Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

Today the Turkey coop got another window installed. Once I get the plywood cut, painted and installed....one less thing to do. Then I need to build a door. I have maybe 20 young chickens in there, mostly Giant Cochins. I took 15 chicks out to an outdoor brooder, and then pulled 14 chicks out of the incubator . Lots of brooder clean up was done, and I moved some chicks around. No swap this weekend, but there is the following weekend. I hope to sell a lot of critters.

 

[jvls1942]

good day all,
last night I turned off the TV and mentally built frames for the green house front..
I came up with plan C. I will build a sample frame and give it a try.
I can always go back to plan A or B..
I am done with baby sitting the plants. I don't expect any more frosty mornings this summer.
I sure hope I am right.
the lawn needed mowing the next day after it was mowed.. or am I just imagining that ?
We never bought a cat. most of our cats either showed up and stayed, or got donated by someone who decided that to keep their cat was not a good idea..
I could sure use a good cat outside now.
Yesterday I saw 3 very small red squirrels; besides the herd of large ones..
and I saw a chipmunk .. never had those before..
......jiminwisc.......

 

[aart]

I came up with plan C. I will build a sample frame and give it a try.
I can always go back to plan A or B..

What about Plan D?

Am seeing more chipmunks inside the fence this year too....
.....thinking it's cause the dog is gone.
And this batfastard

 

[jvls1942]

Yeah, no dog here either. but our dog didn't pay any mind to squirrels. she did bother the cottontails a little..
I think I see a shadow ..
there were a couple of those at the edge of the woods across our field a couple of years ago.
the farmer planted soy beans in our field.
those two were out in the field every day, grazing. after awhile there was a large semi circle of bare ground. they just kept nibbling at the edges.
I had one dig a tunnel next to my garage foundation. it went all the way down 4 feet to the footings.
I removed the clutter and caved the dirt in and that was the end of it. IDK where it went from here..
.......jiminwisc......

 

[aart]

I had one dig a tunnel next to my garage foundation. it went all the way down 4 feet to the footings.

That's where they can be most destructive, next to eating ones garden.
Had one dig under my patio, via the lower filter pit next to the ornamental pondsai.
Took me weeks of flooding and filling in to get it out of there, it took up house out in the field where I finally got a successful shot at it.
This one was sitting on the upper filter pit cover and dashed under it when I came out.
I unloaded the 'sharp stream' setting on the hose nozzle into the gap between cover and pit wall for about 3-4 minutes before it squeezed out, soaking wet, and ran into the woods.
Left one of the hatches in the cover open, hopefully it will not be back.

Yeah, no dog here either. but our dog didn't pay any mind to squirrels. she did bother the cottontails a little..

I think the dogs just being in the yard helps keep critters away.

 

[NewBoots]

View attachment 2195016
the ten new Roma's that have to be added to the flock.
View attachment 2195019
the main flock where I spread them out in the back yard today. that spot gets sun all day long.
......jiminwisc......

Got to ask, what are the blue fork things in the top picture? And have you used 5 gallon buckets for your tomatoes before? I assume you drill holes in the bottoms. Do they last a few years? My plastic buckets always start cracking after a couple years.

I think the dogs just being in the yard helps keep critters away.

That's my thought too. It's at least partly why we'll be getting another dog once our geriatric pups pass on.

edited 'cuz no type so gud

 

[Cebarmlds]

We have a geriatric cat, he caught 5 chipmunks in 4 days.

 

[jvls1942]

I'll send you my address, put that cat on a bus.
the blue forks are DD's method of identifying the type of plant. those are all Romas..
Lots easier to see at a glance from any angle instead of looking at a tag.
It doesn't do me a lot of good, I am color blind.
but since there is only one color of fork, I just go by ''fork'' = Roma..
I bought a new battery charger today.. Not liking it so far. but the 200Amp kick starter feature works great..
I think I will be taking it back. there is no way to read led digital in the daytime.
this is my first attempt at bucket planting.
I have used plastic buckets for other things.
they last a few years , if you protect them from the sun. these buckets are on their second season.. DD used them all last summer.
there are about 10 to 12 1/2" holes in the bottoms..
I got some items from DD today to make self watering units for the 10 new Romas.
It takes two 5 gallon buckets, a wick cup,and a small piece of landscape cloth to keep the ''fluffy'' stuff in the cup. the outer bucket gets a drain hole at about 3 1/2'' from the bottom in the side of the bucket. there is an air space between the inside bucket and the top level of the water in the outside bucket..
the water wicks up from the reservoir below and keeps the potting soil moist. you just have to keep the reservoir topped off via a fill tube inserted before the soil is added.
I think I am back to plan A with the green house panels..
....jiminwisc.....

 

[exoticedes]

How many birds do you plan on keeping?
That looks pretty small...what are the dimensions?

Where you live can have a big effect on who your build your coop and run.
Welcome to BYC! @exoticedes
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2144753

It's to fit 9 birds! 5x4x3.5

 

[jvls1942]

I don't recall seeing the original post.
but, that seems kinda small for 9 chickens.