wounds are much smaller. The tricide-neo daily soaks have made a HUGE difference. Also, changing to everyday penC shots has change the course for the better.