Maine

[mlowen]

Widget, you made me laugh out loud. Startled the dog. You are most welcome...the NAPA petcock has been stellar!

 

[lazy gardener]

I just told DH about your method, lamenting the fact that it would displace too much water for it to last all day, and he came up with this idea: Take a plastic container about the same width of a gallon jug. Cut the top edge so it is crenelated. Invert it into the dog dish and put a heavy rock on top. That way, I'll still have the same amount of water. I'll have to try this out this weekend!

crenelated???? Time to get out the websters! Your method would work... until one of your trouble makers climbed on top of the jug/rock affair and knocked it over, soaking feet, bedding, and everything else in a 10' radius.

 

[buckabucka]

I just told DH about your method, lamenting the fact that it would displace too much water for it to last all day, and he came up with this idea: Take a plastic container about the same width of a gallon jug. Cut the top edge so it is crenelated. Invert it into the dog dish and put a heavy rock on top. That way, I'll still have the same amount of water. I'll have to try this out this weekend!

crenelated????  Time to get out the websters!  Your method would work... until one of your trouble makers climbed on top of the jug/rock affair and knocked it over, soaking feet, bedding, and everything else in a 10' radius.

Yes, I thought about this issue. We have a collection of heavy pieces of metal in odd shapes. I'm hoping I can locate a cone-shaped piece that will be uninviting for perching. I'll let you know if it is a failure. Maybe even a gallon jug on top of the crenelated piece........Do they ever try to jump up on the jug?

 

[MustardTiger]

Hi everyone! Just popping in to day hello. Its been such a busy summer and fall that I have been absent from here. New job, flooded house, 30 something chickens to deal with and a puppy who broke her toe then sliced open her entire back paw pad. Oh and we painted the outside of the house. Sheesh!!!! Puppy has healed up and we are down to 24 chickens after the cornish game birds have gone away to freezer camp..actually to my belly camp Two more need to be processed and then I feel like i will have a reasonable number of chickens around here!

I also FINALLY started getting eggs two weeks ago. Now I am getting 8-12 a day! I need to start selling eggs at work or else I will be getting very fat from eating the brioche my husband makes with them.

Here are some things from around here:

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The joy of the first #snow #maine #happydogs

A video posted by aye twobee (@ayetwobee) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:09am PST​

 

[striperon]

Buc

...

@striperon, the shed looks great! I had to chuckle at your comment about every stage taking longer than you expect. DH does carpentry and here is his way of figuring out how long a job will take: make your best guess, double it, and then raise it to the next unit of time. So, if you think a job will take 10 minutes, double it (20 minutes), and then raise it, -the job will take 20 hours.[/quote

Bucka,

Your DH is wise. That is how it works, a 10 minute job takes 20 hours. lol

 

[lazy gardener]

Finally, 11 weeks later, the girls are moved into their new coop. It's got it's certificate of occupancy, but there are still some things that need to be finished: Pop door x 2, broody pen/jail, electrical, some more paint, some more trim, skirt, and a winter run. It was pure pleasure to see them on their roomy perches, with plenty of room to spare. Pure torture getting them there!

 

[mlowen]

Finally, 11 weeks later, the girls are moved into their new coop.  It's got it's certificate of occupancy, but there are still some things that need to be finished:  Pop door x 2, broody pen/jail, electrical, some more paint, some more trim, skirt, and a winter run.  It was pure pleasure to see them on their roomy perches, with plenty of room to spare.  Pure torture getting them there!

Congratulations! I know you have worked long and hard to get them I there. I hope they love it!

 

[sparrowsnest]

Haven't posted in a while. We haven't figured out what to do with 3 of our roosters. Seems like a lot of work to process just three.....Mid summer we added to our flock of seven Austrolorps with 3 red stars, 2 easter eggers, and 6 buff orps. They're just 20 wks and a few have started laying, so we're getting about half a dozen eggs a day for our family of nine. The new pullets decided they liked to jump the chicken fence, so right before the first snow storm, my dh and ds widened the pen and made it about 7-8 feet tall. So, far, everyone's staying inside(we don't let them free range because we have a bald eagle nest in direct line of sight of the pen). This will be our second winter in Maine and our first with chickens. I'm wondering if we're doing the right things to protect them from the cold up here in the County. Their coop is an insulated room in our barn. DH is dying to put a heat lamp in there, but I don't think its a good idea. I've been having dh turn on the light in the morning at 6am and we're turning it off around 8pm. Other than having to thaw out the water(next project), everyone seems to be doing fine. Any tips for this newbie or should we be ok? Thanks!

 

[buckabucka]

Haven't posted in a while.  We haven't figured out what to do with 3 of our roosters.  Seems like a lot of work to process just three.....Mid summer we added to our flock of seven Austrolorps with 3 red stars, 2 easter eggers, and 6 buff orps.  They're just 20 wks and a few have started laying, so we're getting about half a dozen eggs a day for our family of nine.  The new pullets decided they liked to jump the chicken fence, so right before the first snow storm, my dh and ds widened the pen and made it about 7-8 feet tall.  So, far, everyone's staying inside(we don't let them free range because we have a bald eagle nest in direct line of sight of the pen).  This will be our second winter in Maine and our first with chickens.  I'm wondering if we're doing the right things to protect them from the cold up here in the County.  Their coop is an insulated room in our barn.  DH is dying to put a heat lamp in there, but I don't think its a good idea.  I've been having dh turn on the light in the morning at 6am and we're turning it off around 8pm.  Other than having to thaw out the water(next project), everyone seems to be doing fine.  Any tips for this newbie or should we be ok?   Thanks!

I think you will be fine. Keep the coop dry and ventilated (without a cross draft). Chickens are quite hardy.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sparrow's Nest: are your 3 roosters harassing your pullets? Have you processed birds before? If not, it would be a perfect opportunity to practice your processing skills, while reducing the rooster pressure on your flock.