Helpful hints for building coops

[NewBoots]

Is the new place where you've fished for years...or...?

Yup, Lakeside Oregon is the new house where we came to camp and fish for years. Portland is where we have lived for years and are in the process of selling.

Got a compost question. The "soil" here is all sand, rock, and a tiny bit of dirt, so I've started a couple of compost piles out back that are made up of kitchen scraps, dried grass clippings, a lot of horse manure mixed with wood shavings, and some shredded paper fiber. My question is, should I add some of the sand as well? I figure I need more "brown" as well so I'm, watching for leaf piles, but do you think a bale of something from the feed store would work? I'm in a hurry to build usable compost to have something (anything!) to put into the raised beds.

 

[aart]

Yup, Lakeside Oregon is the new house where we came to camp and fish for years. Portland is where we have lived for years and are in the process of selling.

Got a compost question. The "soil" here is all sand, rock, and a tiny bit of dirt, so I've started a couple of compost piles out back that are made up of kitchen scraps, dried grass clippings, a lot of horse manure mixed with wood shavings, and some shredded paper fiber. My question is, should I add some of the sand as well? I figure I need more "brown" as well so I'm, watching for leaf piles, but do you think a bale of something from the feed store would work? I'm in a hurry to build usable compost to have something (anything!) to put into the raised beds.

Cool Beans!

If you want to make good soil, sand is probably not a good addition, nor are wood shavings as they take a long time to fully break down unless you're going to work a really 'hot pile'. Undecomposed wood can be a nitrogen 'stealer' when mixed into garden soil. Better to stick with browns that break down faster, straw or hay should work. Grass clippings can be green or brown, depending on how dry they are.
If you're in a hurry, look into 'hot composting', it takes a delicate balance and almost daily attention monitoring temps and turning fairly frequently based on temps. A compost thermometer would be very handy for this endeavor.

Oh, here's a recent thread about composting, IIRC there's some good info in there:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/catch-22-composting.1325691/

 

[NewBoots]

Thanks Aart, that's a good thread.

Got the alarm system set up this morning (someone tried to break into one of our cars last week) except for the the outside security camera. That's a harder job than the rest of the system and requires power (almost everything else is on batteries). But the main car should be safe enough, we can park it in the garage/shed now and there's a motion detector inside. We'll get some motion lights for the driveway eventually.

 

[Molpet]

Thanks Aart, that's a good thread.

Got the alarm system set up this morning (someone tried to break into one of our cars last week) except for the the outside security camera. That's a harder job than the rest of the system and requires power (almost everything else is on batteries). But the main car should be safe enough, we can park it in the garage/shed now and there's a motion detector inside. We'll get some motion lights for the driveway eventually.

My motion lights go off constantly... Coons and such

 

[aart]

someone tried to break into one of our cars last week

Yikes!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Killed a possum tonight!

 

[jvls1942]

I hope the possum was the culprit ..
Aart's advice was good, about the composting.
All I can add is, make sure the horse manure is completely composted. It is one of the worst for weed seeds if put on uncomposted.
wood chips take more than a year to decompose. My wood chip pile is over five years old. Now it is old enough that weeds and vines are growing all over it.
I am going to try a bit of it in a pot to see if it will be a good growing medium..
We had a motion yard light. I have a new one to replace it . in the mean time there is an extension cord with a LED bulb turned on 24/7..
With Frankie standing guard, we don't worry about night time visitors. two legged or four legged. she barks even if she is inside the house..
for some reason, skunk smell doesn't set her off.. I suppose she figures, if I can't smell it; too bad..
....jiminwisc........

 

[jvls1942]

Actually, here's a thought. I wonder if you could disguise it sufficiently to make a garden seat out of? Fill it with soil and plant creeping thyme in it? It would be a good height for a garden seat...

I am getting rid of it because it is too low.
I have plastic lawn chairs scattered about all over the acreage. always am near one so I can sit down and let my aching back recover..
Hab for Humanity didn't want the toilet.
she said that they do not sell very well.
Today is sunny and cool. we are going to clean up the yard for winter.
put a couple of bales of straw over the septic tank to hopefully help to keep it from freezing.
.....jiminwisc....

 

[aart]

put a couple of bales of straw over the septic tank to hopefully help to keep it from freezing.

You've had it freeze before?
Guess it doesn't get as cold here, mines only got 4-6" of sod over it and has never froze.

 

[jvls1942]

yep, last winter it froze pretty good. there is a lift pump in there and it quit. so the water backed up right to the top of the manhole.
I got the hay stacked aroung the manhole today. I think I am going to get some more old hay from my friend and cover the ground over the tank itself. the tank did not freeze last winter, though. it is covered about 3 feet deep.. but I am taking no chances.
My idea of fun is trying to melt a 200 pound ice cube when it is minus 20F.. NOT !!
......jiminwisc......