Homesteaders

[GerbilsOnToast]

Quote:

If you go to the COOPS tab at the top of the page and look in Medium and Large coops you will see a number of people have made hoop coops for their birds. Its very easy and cheap to make these and they work pretty well. There are some problems for specific areas with severe weather, but basically, they are a very good coop.

I live in Wyoming, with horrible winds all winter (can get to 70+ mph many times during the winter) so a hoop coop would be flattened and torn apart in no time. I could make one, but I would have to make some adjustments to the design to make it work. Areas with high snow fall will require a stronger pole than just the pvc for the supports. When I move to WI, I will probably have a couple of hoop coops, and use one for a spring/fall greenhouse also.

I have seen hoop coops and hoop greenhouses made from the frame of a trampoline. This would be much more solid than the pvc. Maybe something to research.

I built the meaties' coop from some leftover pressure treated lumber and a cattle panel. Heavy to pull, but no coyote is getting in there! Also recycled some old hay feeder rings (2/3 of each one, turned up on sides) into a mini high tunnel - with greenhouse plastic and shadecloth covering, pallets on floor, makes a *great* place to grow out the garden plants!

 

[chickensfinally]

Our new pine flooring (great idea in theory, however takes multiple coats of finish - we did 6. I love the knotty look though!)

Lol! Notty pine always makes me giggle. When I was way young my father's friend used to sing to me a song about Calija the wooden indian (found out about a year ago it was famously sung by Hank Williams) and there is a line about how his heart is "made of notty pine" but I always wondered what the pine did that made it so "naughty". Dontcha just love the innocence of childhood? Sorry, I know this particular post is old, but I am slowly getting through this thread! I have meat rabbits, 5 new pullets that won't lay til sept or oct, planted an apple tree (neighbors have two real close) and a garden in an historic neighborhood of Des Moines,Iowa. Postage stamp sized lot indeed! Plus I want bees when the bee phobic son moves out eventually Carrie

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Great thread. Joining!

 

[boskelli1571]

Lol! Notty pine always makes me giggle. When I was way young my father's friend used to sing to me a song about Calija the wooden indian (found out about a year ago it was famously sung by Hank Williams) and there is a line about how his heart is "made of notty pine" but I always wondered what the pine did that made it so "naughty". Dontcha just love the innocence of childhood? Sorry, I know this particular post is old, but I am slowly getting through this thread!

I have meat rabbits, 5 new pullets that won't lay til sept or oct, planted an apple tree (neighbors have two real close) and a garden in an historic neighborhood of Des Moines,Iowa. Postage stamp sized lot indeed! Plus I want bees when the bee phobic son moves out eventually

Carrie

If your son gets on your nerves too much - go buy bees!

 

[chickensfinally]

If your son gets on your nerves too much - go buy bees!

Oh my gosh! That made me laugh so hard I had a coughing fit.....so totally worth it though! I have days, I swear.......I have days

 

[lacyriggs]

I'm new to this thread. That is so funny. I want bees too, but my husband isn't crazy about the idea. Now I have an or else I can giggle about.

 

[boskelli1571]

I'm new to this thread. That is so funny. I want bees too, but my husband isn't crazy about the idea. Now I have an or else I can giggle about.

My other half isn't crazy about bees either - but I have 2 top bar hives!

Of course, we have sufficient land for them to be away from the cabin. Really, with enough space he wouldn't even know they were there.......

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Okay so this is off topic----but has anyone else been invaded by fruit flies???? I'm in northwestern PA and as of yesterday my house has been infiltrated INCLUDING my root cellar. AH! DH just finished building me my root cellar and I personally installed the insulation and the door fits tight yet STILL the wee b*stards are inside. I've tried commercial fruit fly traps, home made pop bottle (with the top inverted) traps, mason jars with a funnel traps and nothing has worked in the past. Does anyone have any other suggestions? My garden has put out a full crop of spinach already (which I've frozen) and the only things currently residing in my root cellar have been purchased from the store, so it is possible the flies hitchhiked their way in on produce. I would love some ideas if anyone has any!

 

[trsturself]

Okay so this is off topic----but has anyone else been invaded by fruit flies???? I'm in northwestern PA and as of yesterday my house has been infiltrated INCLUDING my root cellar. AH! DH just finished building me my root cellar and I personally installed the insulation and the door fits tight yet STILL the wee b*stards are inside. I've tried commercial fruit fly traps, home made pop bottle (with the top inverted) traps, mason jars with a funnel traps and nothing has worked in the past. Does anyone have any other suggestions? My garden has put out a full crop of spinach already (which I've frozen) and the only things currently residing in my root cellar have been purchased from the store, so it is possible the flies hitchhiked their way in on produce. I would love some ideas if anyone has any!

We were invaded last year by them. A dish with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water with a couple drops of dish soap gets them. They are attracted to the vinegar smell and the dish soap breaks the water tension so they drown when they land. It doesn't get them all immediately but our dish would need to be emptied daily when we first put it out.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

We were invaded last year by them. A dish with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water with a couple drops of dish soap gets them. They are attracted to the vinegar smell and the dish soap breaks the water tension so they drown when they land. It doesn't get them all immediately but our dish would need to be emptied daily when we first put it out.

I will definitely try this. Thank you!