Maine

[Mainechick168]

Bucka I am very happy to empower women in anyway I can. I will show folks how to do chicken things if I know them and other things I think we all need to know like;

canning
gutting/skinning
bleeding a furnace line to restart it
changing a tire
patching large holes in sheetrock
hanging sheetrock
framing a basic wall
fixing a toilet/sink
driving stick shift
using a chop saw

That last one is a favorite of mine. The chop saw is my FAVORITE tool. Basic tool use is on the list too I guess. I am sure there are probably other things like how to replace a button and what not but those are on the important list. How to identify north and how to feed yourself in the Maine woods at any time of year are in there too but they take time to learn.

You know Hoppy, I am not much help right now but I like the idea of starting a chicks with tools club that helps each other with chicken related business. I could really use the help myself. There are these lovely geese and a pair of Midget White Turkeys coming to live with me... well, maybe not the geese if I can't get a shelter built. I figure the easiest thing outside putting up a tent for them is to have one of those cow panel houses built and covered with tarp or canvas. Its what they are living in right now where they are. They would be used to it. BUT, as said above, building much of anything is difficult or impossible right now and in order to get the geese (who are free) I would need to have a house for them. I think the woman (80 yo woman who has owned them their whole lives) will keep them for a while but she would like them gone before snow for their sake. That won't happen. They aren't the fancy breeds I had hoped to work with but I love geese and their price is right.

Going to try out some saltdough to see how difficult it is. I am depressed today despite the sudden arrival of eggs in the coops again. I am very glad. I had to buy a doz last week and just hate doing that.

power tools are fun I built the brooder box for our day olds this spring using a circular saw- It feels good to be handy....

I could have used the stick shift help about a month ago here! I'd say I pretty much have it...

and how about help with homework? I've got a little over 2 weeks left of the semester and things are getting crazy


this chicks with tools club- you know, we could in this maine thread set up some sort of cooperative thing- you know, like- I need this, and I can offer this in exchange type of thing..just a though!

 

[Widget]

Bucka I am very happy to empower women in anyway I can.  I will show folks how to do chicken things if I know them and other things I think we all need to know like;

canning
gutting/skinning
bleeding a furnace line to restart it
changing a tire
patching large holes in sheetrock
hanging sheetrock
framing a basic wall
fixing a toilet/sink
driving stick shift
using a chop saw

That last one is a favorite of mine.  The chop saw is my FAVORITE tool.  Basic tool use is on the list too I guess.  I am sure there are probably other things like how to replace a button and what not but those are on the important list.  How to identify north and how to feed yourself in the Maine woods at any time of year are in there too but they take time to learn.

Well let's see:
canning- I can do pickles but never tried anything else
gutting/skinning: rabbits but nothing else
furnace- mine hasn't worked in three years (water damage) so kind of a moot point right now
tire- been there done that a few times
patching holes- no but need to learn since one of my pyrs is slowly demolishing my bathroom walls.
hanging sheetrock- see above
framing wall- no but could come in handy
toilet/sink- been there done that
driving a stick- done
chop saw- no idea how but sounds fun

Things I can do:
replace a dishwasher
install a car radio ( no guarantee the car will start after though ) I'm 2 for 3 in doing it correctly
change the oil, headlights, wiper blades in the car
build a portable garage
dig post holes
drive truck with trailer (still working on backing up though)

 

[buckabucka]

Bucka I am very happy to empower women in anyway I can.  I will show folks how to do chicken things if I know them and other things I think we all need to know like;

canning
gutting/skinning
bleeding a furnace line to restart it
changing a tire
patching large holes in sheetrock
hanging sheetrock
framing a basic wall
fixing a toilet/sink
driving stick shift
using a chop saw

That last one is a favorite of mine.  The chop saw is my FAVORITE tool.  Basic tool use is on the list too I guess.  I am sure there are probably other things like how to replace a button and what not but those are on the important list.  How to identify north and how to feed yourself in the Maine woods at any time of year are in there too but they take time to learn.

Well let's see:
canning- I can do pickles but never tried anything else
gutting/skinning: rabbits but nothing else
furnace- mine hasn't worked in three years (water damage) so kind of a moot point right now
tire- been there done that a few times
patching holes- no but need to learn since one of my pyrs is slowly demolishing my bathroom walls.
hanging sheetrock- see above
framing wall- no but could come in handy
toilet/sink- been there done that
driving a stick- done
chop saw- no idea how but sounds fun

Things I can do:
replace a dishwasher
install a car radio ( no guarantee the car will start after though ) I'm 2 for 3 in doing it correctly
change the oil, headlights, wiper blades in the car
build a portable garage
dig post holes
drive truck with trailer (still working on backing up though)

Quite a list here. I can do the canning and tire changing, although Toyota lug nuts usually rust on, so I can't remove them.
Never done any gutting, skinning
Never had a furnace
Helped with Sheetrock and can tape it, so probably could do a patch
I've framed a wall and driven a stick shift, but don't have a prayer of messing with sinks, toilets, or dishwashers! I'm not about to install a radio, either.

I've done ceramic tile, and I'm a welder. I can run wires. I installed most of the switches and outlets here, although that was a very long time ago. I'm good at batik, but that might be in the replacing a button category.
I don't even know what a chop saw is, but DH announced (in manly fashion) that his chop saw can slice a 4 x 14!
I wouldn't survive in the Maine woods. I'm afraid of the dark.

 

[ChickMagnet207]

Use anti-seize lubricant on your lug nuts and they should be fine...

 

[buckabucka]

Use anti-seize lubricant on your lug nuts and they should be fine...

Well, yeah, we do that now, after several sledge hammer events.

 

[Paulajon]

got my 2nd marans egg today

but I still have to look at the americauna I got at the last swap 3 weeks ago that I was told "she's laying every day" hasn't laid for me at all and she's not molting so it's not that.

silkies are going great guns but that's only because I don't want to hatch just yet, got a new roo and waiting for the girls to be clear before I introduce him. maybe I should just put him in and count 2 weeks before I start collecting their eggs.
patience is not something I have much of.

Thats good to hear glad the marans are both laying , how is the egg color ?, just curious. I have a couple red stars that should start laying pretty soon. My new coop is almost done 8x12 has three windows just need the roof put on thanks to my hubby, so the silkies will be moving in there.

 

[hoppy]

the first egg had speckles and was a nice darker brown, today"s egg was a bit darker without the speckles, so not sure if that's the same hen or the 2nd one has kicked in. either way, i can certainly tell them apart from the wyandotte eggs.

Thats good to hear glad the marans are both laying , how is the egg color ?, just curious. I have a couple red stars that should start laying pretty soon. My new coop is almost done 8x12 has three windows just need the roof put on thanks to my hubby, so the silkies will be moving in there.

 

[Paulajon]

the first egg had speckles and was a nice darker brown, today"s egg was a bit darker without the speckles, so not sure if that's the same hen or the 2nd one has kicked in. either way, i can certainly tell them apart from the wyandotte eggs.

Quote: awesome glad the coloring worked out.

 

[MustardTiger]

Ash, thanks!

Salt dough is pretty **** simple I think. It takes a little getting used to since it can be sticky. I like to leave it in the fridge for a day before I used it. It is easier to handle that way. Dont kneed it too too much or it will sort of fall apart, you do, however, want it to be smooth without a lot of salt grains visible since those will really show when you bake it - unless you want a more rustic look. I dont know if I have any pics of the things I have made. I make wreaths, santas, angels, custom little portraits in dough of people's pets. I'll try and find some pics.

other tips: I use foil inside large hollow areas since it will crack if you make it solid, I also keep a bowl of water beside me when I am working with it. You have to cross hatch any areas you want to attach to other dough and add some water to make sure it sticks, like slip with clay. then before you bake you need to pin rick each solid area so moisture and air can escape and so your ornament doesnt crack or explode! I started making this stuff when I was a kid with my mom and I have just kept it up as a tradition.

Chicks with tools is a good idea.we got a whole set when we moved; radial arm saw (we got it cheap on CL and refurbed it - dangerous things if you dont know how to use them but realllllly useful if you do), chop saw, sawzall, pneumatic nailer...stapler...finish nailers....18v cordless drill. We will be building a coop in spring for our new flock we are bringing in at least 25 more chickens.

Oh and I would be interested in 2 or 3 turkey poults! There is no way I am paying as much for a "natural" turkey ever again.

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

bucka, I'm right there with you on the chicks! My plan was to get a rooster and let things happen on their own. No dealing with a brooder, no muss no fuss. Yet here I am debating ordering a bunch of cockerels to raise out in addition to letting some hatch. On the plus side, I have a friend who would brood chicks for me, so I wouldn't have to deal with the mess on top of an infant!


Those woven bags sound fun! If perhaps a bit tedious to make!






Random thought for the night... Free ranging, do I try it? Right now our flock is contained in a 6' high chain link run. With the exception of our 3 Easter Eggers, who hop over and range the yard on a daily basis. The main reason we don't free range right now is because of the neighbors dog. He is a known chicken killer, and has occasionally gotten loose and run into our yard - though not once since the birds went out to the coop this summer. The run has two doors, one of which faces away from the neighbors property and into the rest of our yard. Do I chance leaving that door open so they can range the yard during the day? With that gate open, there's nothing keeping the dog from running right in and having a field day, if he were to get loose again. But I'd like to have at least SOME grass left in the coop come spring time. lol And it would be nice for them to make a dent in the ticks next year.

That's a tough decision, not knowing if the dog may get loose at some time.  Our neighbor's dog comes over once in a very long while.  The chickens have never been out while he was here, but I'm sure he would go after them, just by nature of being a dog.  We ended up putting up portable wire fencing, and with the other flock, snow fence.  It is flimsy, but it keeps the chickens contained in a larger area outside their run.  We only let them out there when we are around.  The only time I really free-range, is in the spring, when they are desperate to get out, but there is still snow.  The come running out and follow the muddy paths, and look for grass on the south side of the house, but don't go too far because they won't walk in the snow.
Perhaps you could try free-ranging for an hour or so before sunset.  That way, they would make their way back inside to roost, and there would be less time for possible dog mishaps.

I have pretty much free ranged my chickens the whole 5 years I have hade them. I do have a section on poultry netting I put up in different places around the coop so I can close them up if I am going to be gone, but when I am home, which is most of the time they can roam. I had one fox attack two years ago, but was caught in the act, and my dog was more than happy to stay outside and watch for him in the evenings and early morning hours. After being run off by herc a few times he never came back. The dogs are a great deterrent. My inlaws next door even had a pair of kits playing under their flood light last summer and we had no problems. I dont even close them up at night unless the dogs have indicated there may be something around, or I hear the coyotes. I even actually saw a weasle running along the top of the stone wall out front. I knew they were around but the dogs kept them away. Then early tbis fall I lost 4 in one night! I dont think the fox went into the coop, though it was open, there were four piles of feathers outside on the grass, in different spots, and none in the coop, so I think it got them as they came out in the morning. They got closed up night after that and I havent had any losses since. I do always close up the chicks at night, and they are always fenced in.
If your neighbor has a dog you may not want to take the chance, my inlaws got a puppy, and he is over at our house all the time. It was fine until he started chasing the chickens. I dont know how well you know your neighbors, but as I found out, and I am related to mine, you cant trust someone else to be responsible for keeping your chickens safe from their dog. I got very upset by their 'it's just a chicken' attitude. I posted about it, I needed comfort and advice from other people who feel chickens are important The best comfort I have gotten, however is the 100' of chain link fence that is now around my coop! Incidentally, although they are working with the dog now, and are being more careful watching him, he still comes over and that fence gives me alot.more control over a situation that could be very out of control, with severe consiquences for all. I will eventually be letting them out to range when I am home, but not until I get the puppy trained. The wild animals, for me are not a problem for me as far as whether or not they free range, they can be closed in when the predators are about. The dog factor is a whole different thing. I posted my problem in predators and pests, a section of the forum I have rarely visited.I was living a charmed chicken life letting my birds roam free and never losing any birds!