Misers Among Us!

[Rainwolf]

oh shredded paper (like bills and junk mail) make great nest box stuff my birds really like it better then straw or shavings.

edited to add: I doubt any ID thief is willing to deal with chicken droppings

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I get my poly tarps and clamps that fit around the small PVC pipes or cloths lines at Harbor Freight - $1 when they have them on sale several times a year. The Bleach at the dollar store places is not as strong as Clorox and I can use it without passing out or collapsing from the smell. Literally. But I can't use anything but Tide.
I will have to look for rolls of the 4 ply plastic at Big Lots, I usually buy a BIG roll at local hardware store and its lasts me 3 -5 years. I use it everywhere, garden, coops, temp plant covers, staple it to cardboard and use it for dropping trays (when I am out of feed bags for liners), reuse it over and over, until it literally rots from the sun.

Dollar type stores are closing down around here though, its getting hard to find buys. Pretty bad when the dollar type stores can't make it. Thrift stores, never know what you'll find, great places to look. That's where my $15 dog carrier came from and that was a great price around here, I use it when I move birds around or clean cages.

A lot of the wood we used is after Hurricane prep. Plywood from covering windows. Because of the humidity we have to replace them from time to time, keep them rotating. We have used it to build the shed, on parts of the Duck house, and used the last of it for the quail growout pen. I may have to actually buy some for projects now. DH always buys 2x4's when they are on sale (he knows me well, I always have projects for him) and cuts them to whatever size he needs 2x2 or 1x2, whatever. Watch for old furniture, desks, bookcases tossed out and free, take it apart and use the wood for other projects. Right now one of my quail breeder cages is resting on solid Walnut legs from a walnut table, to raise it (they were the perfect size). I got into trouble for that one. Well I 'll clean the wood and sand it down when he gets the cage put on a triple cage set up. He'll reuse that wood for a carving project or something else.

Where to get 1/2" PVC pipe cheap? He uses them to make stands for the breeder pens. I really like my triple breeder pens with the plywood pull out trays under each. Keep a liner on it, pull the liner out dump it and done or hose it down if need be. So easy for me, I like easy, I need easy.

 

[wolftracks]

I love threads like this.

Some many ideas that you'd never think of.

I used a discarded desk to start a rabbit hutch, but needed a place for 2 silkies and the rabbits are still in a wire pen.

I had never had a paper shredder until I had chcikens. LOL You can use that stuff for everything.

Poultry auction is a little over 2 blocks away. I find all kinds of stuff there including power tools. I got 3 huge plastic containers I need to go out and make waterers out of.

I have a few plastic totes for brooders, but if I need a really big one I get one of those huge cardboard boxes from the grocery that things like pumpkins are put into.

Plastic buckets from the bakery for food storage.

Cheap tarps from the Dollar Tree.

Only lights I have right now are those tap lights that run on batteries. Got them at the 99 cent store.

I use gallon jugs for waterers and feeders in some pens for now.

I grabbed a nightstand off the side of the road a week or two back and I'm going to figure out what I need to do to use it for the quail.

Ice cream tubs make good waters too.

I bought pop bottle waterers and got some of the nipple waterers. I can do the bottle ones, can't figure out the nipple ones. Just afraid I'll do them wrong and waste a bucket.

Forgot that I asked my neighbors about a TV and the stand sitting in their drive. I saw that TVbator and thought WOW! I'll use the stand for a coop. Guess I should get those over here. duh!


Tuna and chunked chicken cans for grit and oyster shells.

I buy BOSS when it's on sale and wild bird seed. Add some wheat, rice, oats, cat food or dog food, for snacks. Most times I also add scratch to this.

I was to chicken to go across the street where they're rebuilding a house to ask for stuff, and when I finally got up the nerve, another neighbor and his buddys were carrying everything to his house. His Games are nicely cooped now. Darn It!

I need to work on an old entertainment center that is a makeshift coop at the moment and turn it into something eye pleasing.

Used dog crates to sick or quarentined birds

I know theres more, but need to see what everyone else uses and find some better ways of doing things.

Oh oh .......thrift store cookie sheets work great under cages.

 

[wolftracks]

OK so why did I kill this thread off?

 

[Rozzie]

LOL I don't think you killed it. I just think we've got a bunch of spendthrifts here.

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
Gee I guess, but I want cheap or cheaper!

Free wins though , hands down!


why can't I get the right word in there the first time?

 

[JJMR794]

If It's Free, It's For Me!

 

[Robo]

I am going tomorrow to pick up some 2x4s. The guy is getting rid of a whole truckload because he doesn't want to take the nails out.

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
Green with envy...

Of course, it would be hard for me to haul those in my subcompact car. I can manage 2x4's, but with nails in them might be a little harder. (In order to fit 2x4's in my car, you have to stack them JUST so, at JUST the right angle, with towels or blankets across the dash. You only dare haul a few, or the windshield is at risk.) That's if I want to close the trunk, anyway. If I'm willing to leave the trunk open (and tie it closed around the license plate, HA HA) then I can carry more.

 

[Robo]

Don't forget about putting them on the top of the car. When the truck broke down we hauled feed and wood on top of the jeep. Ypu should have seen all of the people staring at us with drums of feed and 4x4s strapped to the top as we drove by the mall. We even filled up th inside of it with some new bobwhites and a couple of cages. You should see us going camping, we have the stuff in the bed and the john boat hanging 8 feet over the tailgate.