Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[suncatcher]

I came across this today, a passive solar heating panel for your chicken coop. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/237353842834285196/

 

[suncatcher]

Wonder if this really works!! lol http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...c-coop-door-contest-winners-zw0z0113zbla.aspx

 

[Rhinoman]

Yep I think you're right. That's probably what I ought to do. Axe all my rare birds. Doesn't matter if I don't want any other kind or that good ones are extremely rare, I just need to make it as easy as I can on myself and go with something else.

I'm fairly sure you're being sarcastic!

Sorry, I'm a nurse and I work 65+ hours a week with a 1hour drive in each direction. Posted my reply last night on 3.5 hours sleep the night before. I hadn't read through the last few post thoroughly enough and didn't mean to insult you "breeding just Andalusians since 2004". I'm thinking you wish to continue doing so.

There's a woman down in Massachusetts who bred PARROTS in her barn! She had (has?) really great birds.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I'm fairly sure you're being sarcastic!

Sorry, I'm a nurse and I work 65+ hours a week with a 1hour drive in each direction. Posted my reply last night on 3.5 hours sleep the night before. I hadn't read through the last few post thoroughly enough and didn't mean to insult you "breeding just Andalusians since 2004". I'm thinking you wish to continue doing so.

There's a woman down in Massachusetts who bred PARROTS in her barn! She had (has?) really great birds.

I think you're the only one who caught it.

My situation here is barely passable. So, it's not like they have the best of everything they need at this point yet are still having problems. We moved here a couple years ago and the existing barn was built out of 4x8 pallets, including the roof. The joints where the pallets meet have been covered over by strips of plywood but it still isn't completely draft resistant. I've made the best I can out of this. This past summer I was able to collect enough wood that I think I have enough to make a proper roof on the thing now and then I can start working on the walls to improve those. That project has to wait for spring/early summer. I know ventilation is important so I'm working on a plan to make sleeping spaces for my birds that will hold in their body heat and still maintain ventilation in the barn itself so this issue doesn't continue.

Summers here are really hot and my birds seem to be able to take it well, as long as they don't spill their water and have it go unnoticed til dinnertime. The winters are bitterly cold and we get a lot of wind. This is a high desert at 4,000 feet. I know people in Colorado would probably sneeze at that as they are high desert and much higher and have much colder winters.

I'm glad you still have a job. Be careful driving back and forth on such little sleep.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Wonder if this really works!! lol http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...c-coop-door-contest-winners-zw0z0113zbla.aspx

Check it out.

 

[Beekissed]

Check it out.

Now, that's genius!!!

A redneck rig up, just like I like my innovations! If ever I need to close my pop door for the night, I most definitely will be exploring this option.

 

[Lacy Blues]

They said this has sand in it to absorb heat to be released into the coop at night but I see leaf litter, not sand. There wasn't anyone to contact to ask about it so I just want to keep the picture for future references.

 

[suncatcher]

They said this has sand in it to absorb heat to be released into the coop at night but I see leaf litter, not sand. There wasn't anyone to contact to ask about it so I just want to keep the picture for future references.

I saw that too, wondered if you could just use pavers painted black, or cover the sand with a dark cloth.

 

[finnfur]

Now, that's genius!!!

A redneck rig up, just like I like my innovations! If ever I need to close my pop door for the night, I most definitely will be exploring this option.

Yep - the redneck genius at work - You need to have your exact combined weight just right on that or if everybody eats a big meal just before roost time someone might get left out in the cold . Has the ability to change the counter weight easily when the count goes up or down.

 

[NikonD2xer]

Check it out.

The only way that would work and be safe is with a completely secured run attached.
Anything causing a bird or two to get off the roost would be an open invitation for a free chicken dinner for anything around.