Moving in day at the Chicken McMansion

[Chieftain]

Quote:
Yes, the Feed Grade DE is fine powder, but it is light brown as opposed to white. I assume that the "Food Grade" DE is processed in some way that this is not, but it is perfectly fine. The only problem with it is it only comes in a 40 pound bag and cost about $32, and that much is enough for a lifetime. I just put it into sealed buckets and it will keep forever.

Yes Country Heart, is really is true that the chooks know how to act, and the trick is to figure out what it is they need and then provide it. They all troop right in at sunset, and are up at the crack of dawn scratching about. It was 38 here yesterday morning, and the girls didn't mind one bit.

 

[DaveD]

I'd like to solve the DE color mystery for you. The following is from wolfcreekranch website:

There are food grade diatomaceous earth products that are yellow or tan in color which indicates a higher iron content. Those which are gray in color contain more clay

-David​

 

[Chieftain]

Quote:
-David

Thanks Dave! Good gouge on the difference. I bought the feed grade DE where I get my other chook supplies, and a lot of people were amazed that my DE wasn't pure white. The DE discussions here at BYC have covered the range on the subject and I am amazed at how many different things DE is used for.

 

[andalusn]

DE is uses for a lot of things.. with horses some folks put it in the manure pile to reduce flies or feed it to the horses in the grain as a feed through fly control method. Our manure pile is not close to the barn and with so many birds here we just do not have the fly or insect issues associated with warmer days. Pretty soon the barn swallows will return and it's amazing what a great job they do at pest control. I did notice at Pioneer Feed the DE was in a 5 lb bag.

Went to Wilco yesterday..... Came home with two Buckey and an Orphington pullet.

 

[Chieftain]

Hi Laurie! I'm really impressed with the staff over at Wilco; they have a young gal over there who really knows her chickens and they are a big help. I'm also very pleased with their chicks. The two GSLs I picked up are way more vigorous than my RIRs were at this stage, and I have no doubt these two will be able to keep up with the rest once they hit the coop.

 

[andalusn]

Gal with the long dark hair? ... That's Linda, I have known her for years when she was also very involved with milk goats and so was my family

Some of my grown hens I bought from her this past summer.

Got up twice last night to check on the little ones. I have the brooder (rubbermaid tub) in the barn aisle way and was not quite sure how cold it wold get last night (39 at 2:30am) . they seem okay as of this morning, bright eyed and playing in thier hay. They are just pecking away at the tiny seed heads.

 

[Chieftain]

yep! Linda is one, and there is a younger gal with short blonde hair who is pretty sharp about her chickens too. All of 'em are a big help, and I like going out there to just browse...

A couple of days ago when I was cleaning up my shop from the leftovers of coop construction, and I stumbled across a piece of cedar wainscotting from an old project in the house. It was 5" tongue and groove; finished on one side and rough on the other. I cut it to length, glued half a dozen steps on it, and installed it in the coop as a ramp from the doorway up to the big roost. I baited the whole width of the roost with treats, and then stood back to see how long it would take them to find it. I went out this morning and found a pile of poop up there, so somebody went exploring last night.

Tonight I have the inside light on for them until they settle down, and I looked out there just a minute ago, and all four of them are up on the roost! The biggest one looks like she's asleep, but you can see the other three heads up looking around out the windows. The top of the roost is about three inches below the bottom of the windows, so there is a clear view when they are roosting.

Another milestone!

It's supposed to get fairly chilly here tonight, and they are even talking about the chance of a couple inches of snow down to 500 feet...we shall see, but I did get caught in a couple of flurries today so anything is possible. The girls are plenty warm and very comfy. It they are on the roost now, there's no doubt they will be just fine...

I'll get some pictures when the weather allows....

 

[2dogs1cat]

Chieftain,

What a tale you have written. Thank you! I am brand new and my learning curve is steep. Want to come and visit? Build me a coop? I need to get my hands on that book and tell hubby what to do

My babes are still indoors as they are barely a week old. I hope yours do well tonight with our cold spell. I just took trash out and it is starting to spit snow here!

 

[Chieftain]

It's chilly here too, and thanks for following my tale....that's one of the benefits of the internet is being able to update these continuing threads. If you need advice, BYC is the place to find it, and I dare say that if you can't find the answer here, you don't need to ask the question in the first place...

I'll bet lots of areas around Portland/Vancouver wake up to snow tomorrow and rush hour ought to be interesting to say the least. Last year in the Christmas blizzard we had some idiot on a cell phone do two complete spins in front of us on the Glenn Jackson Bridge (I-205), and when he stopped spinning he STILL had that cell phone glued to the side of his head...!! ARGH!!

Stay warm! We have the woodstove fired up again tonight, and I'm glad our chooks have feathered up so well...

 

[2dogs1cat]

The pellet stove is going full tilt and the chicks are under their heat lamp. Our Schwans delivery guy showed up in shorts tonight and I just had to stare *lol*