Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

So, probably these have already been mentioned (I am so far behind!)

1) Pallets (make sure they indicate heat treated)
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They are especially good if you can get the long ones (6 footers) with NO cut-outs for the fork lift bars.

2) If you are cutting down trees (I think you said one was growig through the deck and would be removed), the trunks and/or branches can make great roosts, and a long trunk/trunk segments can act as post(s) for the run.

3) If there are any buildings in your town/nearby that are having major renovations and/or being demolished - ASK - doors, windows, maybe some decent reusable lumber, and railings make wonderful roosts (usually flat on the bottom, so easy for mounting, but curved on the top so mimics a branch. Sometimes decent plywood for coop floor or roof - do be picky though, and not take something sketchy just because it is free!

4) Restore or something similar is a great way to get things at a reduced price - as you mentioned. I often found screws, hinges, etc at mine before they closed!


5) Check on things like Craig's list, neighbors, etc to see if people are getting rid of things inexpensively or free. Just make sure it isn't a long ways away - I have found condition of things vary greatly - some things offered for free were way to rotted to be used. Other things (such as a cedar fence) was very usable - just needed to cut off the bottom 6 inches or so, the rest was in very decent shape.

6) If you have a dump/transfer station near you that has a 'free' shed where people can leave things that are in good condition - you can sometimes find good things there. I found 2 brand new sheets of plywood once, where the corners (1 corner each) was broken - I only needed them to be 6' long, so I had that plus most of the remaining 2' to use for nest boxes & such!! Woo-hoo!!

7). My last suggestion - and a last resort: if you have a lumbar yard or big box store like Home Depot or Lowes near you - they often have a small area where 'oopsies' or broken boards are put. sometimes it is just a crack on the end, or sometimes a board is split in half - but the 2 halves are in good shape - my local Home depot has an area like this - with things marked 75% off. Very hit or miss, and some things aren't even worth that to me due to the damage, but others I feel like I hit the jackpot.

Hope this helps!

These are such good ideas.

 

[Marie2020]

I could have said “whathehecktomy”!

Are you swearing at me. I'll tell Bob on you

I can swear too
Knickers to you

Tax

 

[featherhead007]

English types? You'd better watch yourself boy. You're picking on the wrong chicken

Grail? We already have one you see, now go away, or we will taunt you a second time, your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries !

 

[BY Bob]

Periwinkle, cobalt, pthalo, button (bachelor button flowers), lupine, spruce, bonnet, sky, midnight....

Someone got a big box of crayons!

 

[featherhead007]

Someone got a big box of crayons!

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That’s exactly what it sounded like

 

[Sylvester017]

Last summer I fell asleep in the lawn chair, I woke to find three chooks sleeping on me, and the rest of the flock under and around my chair

Cheeky beasts!

And a nice nap was had by all...

One of our nappers...

 

[Marie2020]

Good night friends and Alex

 

[featherhead007]

I have Dakota in the house with me. She’s dragging her tail feathers about going back to the coop. Maybe I’ll just have her stay the night. She’s good with numbers, because she’s a mathamachicken. She can help me out with my taxes.

 

[Sylvester017]

Someone got a big box of crayons!

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Oh, I loved these big boxes...periwinkle was my favorite. Has anyone got a Periwinkle chicken?

 

[Sylvester017]

I have Dakota in the house with me. She’s dragging her tail feathers about going back to the coop. Maybe I’ll just have her stay the night. She’s good with numbers, because she’s a mathamachicken. She can help me out with my taxes.

Does she cheat?!