Michigan

[Olive Hill]

31 Days Until April 1



Morning all! The storm must've stayed south of us last night. I heard it blowing and raining/sleeting this morning when I first woke up but it was short lived and we obviously didn't get much rain overnight while sleeping because the snow is all still just as it was when it got dark last night. Supposed to be almost 40 and sunny today so hopefully some more will melt. It's much easier to do everything then there isn't snow on the ground.

 

[wishtofish]

We are in the "Thumb" about 40 miles North of Port Huron. We must have got freezing rain/snow mix. There is a glaze out there. I took the trash out as it was not collected last week because of the storm. Hoping spring is not far off.

Built a coop last (late) fall 7' x 8'. Need to finish painting, shingle the roof..... I purchased an Auto-opening Chicken door that works on a timer. Looking forward to getting it hooked up & finished. I have fencing (dog kennel) that I'm going to wrap in Chicken Wire to make the openings smaller and keep the critters out. I'm going to be looking for some poultry netting to drape over the top of the pen/run. Let me know if anyone has a reasonable source.

 

[Olive Hill]

You know I've looked at the timer doors many times, it would certainly make my life easier -- especially in the summer when we're often away from home at dark. But I haven't installed one for one reason and I'd love to hear how you're planning to deal with it. Chickens don't go to bed at the same time every night. Just as the sun's setting time varies by a minute or so each day, the chickens go to bed a minute or two later every night this time of year. I'd literally have to be out there resetting the timer at the very least every week as it really adds up. And in the winter I'd have to be adjusting it continually to earlier and earlier closing time as the whole point is that predators come out at dusk. And the time of "dusk" changes daily.

And then every so often there is that straggler who gets distracted by something on her way to the coop and is out later than usual. I can just see a lot of chickens getting locked out and during the other half of the year the door not closing on time numerous times too. So if I'm going to be out there fidgeting with the timer all the time I may as well just go out and shut the door. KWIM?

How do you plan to handle that issue? Would love it if someone had an easy resolution I'm just not seeing.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Olive...I have considered for several years getting one also. In my case....the chickens are in a fully enclosed wire run area about 12X5. If I did get one...I figured that if I set if for a little late...then most would be inside and if not...would be fairly safe until I got home since the run is fully enclosed. That is my thought. It certainly would have problems if you had them free range or simply in a fenced run. I've held off because they cost so much---plus now I'm getting another coop for a separate breed and I can't buy TWO or won't spend the $$$ for two...and if I have to be home to close for one coop then what is the sense. I have read of others who just love them however.

 

[SillyChicken]

i'd love to get one.. but i'm afraid it'd make me lazy... I'd be less apt to go check them at night... and if I have to check for stragglers.. then I may as well just open and close the door myself!


My spring coop updates will be linoleum for the floor, and improving the roost and nest boxes. Securing the netting better.
landscaping to get rid of water. and a goose yard!

I got my netting from the Lowes store I worked at, they had bird netting installed under the covered loading area. I talked the company into giving a couple of us their scraps!

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

We have an automatic door and it certainly does make life easier - it is actually an automatic drapery motor and we have it hooked up to a timer. The door is a piece of metal that we had cut to order. If you'd like more details, holler and I'll have my DH post all the details.
BTW, we have covered a part of our free range area w/baseball netting that we found on line at closeout prices...again if you'd like the link, I'll have DH include that -
Gotta run, i see the SUN!

 

[Mom 2em All]

I just called TSC in Monroe- they are getting their chicks in on Wednesday...
time to avoid it at all costs.

 

[wishtofish]

Quote:
How are you going to install the Linoleum.... I have a 3' x 8' wood floor running down the middle of the coop with 2' x 8' of wire running front to back under the roost. I have some linoleun that I could cover the wood plank down the middle with..... Maybe some metal stripping used going from a linoleum flooring to carpet? Now you got me thinking.....

 

[RIRJen]

Please keep my Brother and his Girlfriend in your thoughts and prayers...last night my nephew, Sullivan, passed away in his sleep. He was born on New Years Eve. It's been a very rough day and a very hard last night.

 

[Olive Hill]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Jen. The entire family is in our thoughts. I'm sorry for your loss.